New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-26
ARMY CONTROL OF THE INDIANS.
AKM1 IUN 7 NOL Ut III INUINNS.
A TRANSFER OF THE INDIAN BUREAU TO THE WAR
DEPARTMENT FAVORED BIZ THE HOUSE COM
MITTEE.
10y TELEGRAPH To TIE rrmrvr.i

10y TELEGRAPH To TIE TEIEUNE.i
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2j.-The House Committee
Indian Affairs reported to-day in favor Of the trans
fer of the Indian Bureau from the interior to the
War Department
Beginning with n brief summary Of the efforts
that have been made for the civilization OF tEc IN
dams during the past thirty years, the committee
saws that in spite of all that has been done the
work of civilizing the Indians has hardly begun;
the savagcs of thirty years ago are sayaGes still the
wild and nomadc tribes arc wild and nomadc
still they refuse to be taught and TO their
bread with the sweat of their brow, but adhere to
all their savage superstitiOns and modes of life
they know nothing OF agriculture, and refuse to
learn Look" the committee says, "cgcn at the
boosted progress of the five civilized tribes. Danish
from their territory, tomorrow, all the whites aud
mixed,bloods that arc there and all progress and i'm
proyement Is at an end, The farms viii grow up for
want Of culture. The schools will disappear The
churches will be closed and 90 into decay and in
very few years the full bloodS would relapse, OF
rather return to their primitive barbarism.'
Docs not history and all experience show tie
committee asks, tina; the present system 10 very
large extent is a falurei" The committee can
swers this question in the Affirmative; and quotes
from the reports of former committees and com
missions to prove the assertion. The present
system VI lI!laldI IhiId~'lI'i' VIZ ''''iii'''t
SAYS "is inefficient because tho Secretary of the
Interior is unable TO attend to it, 1t is inefficient
because of the difficulty in fixing the respol-
sibility for errors, irregularities or neglect
of duty. The Secretary blames tho Comns-
sioner for mistakes, and he in turn blaiGcS
the Secretary. Tho military Llanes the
civil department and the civil, the military The
conclusion of the committee, therefore, is that the
only way the respect and obedience of the
savages and to obtain an efficient administration of
the Indian Bureau is through the army. The In
dian service cannot do without the army, the COM
mittee says, and yet there must not be "A divided
Jurisdiction OF responsibility The conclusion IS
that there is only to pursue and that is
TO transfer the whole control OF tho Indian Bureau
70 the War Department.
In reviewing the history of the present system,
the committee says it has been one of shame frauds
and gross irregularities have crept into every branch
of the service The committee continues: II has been
charged and generally believed, that a ring com
nosed of officers and employees of the Bureau and
wealthy and influential persons on the outside has
been formed to swndlc the Government and the In
dians; however this may be, there can be no doubt
that ring exists OF fearful magnitude and Of great
power and influence. To sustain this assertion the
committee quotes from reports made to former
Congresses showing the condition of the Indian
service at the time the previous Investigations were
made. eff the assertions in these reports are true"
fine committee asserts then the Indian Bureau
must fall. It's day is gone, and whatever Of eff
cheney it may have had is destroyed Will Con-
gress appropriate moneys, it Is asked, however
necessary and benevolent the object, or will the
country Justify such appropriations il they have to
90 through fraudulent or even suspicious channelsf
If the work is to go the system must be changed;
q l.. - Il 10 Lao. dan
only by the absolute abolition OF the present system.
The committee then enters into an argument in
favor OF the transfer to the War Department. The
addition of this Bureau. it asserts will add nothing
TO the force of the army in officers or men. Many OF
the officers are the retired list, and many others
have nothing to do and yet are paid and these can
he placed on duty In the management of the Indians
The committee introduces table TO show how much
money might be saved by the transfer the footing
of Which is 5000, 907. This added to other items
which are estimated, makes the sum between $780,
600 and 81 .O00, 900. Some space IS also devoted 10
a consideration of the expenses oi lndlan wars and
of the alleged failure of the peace policy; and ex-
tracts from letters written and testimony gwen ny
army officers in favor of the transfer are introduced
The following are the committees conclusions:
After full and careful consideration OF an the iacls
and circumstances as well as the difficulties that sur
round this question OF what is best for the Indian,
large majority OF your committee have reached tne
the necessity Of the and good of the Indian,
well as great economy, require that the whole ques
ton should be transferred control and management
OF the War Department That there objections
TO this disposition, free TO admit, but
IN view there Is no disposition OF these Indians
which will restore confidence, IL free from
objections aud promises efficient and greater
cess In the efforts which 10 DO renewed with greater
vigOr behalf Of civilization among these unfortunate
people, than this. The committee, with q view, there
as substitute for others introduced, aud recommend
passage.
The majority report L. signed by Messrs, Thr9ck-
gan. Townsend and Paige. Mr.. Van Vorhes sub
nitted minority report which Is identical with that