The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-08
The Indian Orestiou.

The Indian Question.
What shall be done with the Indians? has
long been perplexing question. To civilize
them, to govern them in their savage state or
to exterminate them have all been ideas enter
tanned and disputed; but so far no success has
accompanied any one Of these projects. To
civilize the Indian of the Western desert and
the Rocky Mountains in the present genera
tion-that is to say, to bring him into the
traces and habits Of the white man, to make
him profitable cultivator of the soil, good
mechanic, a politician, an alderman, presi-
dent of national bank, or even member Of
Congress-is something not to be thought of.
To accomplish this we must take the papOose
from his cradle on the back of his maternal
good deal has been done by this method, as
we know, with the Pottawattomies, Delawares,
Senecas and the six tribes of Western New
York. Under proper guidance and the
observance of good faith on the part of the
white people the Indian, proud, suspicious
and sensitive under white supremacy as he is,
might cease to be an obstruction to the advance
of civilization on the Western plains. White
settlers could sit down in peace on their
FARMS and railroads could be pushed ahead
towards the Pacific with far less trouble
and expense to the government if the
present system adopted by the Indian Bureau
at Washington and carried out by it's agents in
the Indian country were thoroughly remodelled.
We have been accustomed to put all the blame
for what are called Indian hostities upon the
shoulders of the red man, while it happens
that most of it could be more fittingly credited
to the ignorance or indifference of the officials
at headquarters and the shameless corruption
and breach of faith on the part of many In
dian agents in their dealings with the tribes.
For instance, of what value is treaty made
and signed by the chiefs of hostile tribe if
it's provisions are not carried out by the officials
appointed for that purpose, or If the purport
of the treaty is falsely interpreted before the
signatures are obtained? OF what account is
it that annuities soemnly contracted for are
delivered by the agents, short in many cases
one-fourth of the promised quantity, and re-
ceipts obtained from the unsuspecting savages
for the full amount and the voucher placed
upon record in the bureau at Washington as
testimony that the agent has fulfilled his trust
Yet we have heard of these things going on as
a matter of custom. Can we blame the In
dams if they mstrust us in all our dealings with
them, or can we be surprised when they
exhibit vengeful spirit within the agency of
a dishonest official?
II is to this system that we must attribute,
in great measure, the difficulties with the
Indians on the Plains. That many of them
are intractable especially the young warriors
the rowdy element which prevails in every
tribe-may be true, and many of the hostilities
we hear of arise from that quarter, rather
than from any disposition to make war upon
our settlements or railroads. and it may be
remarked that great portion Of the reports cir
culated by parties interested in inisrepresent-
ing the state of affairs on the Plains is grossly
exaggerated. Not half the stories of attacks
by Indians on white men, on trains, or the
killing and scalping of soldiers are true. The
probability Is that these fictOns originate in
the jealousy of rival Indian agents, and they
not unfrequently emanate. we suspect, also in
rvalries between parties interested in the
different branches Of the Pacific Railway, Of
which there are three running through Kansas
and Nebraska. At all events, we have it on
the best authority that the rumors of party
of soldiers being killed and mail carriers being
attacked recently by Indians in the vicinity of
l. 4
ton whatever in fact and so no doubt with
many other wild rumors of the same sort
The truth is that the presence of an efficient
military force, under experienced officers like
General Sheridan and General Sully, is sufficient
to keep the peace, and it may be regretted
that the military power is not accorded more
privileges in dealing with the Indians. Grip
pied as the army officers are by the red tape
of the Indian Bureau, their experience and dis
cretion are almost worthless attributes where,
under different system. they could achieve
all that is desirable 1t is evident, in view of
all the facts connected with our attempted gov
eminent of the Indians on the Plains, that the
sooner the matter is placed in the hands OF the
War Department the better The present sys-
TEN is utterly corrupt and fruitless We have
recently made treaties with thirty, thousand
hostile Indians through the instrumentality Of
the Peace Commissioners at Fort Rice and the
valuable assistance of Father De Smet, the
venerable Jesuit missionary; but If the CON-
pact be not fairly kept on our side the treaty
is waste paper, and we have no guarantee that
il will be faithfully observed unless the Indian
Bureau of the Interior Department at Washing
ton looks sharp after it's agents It is there,
after all. and not in the wigwam of the redskin,
that the root Of our Indian difficulties is to be
found.
HAYTI AND ST.. DoMINeO.-It is cause for