Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-05-04
THE PEOPLE SUPERIOR TO THE
GOVERNMENT.

With becoming pride our citizens may
announce, anywhere in the world, II am
an American" The American people
are the most enterprising and the most
intelligent on the face of the globe. Their
superiority in these particulars may be
easily accounted for. They are the re-
suit, viewed as class, of the blending of
the best blood of earth. To the Ameri-
oan shores, for well on to century, have
focked the most ambitious, industrious
and shrewd of the European nations.
And the circumstances of new, wider and
more promising fields Of action in their
new homes than they had hoped for in
thu Old World have tended to develop to
the fullest extent those high and conquer
ing qualities Of their natures. The trans
planting has resulted in dignifying and
enabling their manhood to higher and
truer probation of individual destiny.
Universal education they have fostered
and their chill lren have enjoyed. And
tins have Americans become great peo-
plea superior race. But it has ceased
to be, as of yore, proud distinction to
be called an American citizen. The addi-
ton of the word implying the political
status detracts from the respect which
the American would command without
referring to his Government. The Gov
eminent is unworthy of the people. II
has become contemplate both at home
and abroad. How could it be otherwise,
with the record which has been made in
the last three years? Have not the lead
ing officials in the civil departments been
connected with bribery and corruption
most criminal in conception and gigantic
in proportions? Are not a clique of San
Francisco ocean carriers now, and have
they not been for years, swindling the
Government out of hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars annually in the matter OF
Arizona military transportation?-and
whoever would carry the indubitable
proof to the War Department would be
laughed at or insulted, for right in Wash.
ington City all this corruption, which
Families itself throughout the land wher.
ever there is little garrison to feed or g
handful OF Indians to subsidize, has its
fountainhead and first direction. The
last and most conspicuous illustration Of
the imbecility and corruption of tn,
American Government is the dis
graceful Modoc imbroglo. There art
not, all told, over fifty Of this hostil
tribe. Against this little squad of halt
starved sayages campaign is in prog
ress which will not cost less than tie
millions of dollars, saying nothing Of til
loss OF valuable lives-only an expen(
iture of one hundred thousand dollar
for each buck, squaw and papoosel An
the ModOcs, the Government says, mu!
be eIterminated. Well, $4,000, or jul
81 out Of the 5000 proposed to be spen
would result in their complete EXTERN
nation within three months, and no liv,
would be lost, to speak Of, but India
lives. A reward of a thousand dolla
for each Modoc scalp brought in
shocking proposition, We admit, but on
another way of effecting just what t
Chief Magistrate says must he effected
would result in sending to "the hap,
hunting grounds" the last Modoc insi
of sixty days. But the main object
the campaign is, as it has been of
other Government schemes in these d
generate days, to spend the people
money instead of saving it. There h
been suspension of hostilities, it seem
which may be construed into graz
strategic movement in behalf Of arm
centractos.