The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1878-04-02
a MOVE TO ABANDON CAMP
MeDERMIT.

gress was considering the question of
sbolishing the Indian Bureau, which
investigation proved to be reekipg with
corruption. and placing the Indians
under the immediate control of the
military. Everybody conversant with
the management of Indian affairs and
not sharer in the spoils, approved the
measure as one, which would result
benefcially to the Government and the
Indians. The military are not schooled
in the art Of cheating tanghtand prac-
eiced in the Indian Bureau, and it is
believed on the frontier that if the
indians were placed under the care of
the War Department, they would re-
ceive the annuities appropriated to
them by the Government; wars between
the red men andssthe pale faces would
cease. and the Indian problem would
be .pesceably solved. Instead, how
ever, of this blissful and desirable end
being attained, it appears that the In
dian Ring is yet powerful at the nation
al capital. and instead of being broken
up by the military, is actually con-
trolling the War Department.
: The Indian Agent at the Malheur
Reservation. who is undoubtedly in
spired by the advice Of, members of the
Indian Ring. has,, we understand, rec
commended that the military posts at
Camps McDermit aud Harney be
abandoned. The ostensibie reason as.
signed for this recommendation is that
the military feed the Indians and thus
allure them from. the reservation; in
fact that the Agent finds il impossible
to control the Indians while troops are
quartered at these posts. The fallacy
of this reasoning is too apparent to
require comment, as it conveys the
idea that military posts on the frontier
instead of affording protection to
settlers, are a. cause of disturbance.
People who live ON the frontier and
hear the Indians complaints against
reservation life. know that the real
cause of Indian troubles is too fire.
quently traced to the Indian Agents,
and it is not surprising that they should
feoemmeRd the abandonment of a.post
x1ort rkxy lao hanauxvx;k
even the disbanding of the whole army,
If they find it is liable to interfere with
their opportunities to swindle the
Indians and the Government. Last
Spring, when the Agents in northern
Idaho melted the Neg Perces to take
the war path. tsoops from the East and
the West were brought by rail to this
point and marched through Camp Nc
Dermit to the scene of hostilities.
That camp is sitnated in Northern Ne
vada, near the Oregon and Idaho line.
on the route bets cen the railroad and
Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho.
Az 30 III tAO OCbtCI Va oil 4uu AoA
infested by bands of Bannocks and
PIutes. 1t affords protection to the
herdsmen whose cattle fatten in the ex
tensive ranges of Quin and Kings
rivers, the Owyhee and Stein Noun
tain. and the prospectors who penetrate
Its mountain fastuesses in search of
mines. 1t is a center from which
troops can be marched at any season of
the year to quell any outbreak that may
occur among the several tribes in
Northern Nevada. Eastern Oregon or
Idaho, and instead of being abandoned
ut the insfigatioa of Iudian Agents. its
garrison ought to be increased and the
post made supply depot for the north
ern coantry. Petitions setting forth
the facts relating to the importance OF.
the post, and the necessity OF main
tanning and strengthening it. are now
being circulate d, aud will be forwarded
Immediately 10 Senator lones, with the
request that he present them 10 the
War Department aud. use HE influence
20 ,counteract the schemes of the
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