Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-01-23

INDIAN AFFA IRIS.
A POINTED INDICTMENT.
There eau he no doubt Int that the
Indian Department l. u kind OF polt
cal cess pool, into which most Of the
rogues are thrown whom ovcrtakcn aud
charged with crime in some other lie
partment OF the Governmcni. ltmnkes
no dlficrauce how curruutn ln,n j.. he
SNhn]. n].@r1"'.os.s. =. = =
on the border, where ciyiii1atlon and
integrity are considered among the
non essentials for an Indian agent To-
possess. Hence The constant Indian
.ss.s % pnr side Of the llnc, while per.
pctual peace reigns on the canada side.
The Indian is the same on this side OF
the linc that he is ON tho British side,
but the agents are very different class
Of men. On our side they are rogucs,
and on the Canada side they are honest
men.
The commission appointed last June
To investigate tho management Of the
Indian Bureau, have made u report that
shows anything bu. an honest admin
istralion OF that branch of the Govern
mcnt. They find dishonest practices,
carelcssness, aud criminal neglect OF
duty everywhere. They say;
"rbc absence ofregulations, systems
and methods, the suppression Of charges
and specifications, the carrying on OF
"scml-ofiiciaI" correspondence, the care.
less disposal of papers aud records, the
REIMBURSEMENT al authority or dclega
tion Of official power 10 another, the
loss ordisappearancc ofvaluable papers,
tho unwarranted aud Rctious opposi
ton TO the Board Of Indian Commits.
sioners, the unfitness for thvir respect.
i've positions al the chief clerk, CORES
pondence clerks, annuity clerk and
Others, the persecution OF the chief of
the medical division, the incompetency
ot the chief Of the accounts division,
the ineiiiuicncy Of the acting chief of
the land DIVISION, the habiiual lack of
circumspeetion in the finance division
tho uselessncss, without Instructions, Of
the force of the civilization division,
and, finally, the general demoralization
of the force OF the bureau throughout
did not afford data irlm which the late
Commissioner could fnd an abuse"
Under the special b-divIsions Of
beef cattle on the hoof and trans
portation," the report says;
"lt is shown that The FIRMS of con
tract used in Invitations, on the part Of
the Indian Bureau to thecommission ui
fraud by the contractors. and that u
radical change in this particular is IN.
pcrativ ly demanded by common sense
and the simplest business principles.
A. an Instance Of the prevalence ol ir.
reguIarilies during tbc late administra
tion OF Indian affairs, ii is asserted that
seldom If ever, WAS request for a
concessiOn, made by contractor on
agent, refused by tho Indian Bureau
In regard to tue central superintend.
ency, the conclusion reached by the
Board ol Inquiry is that the present
superintendent is an incompetent and
inefficient officer They say
Gle has been terribly derelict, in
that he has failed TO detect or rectify
grave abuses within bis snperintend-
cncy, and to bring to justice the con
spirators to deiraud the government,
who, seemingly, have taken little pains
TO conceal their neiarious practices
from the people of largo section oi
the country, An official who Is ignor
ant Of common report, can scarcely be
useful in watching the large pecuniary
and other interests Of the government
and the Indians
Regarding the employees OF the In.
dian Bureau, the Board says:
"Tbc employees in the Office have
heretofore been adverted to those in
the field, and subordinate TO agents are
farmers, millers, blacksmiths, carpcn.
tcrs, butchers, &c, provided for by
treaty stipnIations or employed from
necessity, and supposed TO GIL the re.
qurcments of thcir respective advoca.
lions, yct their desie nation on the pay.
'fol! is often the only evidence of "occu.
patton and If the best paid among
them are not relatives Of the agent or
trader, it is owing, probably, TO the
tact that these persons have been un-
usually unfortupata in the matter Of
relatives, The line should be drawn
somewhere as to the number of mem.
bcrs OF one family TO be employed at
M agency, and the Board recommends
that il he limited to two"
The Board ccnsurcs the agents tor
following Grant in the appointment Of
their relations. This may, in the end.
not be 90 bad o feature after all, be.
cause they all seem to be rogues any,
how, and by sending them among tho
Indians, the haunts Of civilization are
not over run by them, and few fam.
lilies are only prostitut,d under this
policy.
Congressional work is now nearly
ali confined 10 Committee labor, to
which all the members who do any
work confine themselves II is not
the speech makers who grind out Leg
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