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BUFFALO BILL.
An Interview With Hon. Wm. F. Cody by a Commercial Representative.
Opinions of the Celebrated Indian Fighter on the Indian Problem.
Never Make a Promise to the Indians Which is not Fulfilled to the Letter.
A representative of THE COMMERCIAL yesterday had the pleasure of dining at the Oliver House with Hon. Wm. Cody, the celebrated Indian fighter, and Col. Ingraham, the noted author and cultivated, genial gentleman. The writer had known and heard much of "Buffalo Bill" in the earlier days, before his fame had become world-wide, but when the stories of his wild, romantic and wonderful adventures were told by every camp-fire and in every wigwam, from the Mississippi to the Pacific, and from the Rio Grande to the Columbia river. In all the romance of the wild and trackless west, in all the thrilling adventures and the wonderful stories of the boundless prairies and the deep forests toward the setting sun, no other name stands forth so conspicuously and so brilliantly as that of the brace and peerless "Buffalo Bill," the gallant and invincible knight of the western plains. Brave as a lion, true as steel, honest, fearless and frank, and combining with a lofty, commanding statue, all the easy grace of the wild far west, his history has been one long, true story of thrilling adventures, more romantic than has been printed in the fairest dreams of Romance herself. As his eagle eye and lofty bearing denoted undaunted courage and superior intellect, so also upon his brow in unmistakeable letters is written the word "gentlemen." Born upon the western prairies, and reared amid wild scenes of tumult, his father murdered in their early days when Kansas with the struggle of a young giant was shaking off the yoke of African slavery, a trained Indian fighter taking his first scalp at the age of twelve, and having served his young state in earlier manhood as a trusted and honored member in the legislature, it is probable that Wm. F. Cody, is well acquainted with all that pertains to the west as any other living man.

A question of growing importance and of serious import just now to the people of the United States, is the management of Indians by the government. The conversation turning upon that subject, THE COMMERCIAL representative said:

"What are your idea on the Indian problem, Mr. Cody? In other words, what would you do to secure a better and more economical management of the Indian tribes by the government?"

"I think I can sum up my policy in a single sentence. It is this: Never make a single promise to those Indians that is not fulfilled. Agents promise too much. Men of Agents promise too much. Men of calm, prudent determination must be sent among the Indians as agents. Those who are sent, often know nothing of the Indian character, and either through fear, ignorance or dishonesty are led into making promises which the government cannot or will not fulfill. Every Indian outbreak that I have ever known has resulted from broken promises and broken treaties by the government."

"What do you think of the peace policy or the policy of encouraging agricultural pursuits by the Indians, Mr. Cody?"

"It has already resulted ingot and will result in still greater good if honestly will result in still greater good if honestly and intelligently pursued. You cannot make an Indian work by standing over him with a shot gun. He must be taught that it is to his interest to do so, and brought into it by degrees. Too much cannot be accomplished all at once. But if a wise, firm policy is pursued the Indians will gradually drift into agricultural pursuits."

Speaking of the recent outbreak of the Utes, Mr. Cody said he thought the Indians were badly treated. He knew that for years miners, contrary to treaty, had been settling upon their lands. The Utes had protested and the government paid no attention to the, and they had finally taken the matter into their own hands. Mr. Cody had been with the 5th cavalry for six years, and he was consequently acquainted with the Utes. He had taken the first scalp to avenge the Custer massacre. On the same day he also killed Red Knife.

"What do you think of Grant as a third term candidate, Mr. Cody?"

"Next to myself, I think Grant is the luckiest man in America. Nothing would surprise me."

"How did you get the title of 'Buffalo Bill,' Mr. Cody?"

In 1867 when the Kansas Pacific road was being built, I was in the service of the government. One of the managers of the road came to me and said the men were out of meat, and asked me what I would contract to furnish twenty-five buffalos a day for, I told him I was in the service of the government and could not work for him at any price. The company however made an arrangement with the government so that I got off, and he hired me at $500 a month to shoot buffalos. I thought $500 per month was the biggest salary any man ever received. I went to work and in eighteen months I killed 4,280 buffalos. The "Paddys" employed on the road, as a consequence, became very tired of buffalo meat. When they saw me coming they knew my appearance heralded a fresh supply of tough buffalo meat, and they sid one to another, "Bedad here comes buffalo bill agin; sharpen up your grinders, we'll have more buffalo meat now. " I soon became known along the entire line of the Kansas Pacific as "Buffalo Bill."

Mr. Cody was at Cincinnat when he heard of the Ute outbreak. He at once went to work to secure some person to take his part of "Buffalo Bill" in his play, and telegraphed to Sheridan that he was at his service and he will no doubt be ordered to the west should the trouble continue. Mr. Cody says he has no fancy for Indian fighting, but as that has been his life long profession he supposed he can do it as well as any man and if he needed he is desirous of giving to the government the best service that he {Illegible}.

-- The arrival of Buffalo Bill and troupe caused such a commotion among the small boys yesterday that many thought a fire was raging in the neighborhood of Music Hall, and when the band played, and the hair of the redoutable scout was disturbed by the zephyrs, and the painted Indians bestrode their ambling cobs for an exhibition tour of the town, the juvenile vociferation knew no bounds. Yesterday was an epoch in the life of the average small boy of Wilkes-Barre.

-- A countryman, on seeing the show posters "Buffalo Bill at Bay," yesterday, wanted to know what bay was Bill at, and whether it was an oyster bay.

Buffalo Bill's Parade.
Lackawanna avenue was a sight to see when "Bill of the Buffaloes," his three or four Indians and the trained donkey passed up the street yesterday following the band. There was as great a crowd as the Parnell reception, the only difference being that on the former occasion the crowed was of men, while on this it was made up chiefly of boys. There was to be seen every variety of the genus boy the city produces and these varieties are numerous. They ranged from six to thirteen years, with occasional instances of younger and older; and there were the rich boys and the dirty boys; the good boys and the bad boys; the school boys and the street boys. The donkey was the principal object of attraction and all that could be seen him through the army of boys that hemmed him in was an occasional flirt of his long ears above the crowed. The Indians were not labelled with the name of their tribe, and we'll stake our bottom dollar that one at least was neither an Apache nor a Navajoe, for he rode like a Chatham street tailor, with his feet turned out at right angle. The parade was not an extensive one, only the distinguished William at the head and four others following in Indian file and about thirty yards apart, to make themselves look like a procession; but the boys! Good gracious! the boys were packed from curb to curb.

Buffalo Bill.
Tonight Buffalo Bill and his company will wake the echos of painted mountains, scalp imitation Indians, and take the starch out the conventional road agents and other varieties of scoundrels, while he presents himself as the ideal hero at the Academy of Music. William of the boom none de plume is well known in Seranton, and the lovers of wild scenery, wild life, noisy drama, and blue fire will have an opportunity to enjoy themselves. Therefore we have no doubt but that Buffalo Bill and his party will have their usual welcome of good house, especially in the upper circles. Upon their arrival they will,as we are informed, parade the streets to the music of their own band, which is said he a good one, and the boys, big and little, cannot afford to miss seeing that, so look out for them.

-- A real live jackass seems to have as much attraction for the average juvenile as a whole menagerie of other animals, as was evinced by the enormous crowd of excited boys who followed the asinine member of Buffalo Bill's troupe through the streets yesterday morning.

AT THE ACAD{ILLEGIBLE} The Academy of Music was filled in the evening with an eight hundred dollar house, so we suppose the pile was more satisfactory to the company than anything we can say. Those who were there express themselves well pleased with the performance.