The New York herald., 1875-09-10
How They Are Kept and What It
Costs to Keep Them.
Interesting Information for the Indian Bureau
and Taxpayers Generally.
Tuning the Savage Tribes Of Hudson's
Bay Into Thrifty Villagers.

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Skinned brethren and contrast it with the cumbrous
costly and corrupt machinery Of the Indian Department
Of the United States
II should borne in mind that by the transfer OF the
Hudsons Bay Companys territory and British Columbia
to the New Dominion upward Of 55 900 Indians many
Of them of the bloodthrsty tribes have been added
the jurisdiction of the bureau. The money accounts
of these savages have not yet been printed The In
dian Bureau Of the Dominion takes charge of the lands
of the Indians and administers them for their benefit
An account is kept Of the financial affairs Of each tribe
as well of the separate legislative grants The tribe
Is credited with the amount of money originally granted
by treaty for cesslon of their lands the whites
annual interest balances to the credit Of the fund
with the proceeds of rents and sales Of land and tim
Der, and finally with transfers to other accounts
meaning credits from all other sources From these
revenues the Indians derive for their support
and for Improving their condition, with the addition Of
legislative grants OF money TO buy seed, blankets
and implements Of husbandry, to assist in
building public schools in forwarding other
works Of progress under treaties Against these
sets the Indians or their representatives issue war
rants and the bureau authorizes the necessary expend
lures, up to the limit of the per capita allowed by the
treaties. AS rule, the bands do not draw much
they are entitled to and the legislative grants not
exceeded and the balances to their credit
quently always augmenting The Canadian system con-
templates each tribe self governing community for
whom the supreme government simply holds the trust
funds The consequenceis the Indians learning to
appreciate the advantage Of living within their
They generally engaged in raising crops and build
ing schools Several tribes live In towns of their own
with wide streets, safe bridges good roads and sub
stantial houses. Many wealthy farmers Where
they have been but recently brought within the opera
tion Of treaties and have yet to advance beyond the
first step of annuity and ration receiving the Canadian
Of kann fho mt
debtor for the original grant and the Indians credit
ors, begins to have its effect Immediately in placing
the savages proper footing in the eyes of the off,
GERS of the government The first step rightly taken,
other things follow in natural sequence and it does
take long to teach the Indian that he has little
nest egg saving up for him. which it is his advantage
TO preserve.
From hemoment the Indian becomes the creditor of
the Dominion of Canada his interests jealousy
watched. The people of Canada are, in these later
days of confederation and new nationality, especially
proud OF five things-the Dominion a union of
provinces the public school SYSTEM representation by
population, separation of Church and State
and the administration of Indian affairs They
are peculiarly sensitive on any and all Of these
subjects and particularly the last named. II conse-
quenty happens that the Indian accounts and reports
narrowly scrutinzed. The administration is
nakedly economic that it offers opportunity for
and in detail there is call for contracts possibility
of jobs Where the total expenditures of an agency
sometimes do not exceed $500 yearly there is
for a high toned official thief have looked through
the separate of the tribes of the Canadas and
find that taking big and little tribes together the
age expenditure will not amount to S. 900 yearly The
details of these expenditures minute that rob-
berry is next to impossible. And, if peculaon should
take place. the Indians would be the first to discover II,
and the country would be abaze with excitement in
short order
For the past fiscal year the separate revenues of the
tribes administered by the bureau have amounted to
$3.50 7s9 81 divided as ollows:-Interes $l6SOs3 6s
special grants $63 541 20; transfers TO other accounts,
$ll, s64 "a; land, rents, timber, &c, $S3, 54l 20
The expenditures were, warrants and credits,
total $225, ,379 Sc
The balances the credit of the funds aggregated
the beginning Of the year 81 1913 80 and at the end
Of the year had increased to So, s44, COS Os.
For the sake of illustrating the system select the
receipts and expenditures of the largest and smallest
cmPPEwAs OF NAwAsH.
Receired.
Interest $12, ,259 so
Lands rents and timber r.................. 4e6e so
Total received d.................. $1o, 926 60
Warrants and credits %
Total expended. 1897 se
Balance beginning of year. 1892 400 OF
Balance at end Of the year ........... 235,5l9 81
MANIToULIN ISLAND
Received
Lands, rents, As
Expended
Transfers so "a
Total expended. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. so "a
Balance at beginning OF year. ar...............$4 27
Balance at end OF the year. 81 Sc
The bureau is administered at headquarters by a
superintendent general (o1ice combined with that Of
Minister OF lnteror, deputy superintendent general,
salary g. 25O accountant salary 14oO corresponding
al lQFk in nghar aof land HoaIa
sistant corresponding clerk $780, assistant accountant
$3.50; clerk in charge of registers $9OO clerk and
sistant French translator $500; assistant land sales
clerk, $780, total salaries of headquarters So, $50
The salaries Of all officers of ouposts such as COM
mssioners and superintendents clerks and agents for
the districts Of Victoria British Columbia Garry
Manitoba; Fort Francis, Manitoba, and the homo
provinces paid by the government average $500 to $500
each for clerks and agents, apd $500 to 81 600 for
superintendents and commissioners. The agents in
most allowed percentage all sales Of lands or
timber exceeding fixed amount to compensate for
their low salaries. All appointments made by the
Indians themselves, in council assembled approved by
the department and confirmed by the Minister Of the
Interior.
The entire cost of outpost duty, including every
charge-namey, for Indian interpreters, school teach
ers councillors chiefs physicians visiting superntend-
ents and commissioners, experimenting clerks
takers, sections, forest wardens messengers agents.
missionaries and all the rest of it-amouned for the
year to $273s0 H. charged to the accounts Of the diff
ierent tribes to which they belonged.
The general and contingent expenditures amounted
TO $751; COS l6 including fishing gear for tribes, Union
Jack flags medical attendance grants TO missionaries
and schools travelling expenses repairs of roads, losses
ny nre, interest on head moneys TO individual men,
bers oiribes percentage TO agents and others on re-
cepts pensions to aged Indians, paid to individual In
dams for improvements aid TO distressed tribes and
individuals, payments authorized Of various kinds, in
surance OF public buildings building bridges, boarding
house expenditures Of chiefs Of tribes law expenses
expenses OF grand council Of Grand River bands, aid
TO individual Indians 10 build homestead
houses expenses in connection with plans
for houses, bridges &c, purchase of poughs
for individual Indians ditto all kinds Of
agricultural implements and materials expenses Of
deputations with grievances to Ottawa the seat of
government; Of chiefs superntendents &c distr-
button OF treaty money TO Ojbbowas of Lake SUPERIOR
railway fares for individual Indians to make visits TO
other bands fuel for schools repairs school houses
tools for repair Of roads, expenses connected with
lands and forests, surveys inspections and grants Of
money for public improvements individual relief edu-
Caonal and religious PURPOSES Some Of theaa Indian