The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-27
R0BBING THE SOLDIERS.
THE POST TRADERsHIP SYSTEM ASA
BLICK MdfLIS0 MACHfYE.


FnInt inr at the Territory Forts Making
Poor Privatcs Pay to support the Party.
OMAHA, March IA great deal has
bcen said OF late on the SUI jcct Of the
post tradersiips, and OF the Injustice done
TO tue soldiers who nre stationed IT cur re-
mote military posts, by reason of the cxor1itaut
charges to which they ire subj cted for the ar
tcles which are indispensable 10 thcm The
manner In which the suffers for the military
posts were formerly appointed hrs bdcn fully
discussed, and 1t Is MT necessary to speak ~
that further than to remark that up to the time
that the suilership was made a Political Office
and IT was nrst made 50 by Mr.. Cameron In 1851
there were few q any, complains Of the
charge, Of the sutler The Council OF Admins
tr tion regulated the prices. and everything
went fairly. Aud when tue matter OF
the tr der'iips was left To Con. Sh rnan, or
thu &c General Of the Army" there were no
complaints, for the General always consulted
tho best inter sta of the soldier. and he had
no rolihral friend or family relative to crafty.
In the indecent haste with which the late Sec
tetary Of war rushed to Congress anil Induced
Vt 10 plnce the appointing power in his hands,
the nicer. aud sl'di n saw attcmpf to i'll
| n political machine, and "a means In the hands
Of , corrupt man To amass great fortune at
their expense.
NJ sooner was tho law passed for which a
large sum ( nancy WAS subscribed to put tho
! thing through congress than the tfaierships
! were nnt W or .i,ie tn the hirncst bidder.
| Gen. icdrick ~ Iowa was said t. tie the ICrSon
who IN ,uipulated the sale, aud u was generally
undcrstnud mat I'll arrangements for the pur-
| chase had to be mtdo through him. The mat or
| " 81 He'd r just "a publicly in the streets -
| Omaha IA " INV other business frr inrrment,
| aud have never vet seen an officer wno did not
| believe that lledr.Ck was acting Ia concert with
| tho secretary % W ar IN tuis sIuucfui business.
ms DIFFICULTY OF ou,iNING EVIDENCE
| Then, u may be asked. why was not something
snid about ~ ! will only answer that wnile
| orally tn the ming
VS. as II ha5 turned oUi O. ne. tncr- no pos.
! tive proof aud II any clliter IN his desire o.
PIT 81 eud Ia what was considered terri.
ulc Sc nj i and injustice tothe arnv, had raised
his voice u atop IT, NJ might nave found himself
establish the fac * 'eut upun tho testimony Of
tnn-e who wore pntteps erimiaT,
iudis zee, IN 'er who mrht tcel di-unscd 10 cx-
p9.tulate or arquiint som member ~ Cunsre~'
sued containing what follows:
WAR DsrANrNENr.
Ahyrr,Nr GESEaNlr Ofvicr
! tGcncral Or'ers W. g.,
l. That One T. 81 her actre or r,i'red shan direc.
y or 'nairrcn,, "iihnM being c.ti'd u,,n byprapcr
MENTORS II ,vs es,. or or ss!ns' military Aitiifs
T. n. rowSssvp Adia,nut General
BLED NY 1iIg POLITICIANS.
But II must not be pre-umed that the poor
soldiers were indebted entirely tothe ttadership
traffic for ail heir woes. Tue traders were ulnn-
dcr"d unnier fully on n SIDES. ne 1t Mon Re-
] publican touKff~ iiufhal t1mntttee ItN around
/ tnsn for large contributions fOr eimuiien
pur o-es. am every miserable neegir VINO holds
Federal oni'e In some Territory whore he h
WITHIN striAin distance " past "a der. poupcrs
| down upon MIN whenever he hnd~ himself smart
of ready money. And ~ tn,- cuinrs eventually
! ont ot the ~ eegre nav of the spl1'er.
will only refer t. ono case which rame under
my pvrsoual observation, ard watch | ur,-uua
Is a fair example VI ths WAY the traders arJ laid
a gentleman who had been associated with
the army for m ny years in Texas a sutl.r had
/ I
tuiilv and w"s livin9 quietly On ranch Ia
Texas when the lat. var brONe out. Being
stsuncn URion man. ho was uluui., ID Of every
tntug he had 10 the world except his wife aud
children, aud with them ne mad, hi> way to on,
~ our small Western posts where he met some
old 'riends. who succeeded IN getting him Il o
positt'n Of trader. Iy dint of borrowing "a 1T
was Just IA KING "a Oaro living Tor bis ftmilv
when he received u circular from the Com
flank OF that uious old fraud Harlan. Informing
MN teat said committee eIpectsi Tin to Tor
ton, for campaign purposes.
Now. ths poor devil q u trader did not have
pose must nav tnis money or WI hc turned
out on the prairie, with my family, 20 stttVe.'
liy literally taking toe tread frou his children's
mouth, NJ sucoceIed IN rai,iu- tlJQ, white to
forwarded, aid Tor which receipt was sent ~
that pattern OF honesty and honor, Gov. II. ID
MATCHMAKING As An ART.
Then comes me Of the highest Federal officers
In toe Territory. wno writes to the " der,
Things do I look well as would wish,
but wish you would do ~ >on can for us ~
wnicn. rem ierei INTO plain English, means;
You know VINO am, YOU know, and A. you
holi a Iol0icdl ofiice expect you 10 give mo
somctnlus, You know.
ThcL "a miserabe fellow who WAS known 20 DO
a litter. and who could not possibly get credit
Tor Slnln the Tern DRY, goes to W .shinstru and
actually returns with the appointment Of sur
vtNor-General Of the Territory. and he swo 10
down upon the trader for "A supply of groceries
fur avs family, for which he never has paid aud
never will pay farthlng.
So TAR his particular trader i concerned,
feder te lines with "Wneel.rs Crtter Cou-
pany" encamued around nm. There he might
perhaps get piece Of cold mule with content
nent there with. Let US thank heaven, how
ever, That there h feeole chance Of seeng an
era TO an this rascality.
II II of no usa for little Mr. Campbell or Gov
ThiVcr to ATTEMPT 10 sqlrm out OF the post
trtdef-hiJ muudle. There u abundaut prot
that Campbell did receive considerations .
from post traders, hnd Mr.. Il. = Wilson -
che enne highly Respectable citizen, SAYS pub
nrlv tiat he kuows That Mr. !. d. " oolry, trader
az Fort -. =. Russell paid $l..1tl per anuum 20
Iuayrr. who. ike Hatlin, -, or =, one u the
tie brethren whose motto Is, " Let Us Irdy u
Woman Sentenced TO Penal Scrvitude.
FROM ne h1Hchssier Eram'4er
poisoning case. which has OccuDioI