, 1875-02-06
THE IHREpREsSIBLE INDIAN.

Tho Bpnrtt Of Indian Commissioners has
submitted its sixth annual report. which con-
tains some points Of general interest.
Some time ago, the two Agencies allotted
to tie Sioux wero removed into tile interior
Of the Sioux country, 100 miles from any
military post. This WIS done to sootho tho
dear Indians, to convince them that force
was not to be used against them, to train
them practically in the Inv OF love. Tho ,1t-
goaly sayages, however, went to stealing and
scalping az soon Us they were gathered at
the Agencies aud apart from tho soldiery.
They sinned with such vigor TINT 4 general
war WIS imminent 4 small army had to be
sent up to keep the peace. Tile experiment
failcd
Another experiment has failed. A few at-
tcmptg have been made to enforce tho trea-
ties by which the Sioux, Kiowas, Comnncl.es,
aud other tribes agreed to compel all their
children to be educated at the Government
schools. Tho Indians, having got their sub
sides, hare broken their promises. These
stipulations in the treatics, like some othcrs
have been suffered to become dead lctters
Common sense would seem to suggest stop
| ping the subsidies until the Eavages keep
| faith. This docs not seem to have occurred
| to the Commissioners.
Our regret at hcnring TINT 1000 Indians
are entirely supported by the Government
| and do nothing for themselves is mitigated
| by the added fact that the result of this lazy
| life has been q great increase Of dyspepsia
| aud kindred diseases, and marked loss Of
| strength. If the Indian can be killed by
1,4 Ii. Ax,4
The experiment Of local self-government
in tho Indinn Ter1itory Inns been n failure.
The laws arc not enforced and tho
! country ywarms with banditti. The Commits
sioners recommend Territorial Government
| OF tic general plan Of the others, the estab-
lishment of United States Courts, mud the cre-
| ation Of eonstabulary force there and in
fact among the wild tribes. It has hitherto
been supposed that the Territorial Govern
| ment iden covered multitude Of raiIrohd
grnba mud other steals and sins. I've trust
| the Board hos not recommended bad pro-
| ject,
There is bright sido to the picture. Tho
| Board claims that the schools ore dc ing great
good that the character of the Agents has
| improved that the Indians of thai Pacific
! Slope are beginning to work SO well that they
do not need their annuities any loug,r that
supplies aro now bought more cheap'y and
that the missionaries are civilizing thasir con-
verts with gratifying rapidity.
| ~-.---.-...--... ~-.--.-...--...
SHALL CONGRESS INCREASE THE TAXES
The propositions before Congress for the
! levy Of additional taxes on tho country, to
| which VIC have already referred, cannot be
too strongly condemned. There is no real
necessity for them. Tho Secretary Of the
| Treasury insists upon having $31, 900, 600 to
put into the sinking fund, notwithstanding
the Treasury is $1so,Ooo,oo in advance Of
the required payment Of the public debt
The proposition to leyy increased taxes by
tariff to produce that sum will not meet the
approval of tho country. Especially is this
objectionable when Congress has sovereign
romedy for any deficiency in the revenue.
The fiscal yoar 1874 covered nine months
of the ''panic," and yet, at the close Of the
year, there WIS a,aall surplus revenue after
purchasing ov.4 twelve millions OF dollars Of
the public debA
! The Secretary In his annual report last
December stated that for tho first three
months Of the present fiscal year tho receipts
OF revenue were s;79, ,431,oa8, and be esti~
mated that the total receipts for the year
ending June 80, 1876, would be s22s4, ,318 ,2SG,
and tho expenses, including interest on the
debt, would bo R276, ,4so,-a surplus Ut
over 30, 600, 600. He estimated that for the
year ending June 30, 1876, tho receipts would
be $2g3, ,o00,0 900, and the expenditures, S27a,-
900 0O0, "a surplus Of geo, 900. His esti-
mate for ordinary expenditures exclusive Of
interest was $174,0oo,0oo. This Congress
has to make the appropriations for the next
year. They can mako them $3.50, 600, 900, or
they oan reduce them to $4,000 900. Ey-
cry dollar not appropriated increases the sur
plus revenue. Every dollar appropriated re-
ducos tint surplus. Shall Congress increase
the expenditures to consume the surplus, OF
shall 1t reduce expenditures md increase the
surplus
Congress is urged to increase the revenue
by IN increase OF the tax On imports. Let
III SEQ how this is likely to operate. Suppose
this Congress slAall levy an additional tax Of
10 per cent on al imports. The moment that
law is sure to pass, orders will bo sent abroad,
aud, in twenty or tlirty days following, there
will be entered an entiro yoar's supply Of i'm
potts which will he put in warehouse and bo
subject only to the pressnt duty. The act
will therefore be failure as sourco Of al.
ditional revenue, but from the date Of the oct
the people Of the country will DO subject to
an increased ta1 Of 10 per cent on nil the
commodities entering into domestic use,
} whether imported or not. Tho people Of the
country will pay an increased cost Of from
, one to two hundred millions for their goods,
and the Government will not get O cent Of
increased revenue.
Quo Of tho first aots Of the next Congress
! will bo to repoal this increased taxatiot, aud
the result will be that the Republican party
will have the olium Of having taxed the pco.
plc oppreaaively and not added dollar to the
public revenue. 1t Ia Idle to assume that the
| .,avt Gapeta viI1 hova n Tarut1icop +rotor;t,