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Show 108 He commented: The past year has been much more quiet and satisfactory than the preceding one, so far as the temper and achievements of our Indians are concerned. The policy of treating them liberally has been abundantly shown to be both economical and wise.8 Critchlow also succeeded in reviving some farming by the Indians, which had only been started some 15 years before. True, it was a halting start, but he was almost jubilant in tone 'as he described the situation of the previous summer: After the excitements of the so-called Indian war were passed, and our Indians saw and realized that their wants and necessities were comparatively well provided for, they settled down quietly upon the reservation and seemed to be well satisfied with the annuity goods forwarded by the Department, and the beef, flour and other supplies we were enabled to issue. There were about five hundred Indians on the reservation most of the winter. A greater number than usual; still they were comparatively content. As the season for agricultural labor approached they held many "talks" among themselves, and finally got up quite an enthusiasm. The result was that about fifty lodges, or about two hundred adult Indians, were directly or indirectly engaged in farming operations. So great was the zeal for farming in the spring that there was great difficulty in supplying all with the necessary teams and implements, as they all wanted to work at the same time. Wheat was the principal crop with all. They seemed to think there could be no farm without it. According to the estimate of my head farmer they had, in wheat alone, from one hundred and fifty to two hundred acres, besides about fifty acres in other crops. Much of this land was cleared of sage brush, and the greater part of it plowed by the Indians themselves. Some of them were so ambitious that they sowed their own grain, preferring to do all the work themselves. Of course, their farming was not done in the most approved manner; still there was much hard labor performed. Work is a civilizer, and though the products 8Critchlow to E. P. Smith, September 25, 1873, in RCIA, 1873, 628. |