Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-16
The Indian Commission and General
Parker.


After examining with some care the report Of
the committee entrusted by congress with the in
Vestigation of the charges made by Mr.. Welsh
of Philadelphia against General Parker, the
commissioner of Indian affairs, the voluminous
testimony and the arguments OF Mr.. Welsh and
General Parker's counsel, we cannot avoid the
conclusion that the Indian bureau has not yet
been purged completely from the abuses and
corruption which have made it bywOrd and
disgrace in former years. There is certainly
nothing in the testimony that authorizes the be-
lief that the commissioner was personally cor
rupt, or that he sought CT derived any pecuniary
or personal advantage from any of the transac-
lions of his bureau. But there is evidence
enough to show irregularities of administration,
defended on the ground of long usage, las if the
usage of that VIGOROUSLY i'll managed depart
ment were not of itself enough TO condemn any
practice which had its sanctionl neglect of some
of the plainesI provisions of a statute passed to
ensure economy and faithfulness in expenditure
and lag system OF disbursements that may
have cost the government many thousands of
dollars.
The principal cause of disagreement between
the commissioner and the board of unpaid COM
missoners, and which occasioned most Of the
charges made by Mr.. Welsh, was the construc-
ton which General Parker put upon that provi-
sion OF the law which required the commission
10 supervise all expenditures for goods and in
spect all goods purchased. General Parker, it
seems, acted upou the belief that distinction
was to be made between goods" and "sup-
plies" that while the commissioners must in
spect the former and supervise expenditures for
them, including only dry goods, blankets, and
articles Of that character, Supplies" meaning
beef, -four, and other subsistence stores, could
bepurchased without consultation with the com
missioners. They were therefore purchased il
that way on his sole discretion, and in some in
stances very large amounts were bought witbou
advertising for proposals, and at prices which
Notwithstanding the conflict Of testimony on til
subject, appear pretty plainly to have bee
higher than the market rates. Transportatio
also was obtained at very large advance aboy
the rates at which the quartermaster's depar
ment of the army had secured the conveyanC
of its freight to the same points, and at whic
il could have furnished the needed transports
ton for the Indian bureau.
The business of furnishing supplies seems, o
the whole, 10 have been conducted very muc
MS ii had been in former years, perhaps wit
somewhat more care to protect the interests Q
the United States and their wards than had bee
usual, but on the same system that had prevaile,
for many years, and had become one of the ba,
usSges OF the bureau, which the establishment
oi the board OIL Unpaid commissioners was in
tended to reform. In the purchase of annuir
goods, it is apparent, and not disputed. that IN
supervision Of the commissioners secured bette
articles and at lower prices than had ever bee
obtained before. 1t can hardly be doubted tbs
If their supervision had extended to the pu
chase Of supplies, as the law required, simil,
results would have followed these also. The
was a good deal of testimony of contractor
and others, directly and indirectly interested
furnishing supplies, that the purchases mac
by General Parker were as advantage,
as could have been expected, al
that the commissioners could not DO
siby have done better; but no doubt by ii
same kind Of testimony il could have be-
established that the annuity goods bought
former years were of the best quality and at d
lowest prices. II is a significant fact in III
connection, that the contractor who furnish,
most Of the beef and -four under the contrac
made without advertising and without notice
the board of commissioners. made orost es
mated ~ MT. Welsh at half a million of dollar
$40 eam''tea by the counsel for General Park