The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-09
The Indian Quessi0n-How tho Adj
ministratiOn Deals with the Ma
tion's Wards.

valuable letter from the Indian country OF the
Northwest. The circumstances under which
this letter was written give it special value.
When the rumors of probable Indian troubles,
with small, teasing, expensive wars in their
train, came in every mail. it seemed that the
HERALD could do no better service to the cause
of peace and humanity than to make thorough
investigation of the whole subject, to seek
out the source of all these anxieties and
troubles, to find how much truth was in the
constan' ly-repeated rumors of corruption in
the management of Indian Affairs, and to
awaken the people and the authorities at
Washington to q sense of what we owe to the
savage tribes who are oar wards in q sacred
sense. To do this it was necessary to avoid
the thousand obstacles which have always sur
rounded an honest investigation of the Indian
problem, to go directly among the Indians
themselves, to.see their life, hear their stories,
examine their complaints and TO strip off as
far as possible the mystery which enfolds the
administration of Indian affairs. 1t was still
moro necessary to weigh carefully the rumors
and stories that always surround any attempt
at inquiry, and to give the exact truth as calmly
as possible. The writer of this letter has fol-
lowed out these instructions with courage and
fidelity, and the first result of his investiga-
tons now goes to tho country.
We do not think we have ever been called
upon to recite q sadder story. We see the
whole Indian population given over 10
| jobbers- Among them we find no less
a person than the brother of the Presi-
dent of the United States The trading posts
are leased to special contractors. These con-
tractors are protected by the administration.
If Indian delegations, composed of the rep
resentative chiefs of great tribe, seek JUS
tice in Washington they have scarcely hear
ing II Orville Grant. the President brother.
finds an Indian woman trading near one of
his posts he con have command from Wash
ington by return mail to close up the rival
store, even if necessary to use the soldiery.
'One thing" writes our correspondent, sis
certain. When Orville Grant gained control
of the trading stores on this river the Indians
began to starve, and the more power he
gained in mercantile way the less the In
dams had to eat" Nor is this vague, hasty
impression, thrown upon the mind of a CORE
spondent by those who are rivals OF
! Orville Grant or anxious to share with
him i'll his profits. We know what
Inoian starvation means from the In
dians themselves. Three of the chiefs
Sitting Grow, Two Bears and Bear Rib-send
us statements, certified by their uncouth
autographs. 1t has been the fortune of the
HERALD to receive communications from many
men of renown. We have never received
communication which appeals to us with the
pathetic eloquence of these rude savages.
When Sitting Grow, in his odd fashion, ad-
dresses ''the Big Medicine of the white edi-
tors" and with almost Hebrew quaintness
begins his epstle by saying, ''These words
are for the chief of newspaper makers" he is
entitled to as much attention as Bismarck or
Napoleon. 1t is in this sense that the indie
pendent newspaper has become, to use an
Oriental hyperbole 'the asylum of the
world" and we give to Sitting Grow and
his wild, dusky compatriots all courtesy and
honor.
Let us see, then, what Sitting Grow has to
say of the treatment he receives from the men
who are intrusted with the comfort and well
fare of the Indians, and at the head of whom
we find the brother of Ulysses S. Grant,
President of the United States. MY friends"
says Sitting Grow, 'two things are needed
greatIy-one is food; one is ammunition and
goods that we may hunt and eat" This
Indian tells us that he is a chief and has been
a warrior, and now wants TO live in peace.
AS to 'fhe missionaries and holy men,"
there are divided opinions in the tribe,
but he thinks well of them. As to
the agents who have starved them,
''my tongue cannot find the words that
will express my feelings" "The Great Spirit,
says Sitting Grow, "the Father of us all will
listen to this my complaint and may He carry
it deep into your hearts. The greatest pun
ishment the agents can have when they die
is to be cast away from the Great Spirit and
the good Indians in the hunting ground Of the
good spirits They cannot live together. The
bad agents will be scalped by the bad Indians.
The little Either is starving us and he never
comes to see us. With o good heart l shake
your hands" What Sitting Grow thus ex-
presses in his simple, poetic fashion, our cor
respondent demonstrates by clear, cold,
! logical statement He shows that in no one
particular have we kept our faith with the
/ Indians He shows that traders are allowed
| to rob them, to sell them goods at price far
beyond their value that in this robbery they
are protected by the supreme power o. the
government, and that chief among the traders
is the brother of the President of the United
States. He shows that in many cases tribes
have been compelled to eat their ponies and
dogs. "We ate nearly two hundred horses last
winter" says Sitting Grow, "and all of our
dogs but the pets. While the Indians
are thus reduced to an extremity the
traders and agents are constantly adding
| to their fortunes. He shows thnE all