The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-08


else and condemn The following paragraphs are self
explanatory
sistenco Tor employees without receiving return
payment iron employers In such cases tho Indian
Bureau has failed suspend Tue allowance oil such
disbursement IL Is believed that al many agencies
The agents ana chief employees use Tor themselves ana
amiiies subsistence supplies purchased for the sole
use oil Indiana Tho indian Bureau may be able TO
correct such violations Of law. but constant super
vision OF the agencies by officers OF the department 10
the only remedy known TO The Board which APP
Proaches sure prevention OF irregularities charged
strict enforcement OF the Law providing Tor the
enumeration OF Indians. The establishment Of q
secret service or increase OF the number OF in
speclors, a uniform system OF bookKeepirg showing
In detail the receipt and delivery OF supplies The en-
actment OF laws allowing the instant suspension aud
dismissal OF agents tor probable cause, and an under
standing that the officers OF Indian Bureau Will
not allow iaxty on the part of agents. viii DO steps
toward The proper keeping ana honest ISSUE OF sup
plies
Under the special subdivisions of Beef Cattle on
tho Hoor' aud Transportation" II is shown that the
forms contract used are invitations GU tue part ot
the Indian Bureau 10 tho commission OF fraud by the
contractors, anu that radical change IN this parcu
lar Is imperatively demanded by common sense ana
the simplest business principles When contracts
made IN terms sufficient 10 protect the interests aud
the Treasury OF tho government nrm hand and de-
termined spirit are needed 10 carry out their prov
SONS without lear or favor, and tue reign OF the
tractor will have onded and the Indian Bureau will be
governed by business methods, law aud justice
As an instance OF tho provaence OF irregularities
during the late administration Of indian AFFAIRS II
asserted that seldom II request for a
cossIon made by q contractor or agent refused by
the Indian Bureau. This single statement SPEAKS vol
umes Tor the weakness inecency, II nothing else.
Of those to whose care the management OF Indian
affairs was Immediately Entrusted. Among other
things IN this connection the report states that
lnsrucsons were sent by the late Commissioner to
agent "A The Indian Territory, VINO attempting
10 do his duty 10 accepting only proper CATTLE not
10 reject the cattle offered oy contractor, aud ema-
natiug, as they DID, from The officer directly charged
with tie duty Of managing indian AFFAIRS they were
that rigid inspection Of cattle not thought
portanI
THE PAwNEE AGENCY.
The report folio ing passage concern
ing affairs at the Pawnee Agency
Tho evidence under this head Is in small compass
and speaks Tor ITSELF No conclusion
tou lne part Of tue members OF tho B,ard ma King
this report with regard TO she anairs wncn
existed ~ the Pawnee Agency as lato Aarch last,
AID may still exist VIII be necessary who,
ahcr considering tue evidence presented, have the
means NJ Ihelr command 10 recty the looseness OF
system which permits open fraud 10 carried on
Tue borders u popuous states, without active moas-
ures being taken 10 defeat such practices those
who can show 10 an outraged public sentiment that
stealing from the governmont aud the Indians will
receive the merlted punishment
the CENrBAL SUPERINTENDENT.
In regard the central supcrintendency tho con-
clusion reached by the Board oil Inquiry is taat the
present superintendent Incompetent and inell.
Gent ofhcer They say
He has been terribly derect In that he has failed 10
detect or recy grave abuses within his superiaten
dency and to bring " justice the conspiratvrs
fraud The government, VINO, seemingly, have taken
little pans conceal their nearlous practices from
The people OF large section OF the country An OIL
cia who ignorant oil common report scarcely DO
useui watching the large pecuniary ana other
terests Of tue government amt the Indians.
IRREGULARITIES AGENciEs
tabular statement oil public moneys advanced to
g. w. lngalls, an Indian agent was prepared from the
bureau BOOKS and u showed mat from August 2S 1872
to October 1885, the sum advanced this ono man
| without settlement OF any account up 10 July rs.
1877 was 500, zu6 ST. Tho bonus and any
Indian agent cxunoL secure any the gov
srnmcnt and, as appears from the evidence that
has never boon satisfactorily accounted Tor. The
Board has iaied 70 discover sound why an
agent SHOULD have anything 10 do win selection
license, CONTINUATION, bond, or tho concerns Of tue
trader further thnn 70 report from time time,
violations of law by the latter The BUSINESS as at
present instituted, conducted and continued s simply
| license TO an agent and his proxy 10 cheat
and swindle tho Indians III the name Of the
United states America. Evidences have been n,i-
OF the accumulation 0t I0rtunes by persons
shat service upon salaries that would 6arsy provide
serious reflection uLon former administrations Of
the service and reproach " the whole nation,
| year by year resort 10 arms--sne only logical
recourse OF barbarous people; and when Il Is known
honesty have been the sources OF sudden
Indian wars, II may we'll be asked, VINO Is 10 DO
blamed, aud whence the rom ;dyY
THE APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS.
Agents have been appointed not because OF their
business qualifications experience but because OF
sentmeut and TO intrust sucn men with sdcn great
power and responsibilities 10 to undertake through
ptgmtes The solution oil u problem that mas engaged
the efforts statesmen anu ropsts ever
since the days Of the Republic Tuat religious cou.
victons are not coexistent with business quaIinca
tons mono VIII mnintain. but religious CONVICTIONS
alone eau never successfully stem tho current ol
| iupt practices IN tue Indian service. the Bible
unc a creed Will not Keep u VIVID Indian from
lighting or hrs family from starvation, or an agent
contractor or fr0ntiersnan from avarice. Tie pres
ent method OF selecting agents Is probably AN i'm
| requirements OF the service Downright honesty Of
agents ~ great desiocratum, yet when unuccompa-
contact with The sharp contests characteristic OF
Western ie IL Is believed That selections from
ordnates IN the Indian service, both III the ned and
Onicr, could DO made to great advantage. The en-
ployes in the Office have heretofore been adverted
Those In tho field and subordinate 10 agents are
farmers, miliers, backsmiths carpenters, butchers
&C., PROVIDED Tor by treaty stipuations employed
from necessity, and supposed TO NIL The requirements
Of their yet their on
the payroll 10 Lhc only eviaence oil 'occu patton -
and II che bcst pad among them arc not relatives OF
tho agent or the trader II IS owing probably to The fact
thut these persons nave been unusually unfortunate
the matter oil relatives The line should DO drawn
somewhere TO the number Of members OF one
family TO DO employed at an agency, ana the Board
recommend that IL DC limited 10 Two. Teachers aud
| physicians, especially tho former, frequently
alone selected upon tho sumo OASIS hence the mental
progress OF the waras vi the nation keep
| pace with tho anticpations OF pniianthropists
The Law provides that 5000, and under certain cir
cumstances $4,000, may be expended zach year for
| employees at an agency. With tnis amount agent
ought TO secure competent and faithful VI
sistants ana working together IN proper spirit they
| should accomplish great deal toward the ame-
Iteration OF their charge Experience teaches that It.
Is WAN the young the greatest good may be wrought
leading them first In the paths OF industry toward
soil support, aud acrward TO higher moral plane
Humanity and justice IN calling upon tho gov
ernnent keep faitn with the Indians aud this
not be done whe that iah IS imperilied by distract
ing and corruptoS influences.
The Board concludc py saying
Such are the results of dishonest practices In tho
of dian fla M ha IN
uncover and secure the punishment Of such persons
must considered OF the first duties of
those responsible for the conduct Of that branch the
sorvice
THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE.