New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-01

.IRSTRDT7IES or INDLIN WfNIGENENT
The view of tho Indian agency system given
by Prof Marsh in his testimony before the
Board Of Indian Commissioners, and reported
exclusively in yesterdays TRIBUNE, merits
further consideration. 1t has the rare quality
OF lisintcrcstcd evidence. Neither in his ex-
peditiCn to the West. nor III his observation
or Indian management there, HOT even in his
recent cxpostions Of facts before President
Grant and the officials in control Of
Indian affairs, does it appear either
that friendship for red men or a con-
Germ for the interests OF white men
actuated the paleontOlogi,t of Yale College
He went in search of fossils; the live topics
were an incident, an incumlrancc. To over
come the obstacles which the Indians placed in
hi4 path, he was compelled to listen to their
grievances; and to facilitate his own progress
toward the Bad Lands, lie agreed to lay the com
plants of the Sioux before the Great Father.
Not till his duty az a member OF the National
Academy of Sciences-a body which by its con-
slituti0n stands in an advisory relation to
the Government brought the Professor
to Washington, did lie find opportunity to keep
his promise TO Red Cloud. Even his tcsti-
mony before the Indian Commissioners IN tlii,
city is not volunteered. Through the whole
report it il apparent that the Professor re-
garded Indian affairs a. not his business. To
such facts as he had, the Board was welcome.
He would give them authorities for whatever
he stated on hearsay. He had not prcd into
tho business lie made charges against no one.
Indeed he rather regretted than otherwise
that he had been drawn into these matters !;
they were not strictly in Iii, line he feared
that they might interfere with what to him
was far more important, the collection of
tertiary bones.
But this observer. with his strictly scientific
cast Of mind, had looked right down TO the
bottom of the Indian problem, so far rs lis
workings in the West were concerned. II is
20 this part of the testimony OF the Yale pro-
fossor that we would specially direct the atten-
ton Of our readers. Although the report Of
his remarks at that point is evidently con-
dcr,ed, it appears that ho drew a striking con
trast between the methods by which two de-
pariments OF the Government manage their
business i'll tho sIme field On the one
hand the officers of orr army, who M
a class have 40 supcliors in honesty and honor
able reputc, arc pinned down TO the most
Vigorously exact accounting for every dollar
and every fraction OF dollar, whether repre-
scented by goods or moley, that passes through
their hands This is equally true whether the
expenditure takes place under the eye of the
Department mt Washington, or mt the remote
forts in the Indian country. Under the shadow
of those forts, and safe only because of the
proximity of the soldiers, are the Agencies of
another Department of the Government. In
charge OF each Indian Agency, and surrounded
by stOckade which perhaps incloscs the
stores of one or two irresponsible traders,
sides the "Aeentn to whom is confded the
distribution of annuities that may amount 10
value to hundreds of thousands of dollars in a
year. In short Winters day, during q snow
storm, he divides these large values among the
Indians. No responsible supervision no sys-
tom of checks and balances no means of de-
teciing fraud, are present, either on the pat
Of the distributor or the recipients. Who are
these "agents" to whom such unchecked pow
err are delegated Clergymcn, for some reason
untitled TO earn large salaries amid the strife
of civilization, whose previous experience Of
handling property has rarely exceeded that of
salary OF 81 900 n year!
Some sort OF reply c:n always be made
whcn evidences are brought forward of fraud
ulcnt dealings with Indians. They are q, best