The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-19
The Indian Trouhle.

| Ii the revolt which has broken out among
the Shoshones and Bannocks of Idaho and
Oregon costs much expenditure of life and
money to suppress it, the blame therefor
must be put on the democratic House.
That House has been remiss in granting sup
plies to carry out our treaty stipula-
tions and the Indians, seeing that
the Government did not fulfill its
promises have risen in insurrection.
Indeed had il not been for the detection of
the Texas delegation tie Democratic major
ity would have reduced the army and so left
the Western settlers at the mercy of the saw
ages. The opposition to appropriations was
made on the ground of economy. But the
war will cost many millions of dollars more
than the treaties called for. That is one re-
suit of the short-sighted and penurious pol
icy pursued ~ the Democrats since they
have got ooutrol of the popular branch of the
National legislature.
But though the Democrats are Justly held
responsible for the present outbreak there is
a general and well-founded belief that our
Indian policy has been mistake from the
start. From the beginning we have been at
war with the Indians. Just over the border,
in the British possessions the Indians and
the whites live on friendly terms. There the
aborigines are well treated, and conduct
themselves as most men, pale face or dark
face, do when they are justly used. Here
the aborigines are frequently making war
upon us, and not without cause. In theory
we treat them well. We recognize their
right to The soil and buy it of them, paying
them SO much down, settling annuities upon
! them, and giving them in partial exchange
other tract of good land. But the trouble is
we do not OBSERVE our agreements for long.
| soon white settlers want the land which has
been grantedto the Indians under solemn
treaty for all tine, and poor Lo, become poor
joe IS ordeseo move on. We pay not the
slightest regard to our treaty obligations
when it is for Or interest to break them.
Where territory concerned we are as un-
scrupulous as an Aglishman. And not only
do we drive the Inians from the land we
have promised then hut we also plunder
them while they sty OF the reservations.
The Indian agency ysten appears to be a
system of organized tiff. TIE Indian agent
has charge of the annuies and G. the sale of
Indian products. He axes the nn1ux nor
tion of the first as they 8 through his hanos.
and pays for the last in rtions furnished ior
the Indians by the Government. On a small
annual salary he makes sfortune in few
| years. The abuse is an oldone which grew
up under and was fosterd by successive
| Democratic administrations. Repeated at
tempts have been made by the Republicans
since they came into power to correct the
evil, but so far the attempts have been nm
successful. A few years since the age ncies
were placed under the oversight Of ,elgious
organizations. Livingstone, the Indian agent
at Crow Creek station whose wholesale rob-
\ berries have just been exposed, was selected
by the advisory committee of the Episcopal
Church. He began stealing as soon as he
got into office, and has stolen STEADILY evel
since. Perhaps he was man whom the
denomination got tired of supporting and 81
shifted off upon the broad shoulders OF thu
Government. However that may be thu
plan is evidently failure. The only way tt
prevent Indian agents from stealing is to give
them no chance. There must be radica
change in the agencies.
Singularly enough the plundered Dakot'
Indians are not those in the insurrection
They had something to eat, and with tru
Indian patience were willing to share will
the agents. The Indians in rebellion ar
those whom Congress left to starve.