The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-10-23

Washington, Letter.
fRrom Our Regular rCorrespondent.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. IL, 1879.
The Indian troubles, which have oc-
upied SO much attention for some days
,ast, are likely to pass over without 30
erious an outbreak as at first seemed
But what has already |
revives the talk about our
Indian policy generally. and OF the
transfer of the Indian Bureau
20 the War Department in particular.
The Indian problem promises to be
one Of the most important questions
before Congress at the approaching
Some time ago Congress call
ed upon the Treasury Department for
as to the amount Of money
that had been expended for the Indian
service since the beginning Of the Gov
but for the lack Of an appro-
priation to print, the statement prepar-
ed has not yet been put in type. 1t
may be stated, however, that the foot
ings Of this immense mass of tables
show that, to the 1st of last July. the
Government has expended on account
of the Indians, total Of $181 ,000, 600.
The estimated number Of Indians now
living is 900, ,OO0. 9lj Al.
Indians say that . white man il very
and in this Mr.. LO appears,
to have learned something by expert.
ence. Abstractly viewed, q Ute Indian
may be one of natures nOblemen, but
in the concrete, SO to remark, the una
dorned reality, he is . dirty, thieving
rascal. whose moral sensibilities, if he
ever had. any, have been corrupted by
long association with bad white men.
Reservations for such elements, located
in rich mining or grazing regions, have
been, and always will be, delusion
and snare to both Indian and white
man. Mai. Carson, who has just re-
turned from the West, says that, while
he is not an expert in Indian matters,
the origin of the present difficulty pre-
sents no mystery to- him. He says the
excitement in all parts of Colorado
over the mineral development is al
most inconceivable. Everyone has the
mining fever, and stories Of suddenly
acquired wealth are on every tongue.
The daily arrivals at Denver number
from 500 to 1000 individuals. People
scarcely stop to talk of profits amount-
ing to anything less than millions,
and, more significant. than all else,
is the fact that mysterious rumors are
circulating of mines in the Ute coun-
try richer than have yet been found in
the Leadville region. The Indians
know as well as others that all this
means expatriation or determination
for them unless the Federal Govern
ment holds its word as sacred when II
pledges it to the red man as it does
when it pledges it to the white man.
Maj. Carson fears that an army ten
times the strength of that of the Fed
eral Government could not long pro-
tect the Indians under the circum-
stances. ~ ass
After all that has been said about oul
Indian policy, and all the evils that
have come from the doings of rascally
agents, the trouble is not 50 much the
result Of that as of an inherently bad
system. The reservation system has
been productive, of i'll results under
whatever policy it has been admins
ed. Indians will not stay on their res
ervations, and white men will not stag
Off of them. Year after year the army
has been engaged in putting Indians
on and white men off; and one has
cursed the army while the other has
fought it. If the hunting happens te
be better OFF the reservation than on it
the Indian viii go Off to hunt, and
trouble begins. IF there Is gold or sill
yer on the reservations, real or suspect
ed, white men will assuredly go there
to delve and dig, and again there Il
war. And SO, if the Indian Burear
cannot take care Of the redskins with
ont the army, the army can take car
Of them without the aid Of the bureau
and by the transfer all interests woult
be as well served, while several mil
lions would be saved annually to tn
Treasury. The fellows who hold " ia
Positions" with stealings, in the bu
reau, would be the only sufferers b,
the change. ''i 20 Fi.si 4a2'2- -
l
The Post-ofRce Department is max
ling SOME lively times lately. In hi
war ON the lottery companies, and re
fusal to deliver mail to them, the Post
master General will be sustained b,
public sentiment; but in one of hi
late orders about imperfectly addresse
letters, Deacon Key has raised a, yer
large sized hornets neat about his ear
Under this order all postmasters al
forbidden to forward letters not I'd
dressed to the exact destination of til
post-ofice and State for which the
are intended. A letter addressed to
certain number and street New Yor
city, or to Boston or Chicago, will ne
be forwarded, but must be returned
I'll Ia
the dead-letter Office, or to the write
if he is known. The postal clerh
know that Boston is in Massachusetts
T and that Chicago is in Illinois; bl
Mr.. Key thinks it is better that the
/ should assume not to know anythin
about it, and that the writer should
+ punished for omitting to put the Stat
on his direction. Heretofore letters {
i. addressed that the destination was we
understood, have been sent along, bl
hereafter postmasters and clerks are
be just as ignorant as they cam III
Post-office Department is maintaine
for the convenience of the people, b'
Mr.. Key thinks it is simply kept U
for himself and employees to draw the