The Benton Weekly Record

A Good Indian Agent Found.

We see by Washington dispatches of the 16th inst., that the President has sent in the name of Peter Ronan for re-appointment as agent of the confederated tribes of Pend d'Oreilles, Flatheads and Kootenais. This is a very deserved appointment, and coming to a Democrat from a Republican administration, it is a deserved compliment for a very successful administration of over four years past. In this connection it may not be out of place to give print to the following incident which took place last fall during the visit of Gen. Gibbon and other army officials to the Agency. Gen. Gibbon is one of that class of theorists who look upon the solution of the Indian question as dependent upon the transfer of the red men to the guardianship of the army; and he rather suddenly put the question to the Flathead chief Arlee: "How do you like your agent?" The reply was worthy of a statesman, and probably had no little to do with the Major's re-appointment. Arlee said, "As the agent of the government we respect him; as a friend, and adviser and a neighbor, we love him, and I trust I may never live to see the appointment of his successor."

Missoulian.