New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-19
OUR WESTERN BARBARIANS.

sUAII THEY BE MANAGED BY THE ARMY OR
CORPS OF CIvIIIANs-GEN. sHERIDAN's VIEWS.
IFkOM A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or T1iE rRIBUNbl
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-Gen. Sheridan has
had long conference with House Military Commit
tee having beyu summoned here for consultation Oh
army matters. The principal points embraced in III"
conversation were the following: /. Might not the
Indian Bureau be transferred 10 the War Department
with benefit the public service z Would II not he
practicable 10 consolidate the Quarernasters and 'om-
u;ssary and Paw Departments into one cOrpsi 3.
Might not the of Military Justice be dispensed
with without injury To the public servicef
The transfer Indian bureau is by no means new
question but has been discussed by every Military Com
mttee Of House for at least and not Com
mittee ha- thus far been organized that has not
favored proposition. The War tIinent has also
always looked favorably the efforts in that direction,
anu President has ed the change In his
messages TIE Interior Department has generally OPP
posed the movement and tine Indian Committees in both
Houses have fought IT, and the present House Comm ttee
II not All exception. II iH understood however tat the
present head tho Interior Department In favor OFT
transfer He certainly Of mat mind when member
Of the Senate. and he Is tie sort II man to change
bis mind so readily. Thus lar the military people
have made no hcadway, but the disclosure OF
the countless abuses present Indian service, made
by Prof Marsh aud others and the well known frauds
and stealings OF the Indian Rings lately developed may
the eff CT OF directing tie attention OF Congress to
careful ION of the subject WIN view 10 reiOfh
Gen sberidsn's statement, owing TO the fact that
was not taken down. cannot be given TO the public. but
II was OF a very interesting and import character.
said he had voted great deal OF time 10 the study
Of the Indian question and IFS bearing the army, and
the relations OF the two combined lie was very thor
oughly convinced that the Indian belongs the
War and to the Interior Department. Every
consideration of policy, safety economy and life, points
to this course. The military is upon the grounI,
the moral Of tb~ army upon Tire Indians very
great, and they be easily con'rOlod by the army,
while the civil an officers would have power
over them There would never have been Moloc war
bad the In,ans been under The control Of Che army
Gen Sheridan also thought that While he did rot like 10
reflect the nHces Of the Indian Bureau tie Indians
might be- more honUrably dealt with by army officers
whose penalties are greater and whose habits Of doins
business regular and better guarded He does
not think that tn Indian would be cheated "n the one
hand. the Government rubbed the other. He
thinks there would come to be good understanding
between the indian and III army officer AMI that there
would not be 50 many nges lost ~ present.
But the great consideration urged by Gen. Sheridan
for the change that Of economy. lie demonstrated
u the satisfaction OF the Committee that saving OF
S3,5OooOO year cud be ma ie III the appropriations
for the alone In the OF fDts
stations, &c. lie SAID there would be necessity
many distant posts. and That the this respect
and particularly IN transportation, which costs heavily
the PLAINS would be- very great He aisu said that
the Indian service appropriations would DC less by mil
lions than they
With reference the consolid ton of the Quarernas
ters, Conlss.,ry, and Pay Depai tnens, Gen. Sheridan
thought 1t could he DONE but he IL opposed To H. He
thought would DO for the good OF the service The
present system worked satisfactorily during the war, and
he thought it the best for country He showed the
difference In this respect between Germany and the
Unted States The Of Military justice he passed
by with the remark tnat the army got along very well
before Il organized, ami lie thought IL might get
along again without it, He particularly questioned
with reference TO the bill OF the Military Committee
wherein reductions fiade in the matter Of
salaries, forage, &c. lie thihks reduction In
either the pay allowances Of army Oficers would
have demoralizng effect and tend TO drive good men
from the army. He thinks the present pay and allow
ances low good judgment can suggest In regard
to laundresses he quite with Gen. Mcdowell, who
says that sundresses like other women. cost money but
that they. like all worth what they cost 1t
h said that laundresses very expensive luxury and
that an immense could be saved each year by
ducDx them to one to each company The transporta-
ton Of their baggage and equipments is the principal
source Of complaint Gen. Sherman has been addressed