New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-02
4 JOE TO BE LOOKED INTO.

A few DAYS ago we called the attention OF
Congress to the manner in which the Interior
Department had been managing our Indian
affairs during the past four years. We also
suggested several questions which an investi-
eating committee might ask with interest and
profit, and recommended as fit persons to
answer them those members of the former
Board Of Indian Commissioners who resigned
in June last. Our remarks at that time re-
ferred entirely TO the past. We venture now
to speak few words concerning the future
policy of tho Interior Department, and to call
the attention of Congress to legislation for the
Indians. which will soon come before it for
consideration, and which, although it may be
entirely honest, has every appearance of an out
rage upon the helpless beings it pretends to
benefit, and gigantic raid upon the United
States Treasury.
In the forme- article we stated that the new
Board of Indian Commissioners had been
filled largely by men who would not hinder
the corruption business by incOnvenient curl
osty. AS the names and occupations Of these
gentlemen are of interest in what we are
about to say, we give them here. Gen. c. B..
Fisk, Chairman of the Board. is the Sec
retary and Treasurer of the Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad Company. Mr.. +. II. Smith,
Secretary of the Board, is the man who
figured so unfortunately in the famous
fence contract which was exposed during the
recent investigation of the affairs of the Board
of Public Works at Washington, and who
resigned o $1,000 position to accept bis pres
ent one at $4,000. Col. c. G. Hammond Of
Chicago was formerly President of the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company,
and is said to be largely interested in railroad
matters. John d. Lang of Maine, and N. j.
Turney of Ohio, were appointed by Secretary
Delano to fill vacancies on the old Board, and
were the men whom their associates charged
with receiving pay from Secretary Delano,
despite the fact that their oath of office for
babe their receiving compensation OF any kind.
Those members OF the former Board who re-
signed, stated at the time, and doubtless are
prepared to do so now, that Messrs Lang
and Turney frequently charged $40 day
for their time, $40 day for subsistence, and
$40 day for mileage, when they were riding
in Government ambulances. 1t was through
disgust at proceedings of this kind that
tho respectable members of the Board
were induced to resign. They passed reso-
luton condemning the practice, but as
Secretary Delano upheld the offenders, it
could not be stopped. These men have been
retained on the new Board, and Secretary
Delano has found fit associate for them
in the person of Gen. II. II. Sibley Of St.
Paul, who is said TO be simply dummy
for A. II. Wilder one of the largest Indian
contractors. 1t is estimated that Wllder's con-
tracts for last year amounted to 100000, and
that his profit was nearly 40 per cent Of that
amount. The three remaining members of the
Board are William Stickney of Washington,
President Of the House of Delegates, b. Il.
Roberts of Maryland, and Z. A. Hoyt of
NeW-YOrk
In the early part of last month sub-COm-
mittee OF the Board went to the Indian coun-
try to attend q council of the tribes This
Sub Committee was composed of heSsrs.
Fisk. Hammond, Lang, and Roberts. They
met delegates from the Cherokees, Greeks.
Cboctaws, Chicasaws, and Seminoles, at
Nuskocee, on Dec. IL and IL. All of the
tribes united in q request that their present
form OF government be left unchanged, and
the Committee assured them that they would
do all in their power, after returning to Wash
ineton. TO carry out the wishes OF the tribes
The Indians especially plead that territorial
form of government should not bo placed
over them. Has the Committee kept lts