Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-20
Il DEpAnTuENrdL QUARREL.

ssBrds in their little nests agrec,' but it
seems that the officers of the army and of
the interior department can't. The GLOBE
has already published the reports of the
lieutenant general and general of the army,
as we'll as the reports of department. COM
manders to the secretary of war, from which
1t appears that there is a concerted move
nent with the purpose of influencing Con-
gress to transfer the control of the Indians
from the interior to the war department. We
are by no means certain that such transfer
would not rebound to the benefit of the gov
eminent as we'll as of the Indians. But
whether it would be good or bad policy, it is
manifest that in the discussion of the cues
ton there should be strict adherence to the
truth. Secretary Schurz and other officials
of the interior department claim that this
has not been done, and are especially in
censed at the report of Lieutenant General
Sheridan. That officer, it is claimed, makes
some charges which are not only untenable
but historically inaccurate. This is ,1articu-
larry true in the case of the removal of the
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail bands from the
Missouri river, which Gen. Sheridan severely
condemns, and which he charges was brought
about by and in the interest of traders and
spectators. Gen. Sheridan should have
known, says the secretary, that these Indians
were removed against the wishes of the in
terror department; that the removal was
made by order Of the President upon the de-
mand Of the Indians, who threatened hos
tilltles unless they were permitted to remove
to reservation of their own selection, and
that the removal was made upon the recon-
mendation and under the direction of Gen.
Crook, an army officer Of largo experience
with Indians. Gen. Pope also comes in for
share of the general condemnation because
ne assigned as the cause of the Cheyenne
outbreak that they were nearly starved by
the withholding of supplies, and yet this
same officer describes these starved Indians
as performing, upon the first day after leav-
ing their reservation, march of sixty miles,
accompanied by women and children. The
fact is, say the officers OF the bureau, that
the raiding Cheyennes were not only we'll
fed at their agency, but left it we'll supplied
with subsistence.
In view of these facts, Secretary Schurz
has determined to demand of the war de-
partment specific instances of mismanage-
ment on the part of his subordinates. to-
gether with proofs of the charges, to the end
that delinquent officials may be pun
ishea, at the same time expressing
the opinion that such proofs do not exist, and
that the charges of the army officers are de-
liberate perversions of the truth, having for
their purpose the transfer of the manage
ment of the Indians to the war department.
II this accusation is true, it reflects dishonor
upon the army officers. If they have been
guilty of knowingly classifying the facts, even
to effect what they esteem a worthy purpose,
they will find that they have been toying
with a boomerang which will do them inf
nitely more harm than it will injure the per-
son at which it wa; aimed.
1t is rather sorry spectacle to see two CO.
ordinate departments of the government ac
cusing each other with dishonesty and false
hood. Such q state of affairs could not ex-
ist in any other country on the globe, and it
cannot be permitted to long exist here
Harmony between tho several departments
IS an essential to good government, and it is
the duty of the executive of the nation to do
all IN his power to bring it about. If he
neglects to do so. Congress will have to step
in and settle thu dispute. In that event one
or the other of the participants in the quar-
rel will no doubt feel very much as the bow
did who Was kicked by mule.