Show Noble on tho Indian Question WASHINGTON Jan 5Secretary Noble was questioned as to what action had been taken on the recommendation of General Miles that the Indian agents of the South Dakota agencies should be relieved from further duty and that their places be filled with military officers The mitary ofcers secretary says he did not care to discuss the matter further than to say the subject has not been mentioned to him rnc by any one with authority i au-thority to act in the matter It is believed however should General Miles recommen1 dation be submitted to him by the Pros dent for his views the secretary would strongly oppose the transfer would i The secretary spoka with some earnest ness of the reports that had besn in circu lation recently to the effect that the In dians were in a starving condition and that i the pending trouble grew out of the fact that the government had not kept its agree ment with the Sioux but on tho contrary already had begun to cut down their rations in violation of all treaty obliga tions The secretary denounced these statements as unqualifiedly false The story of starvation among the Sioux wa a pure fabrication For ten long years the I government in fulfillment of Jts treaty ob I ligations has been feeding ttyo Sioux in idleness Some of them however were I thrifty farmers and good citizens but the I greatest proportion were a thriftless and indolent set perfectly willing to spend their time in idleness and with finding fnding fault with the government on every conceivable con-ceivable pretext The treaty of 1S77 the secretary said obliged the government to furnish them with a certain amount of food clothing implements horses catt of etc etc until they should become catte sel supporting After the ten years had elapsed during which time the government spent millions of dollars with a view to placing the Indians on a selfsupporting basis members of Congress very properly began to inquire whether it was the purpose pur-pose of the government to continue in definitely and forever the policy of feeding Indians who persist in living in idleness They thought it about time to test their ability to support themselves and so the appropria tion was reduced 100000 not a very large amount when compared with the vast sum which the appropriation called for Thereupon There-upon the Indians immediately began to complain but made no effort toward feed ing themselves They occupied a vast terri tory containing thousands of acres of pro ductive land They were supplied with everything necessary to improve it and raise good crops but preferred to do nothing and let tne government continue to put food in their mouths I eontnae the secretary thought that these people should be compelled to do something and he had lost patience with those who upheld the Indians in their idleness He sincerely regretted the recent action of the military had resulted in bloodshed and he congratu lated himself that his department was in no way responsible for it |