Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-02-06
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The bill introduced INTO congress
providing for the transfer Of the In
dian affairs to the War Department
is very reasonable measure and has
our hearty approval. There are army
officers enough to attend to this busi-
ness and they will manage it honest
ly if it is possible to do so. The
present management seems to have
had a very demoralizing influence
upon the parties experimenting the
Indian business. A large number OF
clergymen, psalm singers and dea-
cons were called in, appointed and
have been ruined by their efforts to
civilize these savages. Probably
there are 100000 Indians remaining
in this country. Of this number
10000 are semi-civilized under the
domination of the agencies, and
100000 of them wear citizens mot
very stylish, however,) clothes and
occupy $4,000 houses. OF the unclvi-
lied there are about 10000, but it is
quite probable that not over 10000
of them ever need the application OF
force, unless such be necessary to
counterfeit the swindling operations
of the white man. There are about
90 agencies among the Indians, and
$4,000 soldiers are moving about
pretty constantly through the Indian
country, where there are 100 forts, the
cost of transportation being a large
item IN the army expenses. OF the
$29, 100000 which was charged to
the active army expenditure of 1915,
nearly one-half was disbursed by the
Quartermasters Department and rep
resents largely the cost OF transpor-
tation. There is not the least doubt
that the army could easily attend to
all the Indian business, without the
neglect of other duties. As the mat
ter now stands it takes three-ffths OF
the whole army to attend to the work
of these Indian agencies. Should the
bill become law, it would be wiser
economy than to reduce the present
force of the army and give the officers
something to do in earning their pay
relieve their firm idleness and keep
them free from immoral tendencies
A late dispatch from San Francis
co says that the general conviction is
that the production of silver is SC
great that the discount must increase
unless some outlet can be found fol
it. From the recent tightness of the
money market at that place we would
imagine this plethora Of money was
consummation devoutedly to bt
wished for. Last month there wa:
upwards of $5,O0O,000 disbursed il
that city in dividends on mines and
interest from banks. AS large
portion of it remains there it natural
" gives a new impetus and infuse
| new life into every artery of tina
great commercial body. This silver
which the merchants and bushes
men find so disagreeable to handle
is principally from this State, and w
imagine it would be very acceptable
| in some of the Eastern States as, &C
cording to the report of Dunn, Bar
low & Co., Mercantile Agentsin New
York, the total number of failures il
the United States during 1875 wer
7,74O, the liabilities being $201, 900,
353. The number of persons in bust
ness in the United States are estimat
ed at 100000, the failures represent
| ing a proportion of one to ever
eighty-two. No such average Q
wrecks marks the progress of bust
ness on this coast, and though silve
may be heavy and bear discoun
still it is a pretty good thing to kee
the wolf from the door and sustai
ones credit.