New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-30

delivered on the general question of the relation OF
the Government to the Indians. and the best
policy to be pursued toward them, by Messrs'
Loughridge and Parker of the Sub-Com-
rnittee of Appropriations. which prepared the
bill. 1t was gratifying to receive renewed
assurances from these gentlemen that the
expenses of the Indian Bureau have at last reached
maximum, and. after two years. may be expected
to rapidly decline. Nevertheless, IN view OF tne
rapid increase of the appropriations for tins service
of late years, Congressman NAV rs well wait untl
the estimates for another year, come IN before
placing implicit confidence i'll the correctness OF
this hopeful prediction
THE ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES IN THE INDIAN
BUREAU.
For several weeks the House Committee on Indian
Affairs have been engaged in investigation as to
the alleged fraudulent transactions in the admins
tration Of the Indian service Whether the members
viii take notice of the fact already proved that the
Interior Department, either by order of Mr.. Delano
Assistant Secretary Cowan, Solicitor smith, has
ordered accounts paid which were set aside by the
Executive Committee Of the Board of Indian Com
missoners on account of fraud, or because OF some
thing irregular or illegal in the transactions con-
nected with the accounts, cannot be known, as
their sessions secret but there are those on the
| Committee who will assist not abandoning the
inquiry until the merit of the controversy between
| the Peace Commissioners and the Interior Depart
against the Indian Bureau, and the public belief is
that the service is full of corruption and fraud
During the past year. according to the report of the
Peace Commissioners Is vouchers representing
1860 $50 which had been set aside by the Executive
Committee were ordered to be paid by one of the of
ficers above named In the of only three vouch
ers recommended by the Committee for suspension
the recommendation sustained, while 1t was set
aside in 49, Tho three vouchers were tor S109f
One of the heaviest Indian contractors during the
year was G NJ Dodge, whose CONTRACTS amounted 10
several hundred thousands of dollars, and among
the accounts set aside were some of his but the In
terror Department disregarded the recon-
mendatiOn of the Committee who had exam
med them. and they were paid. Some OF the
Peace Commissioners have been examined already,
but G. NJ. Dodge has maintained ms character Tor
lodging which he gained during tine Credit hlobiller
investigation by running from one end OF the coun-
| try to the other with sergeantat-arIns day or
two behind him. The Committee in the Indian m
vestgation were anxious TO avail themselves of Mr.
DOdge's information. and while ne was in town
Wee& OF Two ago suDpeha was lsSueq anu Piaeeu III
the hands of the SeTgeant-at-Auns; but when that
officer went for Dodge he was gone, and has not
been heard of since. 1t is thought that all the IN
formation required can be supplied by the Execu-
tive Committee if it is only asked for
A NETWORK PROTEST AGAINST THE ABOLITION
OF COMPULSORY PILOTAGE.
Mr.. Conkling to-day presented to the Senate
memorial signed by the Presidents of the Atlantic,
Mercantile, Sun, Pacific, Orient, Union New York,
and Commercial Mutual Insurance Companies and
the Phunx and Great Western Insurance Com
panes of New-York protesting against the passage
Of Mr.. Hamiltons bill for the abolition of compu-
sorry ploage fees. The memOralIsts assert that the
result of the passage Of such a bill would be the
immediate destruction of all existing State pilot
organizations and regulations so as to deprive com
merce of every safeguard to life and property,
supplied By skilled and experienced pilotage in and
out Of the ports of the United States. So violent
md OH theVs fpnd To
untold loss and disaster. The systems of plotage
provided by New-Y0rk and other maritime
States arc they say the fruit of long experience and
Of many efforts to adjust between conflicting
interests 1t aims merely to so govern
the service that, upon fair and equal terms,
il may be available at all times and seasons and by
ali vessels This end can be accomplished by sub
jectng each incoming and outgoing vessel to ITS due
proportion of moderate regulated expense OF the
general service; and what are termed compulsory
"Or half" pilotage fees are IN truth the port
charges requisite for the accomplishment of this
great end. They are the reward of readiness which
cannot be properly secured in any other way.
THE COMPROMISE CURRENCY MEASURE
The compromise currency measure devised TO
secure trace, if not lasting peace, between the
inflationsts and resumptoniss, is making but slow
progress. So much difficulty has been found by its
active advocates in making members understand the
working of the provision for the conversion of legal
version by the Treasury into outstanding per cents
that there is disposition to abandon this feature of
the measure, leaving it TO provide only for free
banking and the retirement and cancellation of an
amount of greenbacks equal TO so per cent of
the quantity of additional bank currency
issued 1t is not considered certain that
the President would sign such bill, and
proselyting in its favor in the House and Senate
appears to be suspended until it is definitely ascer
tanned what sort OF scheme he is willing to approve
Curiously enough no one appears willing to under
take n mission to the White House TO learn the
Presidents precise views and Intentions. Inc IN
fationsts still so sore over the veto tnat they
hesitate about making such an advance toward an
amcable settlement of the difficulty. and the re-
sumptionists do not think it their business to lind
out for the beuet of their opponents how they can
remove the obstacle tho way OF getting the cheap
money for which they say the country is tamlshng
A BILL FOR THE PROTECTION OF HOMESTEAD
, SETTLERS
An iulportant bill in the interest of homestead
settlers has been agreed to by theiiouse Committee
on Public Lands pts purpose Is TO protect the
settler who goes upon railroad grants, believing
them to still belong to the public domain, from
being dspossessed of his homestead. 1t provides
that whenever in the adjustment Of railroad grant
anv of the lands granted shall be found in the pos
session of an actual settler whose entry OF ming mas
been allowed under the Presumption or Homestead
laws of the United States, subsequent 10 tne tme
when nv the decision of the Land Office the road ac-
ouired CHIT to the lands the grantees upon proper
relin0uisbment of the lands so entered snaii DO en-
titled to select an equal quanslty Oh tne ochei
limits of the grant not otherwise appropriated al the
date of selection to which they shall receive ute,
the same as though originally granted strn t
provisions are added to prevent the railroads from
obtaining any undue advantage from tne operation
of the bill.