New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-03-06
THE Indian Agents and Traders

The Indian has no means Of knowing how
much in value or how many presents of any
particular kind the Government, the "Great
Father as he terms it, has sent him. For
knowledge on this point he must accept the
statement of the agent. The goods sent by
the Government are generally those which
would most please an Indians fancy. The
Indian trader generally keeps goods of a SIM
liar character. The trader is most frequently
4 particular friend of the agent, often assO-
ciated with him in business. and in many in
stances holds the position of trader at the in
stance of the agent. They are always To-
Gated near each other. The trader is usually
present at the distribution of annuities. If
the agent, instead of distributing to the In
dams all of the goods intended for them by
the Government, only distributes One-half
and retains the other half, who is to be the
wiser? Not the Indian, defrauded though
he may be, for he is ignorant of how much is
coming to him. The word of the agent is his
only guide. He may complain little, eX-
press some disappointment at the limited
amount of presents, and intimate that the
"Great Father" has dealt out the annuitics
with sparing hand but the agent explains
it by referring to some depredations which he
knows the tribe to have been guilty of in
times past t.; or if he is not aware of any par
ticular instance of guilt, he charges them
generally with having committed such acts,
knowing one can scarcely 90 amiss in accus-
ing tribe of occasionally staying a white
man, and ends up his charge by informing
them that the "Great Father learning of
these little Irregularities in their conduct,
and being panied greatly thereat, felt COM
PEELED to reduce their allowance of blankets,
sugar, coffee, ETC., when at the same time the
missing portion of said allowance is safely Sc
cured in the storehouse of the agent near by.
Well, but how can he enrich himself in this
manner? it may be asked. BY simply, and
unseen by the Indians, transferring the I'M
isued portion Of the annuities from his Gov
eminent storehouse to the trading establish
ment Of his friend the trader There the
boxes are unpacked and their contents spread
out for barter with the Indians. The latter,
in gratifying their wants, are forced to pur-
chase from the trader at prices which are
scores of times the value of the article
offered. l have seen Indians dispose of buff
falo robes to traders, which were worth from
fifteen to twenty dollars each, and get in re-
turn only ten to twenty cups of brown sugar,
the entire value of which did not exceed two
or three dollars. This is one of the many
ways agents and traders have of amassing
sudden wealth. l have known the head
chiefs Of tribe to rise in a council in the
presence of other chiefs and of officers Of the
army, and accuse his agent, then present, of
these or similar dishonest practices. Is il to
be wondered at that the position of trader
among the Indians is greatly sought after by
men determined to become rich, but not par
ticular as to the manner of doing so? Or is
it to be wondered at that army officers, who
are aware of the injustice done the Indian
yet are powerless to prevent it, and who
trace many of our difficulties with the In
dams to these causes, should urge the abol-
of a system which has proven itself
so fruitful in fraud and dishonest dealing to-
ward those whose interests it should be their
duty to protect.-"L3e on the Plains" by
General G. 4. Custer az March GALAXY.