Show the indian situation washington january 6 secretary noble was questioned as to what action hail been taken on the recommendation af general miles that the indian accents of the south dakota agencies be relieved from further duty and that their places be leilh d with military miti tary the secretary says he did not care to discuss the matter aurther than to say that the subject had not been mentioned to him by any one with authority to act in the matter it is believed however should general miles recommendation be submitted to him by the president for his views the secretary would strongly oppose the transfer alie secretary spoke with some earnestness of tho reports that had beon in circulation recently to the effect that the indiana were in a starving condition and thai the pending troubles grew out of the fact that the government had not kept its agreement with the sioux but on the contrary had already begun to cut down rations in violation of all treaty obligations the secretary denounced these as unqualifiedly false the story of starvation among the sioux was a pure fabrication for ten long years the government in the fulfillment of its treaty obligations had been feeding the sioux in idleness some of them however were thrifty farmers and good citizens but a good proportion were a thriftless and indolent net perfectly pilling to spend their time in idleness and finding fault with the government on every conceivable cei vable pretext the treaty of 1871 tle secretary said obliged the govern to furnish them with a certain amount of food clothing implements cattle etc until they should become self supporting after ten years elapsed during which time the government ebent millions of dollars with a view to placing the indians on a belf supporting basis members of congress very properly began to inquire whether it was the purpose of the government to continue indefinitely and forever jhc thc policy oi feeding indiana who living in idleness they thought it about time to teat their ability to support themselves and so the appropriation was reduced not a very larga amount when compared with ane vast sum which the usual appropriation called for thereupon the indiana immediately began to complain but made no effort toward feeding themselves they occupied a vast territory containing thousands of acres of productive land they were supplied aup plied with everything every thine necessary to improve it ana raise good chopa but preferred to da nothing and let the government continue to put food in their mouths ht |