Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-07-31
49, gs.s N..aa. golAg.
WHAT SECRETARY scHuRz SAYS OF THE
INDIAN FRAUDS.


ton between heCommissioner recently
sent to Dakota, accompanied By Com
missioner Hoyt, and the Sioux, said
Mr.. Hoyt's mission has not failed, as
asserted, and all the objects mentioned
in the letter of instructions have been
complied with. / ought to add that
tdd removal OF the Sioux Indians would
have taken place long ago had not
Congress 80 long ago delayed appro-
priations for that purpose. The De-
partment asked for these appropriations
at the October session, and then dur
ing the regular session several times
by letters addressed to the Speaker OF
the House, but without result. All
promises made to those Indians have
been and are being compiled with, and
the Sioux Chiefs have repeatedly ex.
pressed satisfaction at the manner in
which supplies arc delivered TO them,
and also as to the quality and quantity
of the supplies.
The discovery Of the swindling opera
tons carried on at the Grow Creek
agency by DR.. Livingstone bavc not
been a surprise TO me. | knew all the
details several weeks ago. The fact
is, | had the case transmitted to the
Department OF Justice some weeks ago
for the prosecution of the offenders,
and il is now in the hands Of the Dis
trict Attorney of Dak6ta. ! notice
some newspapers speak Of General
Hammond as if he were an officer Of
the army, and as if these discoveries
and disclosures had been made against
the Indian Bureau. Gen. Hammond
is an officer Of the Indian Bureau, APP
pointed last year by the President, at
my request, as Superintendent Of the
Dakota Superintendency. He got
wind of these TRANSACTIONS and reported
them. He anne to Washington, and
the whole campaign for the discovery
of these things was planned in my
office by General Hammond, Commits.
sioner Hoyt, and myself. 1t is, there
fore, the Indian service, underit Is pres
ent management, that made the dis
covcries and credit is due Inspector
Hammond's sagacity, courage and
energy. ! notice also that whenever,
by the efforts of tho Department, these
crimes are discovered, instead of Civ.
ing credit those who make the discov-
cries, cries are made about the incfl-
cheney of the management of the In.
dian service, while these very discov.
cries, exposures and prosecutions are
proofs Of its efficiency. Such abuses
have grown up in the course Of years.
Many Of them have been discovered
and laid bare by the present admins.
t%ration, and no offender has been spared.
The Crow Creek affair is not the only
one. We have quite a number of per-
sons connected with the Indian service
as agents and contractors under indict-
ment in several parts Of the country.
We have not divulged our operations,
because IL is necessary to carry them
on quietly until ripe for decisive action.
There are other similar Investigations
now going on, with promise Of like re-
suits. All those affected by and in fear
of these operations + exceedingly
anxious to get this business out of the
hands Of those who now manage Indian
affairs and are on the track of evil
doors. The policy towards the Indians
which humanity dictates, and which
is now followed, is to gather them up
on the reservations and try to make
them disappearing as much as posi-
BILE by agriculture, stock.raising and
similar pursuits. II is a policy easily
defined, but very difficult to carry out,
| think we are making fair progress,
but il will require time to make it gen.
orally successful, and it can be made
generally successful only If, not only
the Government, but white citizens,
treat the Indians fairly. The greatest
difficulty is hat whore Indians get
once fairly started in the direction of
selfsupport, white people want their
lands, and attempts + made to crowd
them out. We can easily make the
Indian service more economical, as on
this years purchases at the annual
lettings we have already made a saving
Of s24o,000 as against last year, the
goods and supplies being just as good,
if not better, than last year, and a
and perscvcring effort can, |
think, make and keep the Indian serv-
ice honest. The continual conflicts
between the interests of the Indians
and the greed OF white people surround.
ing and crowding between them, pre-.
scnts a problem Of difficult solution,
and no new change in the organization
and control of the Indian service can
disuosc nf IL