The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-02-07
THE INDIAN BUREAU.
A SHOT AT THE MILITARY.

A report cmbodying the views of Scna-
tors Saunders and Ogiesby and Represents
tivcs Stewart and Van Voorhees,, four Of
the eight members Of The Joint Committee
on the Indian transfer question, has been
completed and has been presented TO the
Senate. 1t is shown that various evils and
abuses grew up under the administration OF
Indian affairs by military officers, and not
withstanding reformation legislation. Mach
3, 1874, they continued to grow up to the
last hour in which the war department had
control of the Indian population, and so
little had been done toward
Indian civilization under the
war department management that
public opinion had acquiesced IN the as
sumption that Indians were not susceptl-
BILE of civilization. 1t is estimated that if
all the fighting Indians Of the country
could be got together, they would not
muster more than $4,000, and the idea OF
their ever concentrating for warike par
poses is simply preposterous, because fc IS
impossible. Indian wars on large scale
are over, and we may reasonably hope that
that portion of our national history is in
the past In reference to the sentiment OF
Indians on the subject, the Secretary Of the
Interior made to the committee state
ment, giving the views and votes of various
tribes, which gives an average vote of 16
to 1 against the transfer, nearly all the
tribes being unanimously opposed to the
proposition.
All religious denominations in this coun-
try are absolutely opposed to the change in
management, Their opinions and behests
deserve and should receive respectful con-
sideration. That we have among the goo,
600 Indians some unruly tribes, lisa lamen-
table fact, and to this your committee
would respectfully call the attention of
Congress. We are of opinion that in such
special cases the military should have tenn
porary control, and that the President have
power to place such warlike or unruly tribes
under military decipline, the same as he
would city or State terrorized by mob law
or revolution. That the Indians can be
Anglo Americanizcd is proven beyond all
.cavil in the cases of the Winnebagoes and
Gmahas, who reside on reservations in the
State Of Nebraska. They live in comforta-
BILE houses, have good barns, cultivate their
lands and raise as good wheat, corn, as are
raised through the labor of the white man.
They have churches and schools, and no
more orderly community can be found than
in these reservations. They are pettioning
to become citizens-a question of such vital
Importance in their case that it must soon
be solved. Is it necessary to place these
people under military management! We
think not Whether the management of
the Indians remains where it is or is rele-
gated to the war department, the general
system Of reform and improvement should
continue; and among the most important
things commanding immediate attention is
to provide that the civil law of the United
States be extended over all Indians who
will agree thereto, with a code of laws APP
plicable to them defining crime, and pro-
viding judiciary, especially in what is
known as the Indian territory. In the
opinion Of the committee such legislation
is impertively needed and no time ought
to be lost in makisg the necessary provis-
ions therefore.