Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-01-23
The INDIAN BUREAU TRANSFER.

The Report of the Congressional Committee
Some OF the Testimony Adduced.
Washington Special Jan. 81 to Chicago Times.
The testimony taken by the joint commit
tee upon the transfer of the Indian bureau
to the war department has been printed.
The report will probably be delayed for some
weeks waiting for additional documents. It
is probable that there will be three reports
one against the transfer, one in favor of it,
and third recommending that the war de-
partment take charge of the warlike Indians.
The committee during the summer visited
many warlike Indians as well as peaceable
ones, and sought to obtain their views on the
subject of the transfer. The opinion of
Chief Joseph, of the NeZ Perces, and of
Bogus Charley, of the Modocs, was taken.
The Chief Joseph, in his testimony, said
that he did not like his present country. He
would be glad to 60 to farming, and wanted
to 60
ANYWHERE HE PLEASED.
He wished laws for the Indians as for the
whites. There were portions of his testi-
mony that were eloquent. He spoke of lib
erty in very impassioned manner, and
thought everybody should be as free as air.
He did not want to be kept as the white men
keep their prisoners. He did not wish to be
corralel as animals are in little reservation,
but wished to go where he pleased. He
said: "Everything in the old home is dear
to me. Our lands, our cattle, our horses, our
streams of water are dear to u.s. AS to the
cause of war, Chief Joseph said that Gen.
Howard forced it upon his tribe. They did
not want to leave their old homes, and want
ed to talk about it. Gen. Howard
FORCED THEM TO LEAVE,
giving them thirty days, and sent soldiers
on their TANKS while they were leaving the
will doubtless deny, as it is we'll known that
he did not force war.
Bogus Charley, chief of the Modocs, testi-
fed that there were only about $50 Of his
tribe left. He is dissatisfied with his loca-
ton, and thinks it is unhealthy. He is will
ing to farm, and had tried to raise wheat.
Several chiefs of the Winnebagos who
were removed from Wisconsin were examin-
ed. They
MADE SERIOUS CHARGES
against their agent. Chief John Bartlett
said it was hard york to get along at farm
ing, and difficult to keep the people from
starving. They used to have flour and beef
issued to them, he said, but those rations are
now stopped They had had some expert
ence in raising wheat, but he said that the
difficulty was they were only allowed to sell
it to one man, who is the agents brother,
and could not get cash for it, but we're COM
PEELED to take it in trade, and could even
then only get two-thirds as much as they
could get in Sioux City. He said that in
Sioux City, which was but short distance,
So would buy more than they could buy with
$3 from the agents brother.
GEN. CROOK,
the great Indian fighter, was examined. He
thought it would be better for everybody to
| transfer the Indian bureau to to the war de-
| partment, although personally he should pre-
fer that the matter should remain unchanged.
| For his part, he had enough of Indians. He
| said they we're children of ignorance, not
| always of innocence. The Indians should
| be controlled with strong hand, and a
power that could enforce its commands
should be united in one person. The pres
ent division of responsibility is the great
| drawback to the successful management of
| the Indians. All tribes, he thought, should
| be self-sustaining, and there was no reason
why the government should support Indians
| in idleness.
Gen. Crook said that in his judgment
| twenty-nine -one-hnndreths of the Indian
wars were occasioned by Encouragement on
| the part of the Indian agents.