The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-03
Sheridan aud Schurz,

ehtithNi una FtuuTLs
Tho wranglc stll going on between
Mcssrs Sc,IURz and SHERIDAN is not credit
able to either, but 1t bids fair 10 drag to
light Il mass Of official scandals that might
otherwise, by mutual Difference be kept
covered up. SHGupAS has the best of the
wordy warfare. because. rs the Indians arc
now under civilian misluaungcmcnl he has
The moro imbccilit and corruption to- expose
but were the cases reversed and the army
In control, ScuUHz would shine prominent.
Selling on q sound but somewhat carclcssly
put point in SHERrDAN's annual report. the
hcry SCuUM proposed to use IL for piuuing
that officer against the wall, as an awful
warning to critics OF HAYES sacred Into-
rior Department; but SHERIDAN. declining
to be thus pinned up to dry, now skcwcrs
SCHURz in turn.
quarrel turning on tho question
whether the Indian service has been
mismanagcd becomes as onc-silcd as a
discussion whether the sun shines. The
Indian service has for years been honey
conlbod with fraud. Con. SHERIDAN points
for Illustration 10 the Standing Rock
Cheyenne, BrulG, Crow Creek. Rcd Cloud.
Fort Hall, and Spotted Tail Agencies. and to
the cases of the Maudans, Arickarccs. Gros
Ncntrcs, Assiniboncs, Picgans, Shoshoncs,
Bannocks, Arapahocs, Kiowas, CUmanchcs.
Utcs, and Apachcs. And it will not do for
Mr.. SCHUM TO say that corruption ceased
whom GRANT went out; ior the testimony of
Lieut. DorGHERrY, military agcn. at Crow
Creek, shows Il recent "attempt 10 force
upon him employees of bad characi r." be-
sides 81 loose and criminal manner OF for
warding Indian goods without bills ladng
or Invoices. The muldlc which HAYES made
in the transfer Of the Red Cloud and Spotted
Tail Indians, while surprising that he was
only cutting an Impressive figure "a Great
rather before visiting Sioux delegation.
to tae .A.::,.... alton of the lady guests OF his
household, is also shown.
Tho yirtuous Indignation Of Mr. ScHURz
was uncallcd for. His own board Of inquiry
reported to him last winter that no bureau
or Office Of tho Government has afforded
more opportunity for conccalment Of fraud
than the Indian Bureau and service"
They informed him that the business re-
lation Of the agent aud trader, "as at
present conducted, is simply license to an
agent and his proxy to cheat and swindlc
OF America" They told him that "cyl-
dcnccs have been numerous Of the accumu-
iatlon Of fortunes by persons in that SER
vice upon salaries that would barely pro-
vide for the neccssarics Of life" The result,
they said, was that 1.-THE plundered have no
recourse In law, and year by year resort to
arms-thc only logical recourse of a barbar-
Gus people" This Board, therefore, only
said long ago what SHERIDAN has recently
said, putting tho casc. however, more
strongly, and with n totally dinercntar OF
facts and figures, still more damaging than
HHERIDAN's to the civilian Indian service.
But the point In which the military men
hre fatally weak IS their assumption that
army control would remedy Indian wrongs
There Is no ground whatever for such an in
ference, and it is in showing It's fallacy that
Mr. CARL ScHURz is able TO carry ON with
credit his side Of the quarrel. What the dis
closures Of imbecility and corruption prove
is not the need Of Indian Bureau transfer
but the need Of honest, capable management.
We quote from the report Of CARL SEIZURES
Board, already referred to:
Regulations prescribed by the President for the
agcmcnt Of Indian affairs and directions from the secre
tary OF the Interior seem 10 have been absolutely
taiy iull compliance with the law, but no regulations
directions under the statutes have been found by this
Board
They add that the Commissioners own
regulations had neither been rigidiy enforced
nor fully respected. They found statutes in
plenty for a good Indian service but they
did not fad proper supply Of capacity or
Of common honesty. When the rule Of the
people is rcstoredat Washington the Indian
service will be reformed like all the rest, and
without any hocus pocus Of bureau transfer.