The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-05
WASHINGTON.
A Measure Of Reform for the
Indian Bureau.
MR.. DANA REJECTED.
How Secretary Belhap Silenced
Army Officers.
PRESIDENT WHITE FOB CONKLNG.
Damaging Report About Mineral Land Patents
and tho DelanO Family.
RIVER AND HARBoR APPROPRIATIONS.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
Wxeurworox Anr,I 4 1874
PRESIDENT WHITE FOB CoSKLNG.
Damaging Report About Mineral Land Patentl
and tho Delano Family.
RIVER AND HARBeR APPROPRIATIONS
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

- WARRINGTON, April Z, 1874
ARMY LEoIsLATIoN-A CHANCE FOB REAL Re
FORM AND VALUABLE ECONOMY.
1.-THE three bills regulating the pay OF the army,
ducing tho force and transferring the Indian service TO
he army become law in the form in which General
Bannings committee have prepared them, saving Of
nearly 1900 900 will DO effected In the army estt-
mates, besides ST. oO0 900 in the appropra-
hons for the Interior Department and, what is OF
DQus greater Importance the transfer Of tho
indian service will make o most important and
necessary reform. There will be strong opposition
In both houses TO all these bills but particularly to the
transfer Of the Indians, because in this matter
Senator's must sacrifice patronage and politicians
and Lobbyists must lose Of the greatest
sources Of corruption extravaganza and favoritlsm.
In one item alonethat Of the transportation Of To-
dian supplisst il plain from table prepared for the
Military Committee, that immense saving can be
made by handing this business to the army. The
able shows for instance that the Indian Bureau pays
hr such transportation now 50 per 100 pounds be-
Mesn New York and Los Pinos. Colorado, while the
Quarermasters Department pays for the service
but - 60 From Philadelphia to the chihuahua
Agency the Indian Bureau pays $11; tho Quarter
master only 50 so. Between Baltimore and San Car
los Arizona the $l2 and 81 50; from ST.
Louis to Cheyenne Agency they 81 As and 81 50;
",
and 50 90 In other the rates compare As fol-
lows:-se and 81 so; So and 81 50 and So. and SO
IN.
General Marcy, In . letter to the committse, shows
hat 1s4s the last year which the Indian service
vas In the hands Of the War Department, the entire
appropriation only $S4S 600 while for the current
PEAR ID over 81 600 0o0 1t cannot be said that the
Indians have increased In the last twenty EIGHT years.
but the cost Of the service to-day s nearly nine times
greater than in 1S4S 1t should not be forgotten
that the transfer OF the Indian and Pension Bureaus
the War Department would be . great economy by
employing In the work Of administration uelltrained
army and navy Officers, who arc necessarily without
employment In these times Of peace but justly
be dismissed from the service. General Vincent by
the way, in letter to the committee, suggests
rule that appointments be made the regular
army from civil life, and shows that twenty such APP
pointments made during the last year. year Of
profound peace, increasing the cost OF the army by
$2s, 000 This seems 10 be kind OF favortism which
d carried on, while there numerous complaints by
nerorous commissioned oincers that they cannot get
themselves examined for promotion second heuten-
lncies, although the law especially commands this
rhis abuse ought TO be looked into Tho friends Of
svil service reform ought TO make much Of the docu.
mont just issued, containing letters from all tho prom
ent officers Of tho army and many other experts argu-
ing the transfer OF tina Indians 70 the War
Department The whole argument made in these let
ters rests the superiority Of permanently employed
and trained officials those appointed by political
influences and arbitrarily removable and the demon.
straton from past experience and from present cir
substances Is complete that the permanent
cheap, honest and Efficient where the other IL
Bpicuously the reverse To put the Indians into the
armys charge will Be tho frst step toward genuine
reform in the civil Of the government 1t will
show tho people how much be saved IN money
and how completely corruption can be checked by
establishing permanence in the merely clerical offices;
and 1t may thus be made practical argument for
reform which must como II the whole nation Is not to
be corrupted BY Generalization Of Its civil service