Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-18

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Of Infantry, to be placed in depot at New Orleans
and Detroit TO remain depofs of reserve, by
Which an increased expenditure occa~ioned OF
Sao'">3. In me same year preparation was
made OF tents, the war supply having become
faustcd, and none otthat article having been be-
lore procured since the peace. This occasioned
an increased expenditure beyond that Of any for
iner year, Of $l0.425. The aggregate Of the iu-
| creased expenditure, on these several items for
objects not comprehendcd in the expenditure OF
the years 1922, 1928 1924, is II6,T09 dollars The
House will perceive that they are all objects re-
CURED by tho exgency OF the service, and that for
many OF them, the full worth OF the expenditure is
on hand, in The form of supplies, in the public de-
pots.
BY an act Of Congress of I'd March, 1927, an in
crease of pay was allowed TO Captains and Subai-
terms he addition made by this act to the ex-
pensc oithe Army was for pay 10, 500 dollars and
TOR subsistence, 81, 5l1 dollars. making total of
SoII dollars OF increased expenditure for the year
1871 arising from positive Legislation. The in
crease OF the expense in the Quar,ermas:er's de-
pa'tment, in consequence Of the movement OF the
troops ON the western frontier, ought not TO be
forgotten IN this comparative survey nasuiuch as
II was obviously not within the control o. the De-
partment
When the proper deductions are made, on the
foregoing grounds, II will be perceived that a coI-
siderable reduction OF expenditure must have Ia
ken place; and that the increase o! the dis
bursemen,s OF 1926, those of 1925. was owing
10 extra appropriations, and to other causes over
which the Department has control. In making this
statement ii is not the design of minority OF the
committee TO institute invidious comparison be-
tween The present and former adm nistraton OF
inc department; but to assert the claim of its pre-
sent head TO full share Of all the credit due for an
economical efficient, and prudent adm Illustration of
its affairs.
The Indian Affairs Of the United States form
very important branch of the duties of the Depart
uient OF War, and TO these the attention of the mi
hoTi'y Oh inc committee has been particularly d-
rected.
Contingencies Of the Indic,s Department.
; The relations OF the government OF the United
States TO the tribes and remnants of tribes of Indi
ans within our territorial limits are important and
complicated. These relations are productive of We.
! ~ considerable and probably growing expense OF
nature not admitting Of that degree of specGca-
ton i'll the appropriations, which is auainabIe in
most branches and desirable all. Their state of
oafoaris'n, or very imperfect civilization gives to
our control over them the form of parental ,scre
; uon' rather than that Of legal authority The Pc
cuiiar nature OF their ri hit in the soil: the coni
tons on which their cessions have been made tn
The United States; their connection with us as tenn.
porary or permanent annuitans; the obligations of
me u. States 10 effect the cxtinguishment or the
title OF some OF the tribes 10 their lands within the
imitS oil States; the condition of some others that
have migrated under our patronage: the pronencss
OF some OF the more warike tribes TO disturb thc
peace OF the frontiers by wars among each other:
Iie effects OF the gradual advancement of our own
ana the tenderness, which reason and humanity
require to be exercised toward an inferior g. un.
fortunate race o; men daily vanishing before us
are considerations which will readily lead 10 the in
ference that our relations with these tribes canno,
be successfully administered without the controI
OF considerable fund for contingent expenditure:
IN many cases, without any other security for its
proper application than the oatis and honor of the
mead OF The Department, the general fidelity of
the accounting officers, and the want of strong
i mr. nj .r,Nsa
ana scattered sayages, exercising control over
the ends which corrupt expenditure Of public mo-
neys is naturally designed TO effect
n re Organization of the Indian Department took
place, IN part, in 1922, and more eif.ctually in
1924, and from the former period, considerable
and permanent economy has taken place in The con-
nngent expenditure, as will appear from the fol-
lowing abstract CT appropriations:
In May, 1922, appropriated for contingent expens-
sol indian department S75, 900
For deficiency OF previous year 20 900
Do 1928, For contingencies 30 600
And for May, 1921, down tc
the present time $1,000
l. Before this system commenced,
there were appropriated in
1921, for arrearages 2,2O5
current expenses 100000
1920, for current expenses 200 900
In 1879 for the Indian Depart
ment go 600
1t is to be observed that considerable portion of
ing specific appropriations for objects formerly com
pretended under the contingent expenditure The
minority OF the committee are pleased to see in tn
various estimates for the Indian service which
have proceeded from the Department OF War that |
there has been constant tendency to refer every
thing 10 specific appropriation which it was posi-
bic, before hand, to provide for and, that though
the amount oil requisite contingent expenditure
would in ITSELF naturally increase as oar relations
win the Indian tribes grow more complicated, and
larger humber OF these, unfortunate fellow |
beings, are brought within tile reach of our Coy
eminent, las has actually been the case, more and
more, from the foundation of the Government !
yet, thatthe contingent fund has, by applying the |
principle OF specific appropriation, been kept |
within the limits at which il stood five years ago:
Il ought, pToporonabiy, have ben much greater.
whoever shalt pass in review our Indian reia- I
lions Tor tile last three years, will admit at once
That nothing bat the most rigid and weil-dipested
economy, on the one hand and resort 10 specific
appropriations on the other, could have produced
this result.
In examining the accounts, which have been
submitted TO them, of the expenditure of the con.
hnsentiund for the Indian department. although |
there are several items which of course nnot he
understood, without explanation (lrorn the mposs. !
bili'y OF bringing within a line or two in an ac- |
count the history Of all extensive transaction vet
the minority Of the committee have discovered no |
item which, in their judgment, has not been, Or /
might not be, rendered perfectly ineligible and /
Justiiabie, by an application for information to the
proper quarter. On few Of the items Of these sc-
counts, to which exception has been, or possibly |
may be taken, the minority Of the committee ask
the attention Of the House
One OF these is payment OF 1853 dollars TO VIII. !
liam thompson, who, during period of twenty. !
one months, commencing in August, 1924, under
the Secretaryship Of MIR. Calhoun and TERMINATING
IN May, 1926, was occasionally employed, in the !
Indian bureau in rendering services az nm ass s,,,