New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-29

nammabe warlike proclivities 1t might IN the absence
OF a suitable military force bring on bostintes ,nss
wond devastate the entire frontier settlements Iis
no visionary speculation upon remote or impr0DaDo
contn but condition affairs continually Ia
bic TO occur at any moment provided great citSum,
spection is moi exerc sed in the OF these
people That the transfer OF the Indian Bureau to the
War Department would prove measure OF economy,
military posts and other Army officers including many
Of the retired officers, could perform all tae
system OF accountability that is now required in the
Army, and with but little addti nal clerical force
reservations could supply much OF the aid r. quir III
sickness and the nspectorGenera Department could
efficiently inspect the entire management All tnls
might be done without any addition to the pay OF the
officers and, they subject to military law, any
derection OF duty violation OF trust would speedily
be detected and sum- marty punished
But the preponderatlng adv ntage thar Womb De
reached by the transfer would arise 1om the attainment
of greater unity OF purpose aud he dong away win
tine evils aud perpextes consequent upon the present
dual management TINS division OF authority In ad-
ministeril Inoan aff certainly affects the question
seriously; as for example, military post may DO
for the projection of Indian officials, and soon
after the buildings are completed The agent
may think proper TO change the lorailOn Oh me
agency otner point, thereby making necessary
buildings only for the agency but for the troops
case was reported 10 one OF the Occrs Oh NY Dep-
nent where an agent aches IN Arizona, for rea-
best known to mse T. removed bis agency a. lar
from "A contiguous military post IS he deemed III CON
slstcnt his satey aud ordered all the
buildings vain, at 900, To be burned 10 tue ground
rs soon as the l"dians iel A. me same time ne KNEW
mat the lumber was greatly needed ICr repairing the
quaEteIs the adjacent pot
The Commissioner Of Indian Affairs, IN the report De
fore alluded TO- sa's: We nave the highest possible
apprec alton the officer of tue Army, and iuy rccog-
nIze their prOVerpal Integrity ana hOnOr, Dut we are
satisfied that MOI one IN thousand would Ike 10 iedch
Indian children To read aud wrle OF Indian men to SOW
and reap Ihls reasoning Is elLlhChJy plefle anu ap-
sLTd supposed thai transfer OF Indian
Affairs to the War Department would email the heces-
slUy for Army officers teaching Indian children their
g. Il CS," ans more han II s eApeced that tue COM
missioner ana his agents wal p rtorm me same
But 1t Is cOuhdery believed That W l-educated ARMY
officers could supcrlntend the instruction OF lhulahs,
bUth schooling ana agriculture as well as men whose
Efforts nave been mainly directed 90 enfichlhS thei
selves by dclIaudng tue Indians. No more c. inclusive
proof hs could be adIuced than that OF the recent
experiment with number 81 the hiOWaS ana conan
cLes VINO, punishment FOR piiiagng anu numbering
tie frontier settlers sent to ST. Angus me- Florida
an order TO prevent tier exercising perhclOus lhu-
the remainder OF the tribes upon the resefVa-
Iney pIODaby the most savage, insubordl-
nate Troublesome Indians OF Tue D. lns, yet Eey
placed uuOer the charge OF an Army Ocer, VINO a
lnaugurated system Of rudlmentai instruction
with tem VIII. ch has more successful tan any Ell
forts Aiud before attempted lnueed. they
have just been sent nack To their people IN quite an adj
yanccd stae ciyiLzL1on, and t Is confidently ex-
pccted that they VIII exercise good lbnu"hce upon
others OF theu tribes.
Tne evidence have adduced seems, IN my Judgment,
to render admission OF the following sequences logi-
cal and imperative, viz:
FSt-The conduct OF Indian affairs under the existing
sysicL att practical WORKING OF twenty-nne years,
la, proved Immensely expensive, highly conducive 10
fraud, and unsatisfactory to the Indians, provoking
hos itles that have cost the lives OF hundreds
81 border citizens, vel Of many brave soldiers.
Whereas the mdnagrment OF this branch Of the public
service wne controlled by the War Department, was
inuicOus, irm and economical, and every respect
accorded with the Indians OF just and humane
treatment
SecOnd-If this compendium be correct why not return
TO a system so Conducive TO peace aud 80 certain to
evils that Will in tue iulure as they nave in
the past, inevitably follow the continuation OF faulty
policy
In conclusion, is but act OF justice 10 remark that
one acquainted with the excellent character OF the
gem lrmcn composing the Indian Commission (WhO per
form ner uutes gTatultOusy) entertains doubt that
they have labOred ZeaUusly in reforming abuses and
rne efforts nave inquest onaby contributed largely 20
thai end But Their visits 10 the agencies have nece
stry been "a wide intervals, IL could not be expected
thai ncy would able exercise much control over
the agents during Their Should the transfer OF
the bureau be cOusummdteJ, Amy Officers would
gladly ACCEPT the aid of men, and would not object
to their supervising purchases aud verifying accounts