The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1878-01-26
Corruption In the Indian Department.

lev L. S. A., and Geo. NJ. Lockwood
chief clerk of the Interior department,
were convened last June by Secretary
Schurz, to investigate the affairs of the
Indian service. They have made their
report to Schurz, which makes volum-
inous document We quote from this
report partly published in the Oregoni-
an, as follows:
A tabular statement of public money
advanced to G.. W. ingalls,, an indian
Agent, was prepared from the bureau
books, and showed that from Aug. %,
1872, to Oct. 4th., 1875, the sum ad-
vanced to this one man, without settle
ment OF any accounts up to July %,
1877, was s502,206. The bonds and
security of an Indian Agent cannot Sc
cure any such sum to the government,
and as it appears from the evidence that
this sum has never been satisfactorily
accounted for, the board has failed to
discover any sound reason why an agent
should have anything to do with the Sc
lection of licenses, the continuation of
the bond or concerns of the trader further
than to report any violation of law by
the latter. The business as at present
conducted is simply license to an
agent for his profits, to cheat and swim
die the Indians in the name Of the Uni
ted States. Evidences have been nu-
merous Of the accumulation Of fortunes
by persons in that service upon salaries
that would barely provide the necessa-
RIGS of life. That this has been true is
serious reflection upon the former ad-
ministration Of the service and rcproach
to the whole nation, inasmuch as the
piundered have no recourse in law.
When it is known that cupidity and the
most barefaced dishonesty have been
sources Of sudden fortune and Indian
wars, it may we'll be asked who is to be
blamed, and whence the remedy,
Agents have been appointed not be-
cause of their business qualifications
and experience, but because of senti-
ment, and to intrust such men with
such great power and responsibilities is
to undertake, through pigmies, the So
luton of problem that has engaged the
best efforts Of statesmen and philanthro-
pists ever since the first days of the re-
public. That,rcligious convictions are
not coexistent with business qualiica-
tions, none will maintain, but religious
convictions alone can never stem the
current of corrupt practices of the Indi-
an service. The Bible and a creed will
not keep wild Indian from fighting or
his family from starving, or an agent,
contractor or frOntiersman from avarice.
The present method of selecting agents
is probably an improvement on the old i,
yet it falls far short Of the requirements
of the service. Downright honesty of
agents is a great dcsideratum, yet when
unaccompanied by capacity the govern
ment's interest suffers when brought in
contact with the sharp characteristics
of western life. 1t is believed that Sc
lections from subordinates in the Indi-
an service, both in the field and office,
could be made to great advantage.
Employees in the Office have been here
tofore adverted to. Those in the field
and subordinate to agents are farmers,
millers, blacksmiths, carpenters, butch
ers, etc., provided for by treaty stipula-
tlons or employed from necessity, and
supposed to fill the requirements of
their respective avocation. Yet their
designation on the pay rolls is the only
evidence of occupation, and if the best
paid among them are not relations Of
the agent or trader it is owing probably
to the fact that these persons have been
unusually unfortunate in the matter of
relatives. A line should be drawn