The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-02
A Reform Proposed in Our Present Cor
rUpt Indian System.

rUpt Indian System.
THE Senate Finance Committee. in reporting
the Indian Appropriation bill. have made
amendments which radically change our present
Indian system. They propose removal OF the
Indian Bureau from the Department of the
Secretary of the Interior to that of the Secre'
tary of War. and the total abolition Of the
present plan Of superintendencies, agencies,
and sub-agencies, and the substitution therefor
of officers of the army, detailed for that duty
but without extra pay.
We trust the change will be made, for this is
one of those cases where q change can hardly
make matters worse, and it may make them
better. He who does not know that our present
Indian system is prohigately, thoroughly, hope
lessly corrupt knows nothing about it. Gas
dishonest as an Indian agent" is almost pro-
verb throughout the West. The popular sup
position Is that this onderous system of Indian
superintendents, Indian agents and subagents,
is a benevolent one for the civilization and
elevation of the Indian. The real fact is, that it
is gigantic scheme Of plunder, from beginning
to end. The Government pays out large amounts,
in cash and in goods yearly to the Indians. All
passes through the hands of these officials. That
they manage to steal good deal evident from
the fact that, while their, salaries are quite
moderate, they all manage to get rich while in
Office. An Indian agent who should retire
without having made his pile" would be con-
sidered most anomalous specimen ofhumanity.
One method of swindling connected with the
Indian department is in the matter of the goods
furnis he'd to the Indians. Many of the annui-
ties are payable in goods. These goods are pur-
chased in large amounts upon advertised propo.
1aIc md ncfon lu Of tha
Generally the Indian agent or superintendent,
or the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, has an
interest in the contract. Oitentimes the goods
furnished are of a notoriously inferior quality
shoddy blankets and musty -four going to swell
the profits of these honest spectators. Each
lrlpe, as general rue, has resident agent
who lives upon the reservation with the Indians,
superintenis is their affairs, pays their annuities
and plays the patriarch generally among then
With each agent is GRADER" licensed by the
Government to sell goods to the Indians.
Having no competition, he fixes his own prices
upon the articles he sells. In theory, the agent
is supposed to have no manner Of interest
in the goods, wares, and profits OF the trader;
in fact, be is silent partner, or gets nice per.
centage of the profits. In TRUTH there is nothing
connected with the Indian Bureau, from great
contracts involving hundreds of thousands of
dollars, off of which high officials speculate,
down to the purchase of buhalos hide by some
petty frontier trader that does not reek with
rascality. 1t permeates the whole concern from
top to bottom. We remember, few years ago.
when it was suddenly discovered that the Xaw
Indians, wild, rowing, uncivlized tribe in
Kansas, needed frame houses! Straightway
proposals were issued and contract was let for
the building of several hundred houses at figures
which made the transaction "big thing" for the
fortunate parties engaged in it. AS the matter de-
veloped, it was found that one of the partners in
the contract, or closely identified with it, was
the son of member Of the Cabinet at Washing.
ton! This is but specimen E1 uno disco on,nes.
Were it not that our hands are tied up by
treaty stipulations for the payment of annuitles,
etc, it would be blessed thing for the Indians,
as well as the Government, to abolish the whole
Indian system. But as we cannot do that, the
next best thing is to break up the present
''rings," and put the whole management of the
Indians into the hands OF the War Department.