The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-07
Secretary Schurz Discusses the In
dian Question ---He Defends the
Policy of the Interior
Department.
Hoes, Not Guns, the Medium Of Indian
Civilization--Past Shortcomings Of
the Indian Bureau under the
War Department
Last Day Of the Commercial Convention at
New 0rleans-Ths Resolutions They
Passed and Referred to the Ten.
der Mercies Of Congress.
WASHINGTON.


Commission considering the transfer OF
the Indian Bureau TO the Military Depart
ment heard Secretary Schurz to-day. He
disclaimed any personal desire to retain
control OF the Indian service under the
Interior Department. No branch OF the
Departments business is so troublesome
and thankess. He thought the Indians
entitled to humane treatment, and that
could only be secured through the pro-
cesses OF civilization, education and kind
treatment. This the military were not
fitted to promote.
The Secretary quoted from the report Of
the Sioux Commission, signed by Generals
Sherman, Terry, Anger and others, setting
forth in effect that il peace with the In
dians was desired the management Of
their affairs should be placed under the
civil Departmental OF the Government. Now
/ agree with these gentlemen in this point.
There are great many offiCersof the army
who have excellent ideas about Indian
affairs, but II is another thing to bring the
ideas into practical effect. The military
arm OF the Government he didn't consider
gifted with the patient labor required to
place the hoe in the Indians hand and
teach him how to use it.
He denied very cmphatically that the
red tape system OF reporting Indian out
breaks, which had been asserted, WIS re.
quired under the present administration
ofIndian affairs. Whenever case arises
where prompt action is necessary, he, in
person, communicated with the Secretary
OF War or the General Of the Army, as
the case may be, thereby causing but a
very few hours delay in periecting the
necessary arrangements to meet the emer.
gency, rather than months, as intimated
by Secretary Sherman.
He claimed that the demand for the
transfer OF the Bureau from the Civil to
the Military Department was based upon
assumptions rather than upon facts. Ills.
tory will prove that the Indian Bureau Is
credited with Indian wars, which in reali.
ty occurred previous to its organization.
Under the civil management the cause OF
the majority OF wars, in his opinion, is the
breaking OF treaties, together with the en-
croachment OF greedy whites upon the
settlements allotted to the would-be peace
full Indian. He didn't believe such mill
tary, officers us Generals Sherman, Sheri!
dan and others desired war, but isubordi.
mates, ,who.ha regulations to make, were
not so keen for peace, especially with the
Indian race.
The Secretary said in reply to the gues;
ton asked by General Hooker: Those
who have been in charge at the Indian
Agencies have been very faithful and eff
cent. Their duties, were, however, in con.
nectidn with 1.-The existant state OF
affairs, and not with a'view OF 'civilizlng
the Indians The Secretary advised the
placing OF Troublesome Indians on the res
eryations under martial law, and OF in
creasing the number of the Indian po-
lice force from four hundred and fifty to
one thousand or twelve hundred. This
force was very reliable. and had rendered
good service. az 49, % ~
He said he had read in the papers state
ments by General Marcy that when in the
War Department, the bureau was worked
smoothly enough, that there was no mis-:
Management, and in fact, no suspicion Of
any. "It was, in fact" he said, "as II
angels had descended upon the earth
doing gentle ministrations among the sav.
ages to lead them to higher state OF
well being" 1t was easily proved that
this was far from being the case. Are-
port Of tile committee 10 the House OF
Representatives, made in 1912, when the
War Department had charge OF the Indian
Affairs, charged tho clerks with unpardon.
able negligence, that the ACCOUNTS showed
almost a total want Of, method that theac
counts Of expenditures were so carelessly y
kent as to furnish scarcely any traces OF
the expenditures OF very large sums.
For several years entries were made in
so sloyenlya manner that the very clerks
themselves could not explain them. There
was not a single entry referring to the In
dian lands, and all the records left by
Indian officers OF the War Department
wore scraps Of ofmemoranda, pencil notes,&c.
To boar out his statement with respect
10 malieasance, he quoted from the report
Of fLieut. General Hitchcock, and instanced
the action OF the DEPARTMENT In reference
to the removal OF the Cherokees.
The contract was made at Sl0 per head;
and 20 900 Cherokee Indians were removed
but 10000 in excess Of tho actual number
were charged and paid for, making IN
actual payment Of S204,976 in excess, or
He also read a report dated 1884, which
showed exorbitant prices which tho
Indians were charged for various articles,
and oonoluled that from oil this it would
be soon that the rcoord OF the War De.
partmentsmanagement otthq.! Indian at-
fairswas by no means as clean as Con.
Marcy tried to make gut, g..
He was.notS going itospEotond that the
civil administration was, pure. No sNoh
thing, but he would say they had had no
scandal quite SO had as the Cherokee al
fair. s-; t,L,g !, :, 80
lie alluded to the difficulties Of tho su.
pervislon oi tho different agencies. but
taid MANY abuses TINT had formerly OK istf
ed were being swept away. With the excep-
t;on Of the Treasury Department and the
prosecution Of tho whisky ring, he did not
think any, 1iepa1 tI'elt bad been more ac'
tive in prosecuting lts eontragtoss Theh
Tiny we're once arrested. IVsav had, per-
haIs, some 10 or 90 under prosecution
now, and only few weeks ago one OIL
| these contractors was convicted ..Is5s.
Now, he should be very isloy 70 assert
that army officers, as such, had dishonest
tendencies. He thought the army deserved
as a whole It's reputation for honesty, that
h. 10 saw ior, honest int6ptopsj :, YET y
would be absurd to say that sncit a elass
| q mon were inaccessible to the bad i'm
pulses OF human nature. -,
Gen. Marcy had stated that while the
administration OF the War Departmentcost
! 81 800, 900, the Indian Department cost
IS OOO, 600, a aditIerenee Of 5000, 900. Such
comparison was absurd. The Indian
business in 1910 was nothing to what i
b4S nov Poems; u, /, n. o,,onn. mid
per 100 pounds OF beef by the two De
i,artments for the Indian bureau and mil,
itary, which showed saving OF SCH ,00I
in iayop Of the former. General Mile
had stated that the transportation 0t ~