The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 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 The goods
sent by the Government are generally
those which would most please an Indian S
fancy The Indian trader usually keeps
goods of similar character The trader
is most frequently particular friend of
the agent, often associated with him in
business, and in many instances holds his
position OF trade at the instance of the
agent They are always located near
each other. The trader is usually present
at the distribution of anuuites If the
agent, instead of distributing to the In
dians 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, deiraud
ed though he may be, for he is ignorant
of how much is coming to him. The
word of the agent is his guide. He may
complain little. express some diSap
pointment at the limited amount Of pre-
sents. and intimate that the Great Faith
er" has dealt out the annuities with a
sparng band but the agent explains it
by referring to some depredations which
he knows the tribe to have been guilty OF
in times past or il he is not aware of
any particular instance of guilt, he charges
them generally with having committed
such acts, Knowing one can scarcely 60
amiss 10 accusing tribe of occasionally
Staying white man, aud ends up his
charges by informing them that the
Great Father" learning of these little
irregularities in their conduct, and being
panied greatly thereat, felt compelled to
reduce their allowance OF blankets. sugar.
coffee, ETC., when at the same time the
missing portion of said allowance is sale
ly secured in the store house of the agent
near by. Well, but how can he enrich
himself in this manner it may asked
By simply, and unseen By the Indians,
transferring the unissued portion of the
aunuities from his government storehouse
to the trading establishment OF his friend
the trader. There the boxes are uDpack
ed and their conteuts spread out for bar
'ti WIN tue IuuiduS. HC idilS' iu SiS'i
flying their wants, are forced to purchase
from the trader at prices which are scores
of times the value Of the article offered
have seen Indians dispose of buffalo
robes to traders. which were worth from
fifteen to twenty dollars each, aud get in
return only ten to twenty cups of brown
sugar. entire value of which did not ex
ceed two or three dollars.
This is one of the many ways agents
aud traders have of amassng sudden
wealth. l have known the head chiefs
of tribe to rise in council in the pre-
sence OF other chiefs and of officers OF the
army, and accuse his agent, then present,
of these or similar dishonest practices
1t is to be wondered at that the position
of trader among the Indians is greatly
sought after by men determining to be-
come rich, but not particular as to the
manner of doing So Or is it to be won
dered at that army officers, who are often
made aware of the injustice done the Iu
dian, yet are powerless to prevent it, aud
who trace many Of our difficulties with
the Indians to these causes, should urge
the adjustment of system which has
proven itself so fruitful 10 fraud and dis
honest dealing toward those whose in
terest it should be their duty to protect.
life on the IIamS," By General G..
Il. Custer an March GaldIy.