The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-10-31
wAsmrsCTos LETTER.
!rnon oan nnoulAa eOnnnsrosnnst.l
wAsnmoroN. D. q. Oct. 2s.

Tho ludian troubles, which have oc.
cupicd 80 much attention for some days
past, are likely to pass over without 30
serious an outbreak as at frat seemed
imminent But what hns already
transpired icvives the talk about our
Indian policy generally, and Of tho pro.
posed transfer Of the Indian Bureau to
the War Department in particular
The Indian problem promises to he one
Of the most important questions before
Congress at the approaching session.
Some time ago Congress called upon
the Treasury Department for informa-
ton ms to the amount Of money that
had been expended for the Indian SER
vice aincc the beginning Of the Govern.
ment, but for the lack Of an appropria-
tion to print the statement has not yet
been put in type. IL may be stated,
however, that the footings Of tlis im-
niense mass Of tables show that TO the
lst Of last July the Government has
expended on account Of the Indians n
total Of S1sl 100000. The estimated
number Of Indians now living is 500.
TO00
Indians say that white man is very
uncertain, aud in this Mr. 10 appears
TO have learned Fomething 10y expert
ence. Abstractly viewed, n Uts In
dian may be one Of Natures noblemen,
but in the concrete, so to remark, the
unadorned reality, lac is Il dirty. thiev-
ing rascal, whose moral sensibilities, il
be ever had any, have been corrupted
by long association with bad white men.
Reservations for aucl, elements, located
ia rich mining or agricultural regions,
have been, and always will be, deln-
sion aud snare t0 both lndian and
~ hite man. Maj C4rsun, ~ho l'as Just
returned from the wekt, says that,
while he is not an sxpert in Indian
matters, the origin Of the present diff
Guilty presents no difficulty to bin. lie
says the excitement IA all parts Of Col
or,lo over the mineral developments il
almost inconceivnble. Everyone has
the miuing fever, aud stories Of sudden
" acquired wealth are on even tongue.
The daily arrivals at Denver number
from 500 to 600 individuals. People
scarcely stop to talk Of profits amount
ing 10 anything less than millions, and,
more significant than all else, is the fact
that mysterious rumors are circulating
Of mines in the Ute country richer
than have yet been found in the Lad
vile region. The Indians know as
welt as others that all this means cx.
patriation or determination for them
unless the Federal Government holds
its word as sacred when it pledges it to
the red man as il does when il pledges
il to the white man. Maj. Carson fears
that an army ten times the strength Of
that Of the Federal Government could
not long protect the Indians under tie
circumstances
After all that has been said about
our Indian policy, aud all the evil that
has come from the doings Of rascal.y
agents, the trouble is not so much the
result Of that as Of an inherently bad
system. The reservation system hns
been productive Of i'll results under
whatever POLICY il has been admins
tered. Indians will not stay on their
reservations, and white men will not
stay of Of them Year after year the
army has been engaged in putting In
dians on and white men of and one
has cursed tho army while the other
has fought it. II the hunting is better
Off the reservation than on it, the In
dian will 90 off to hunt, and trouble
begins If there is gold or silver on
the reservation, real or suspected, white
men will go there to delve and dig, and
again there IN war. And 80, if the In
dian Bureau cannot take care of the
redskins without the army, the army
can take care of them without the aid
of the bureau, and 10y the transfer all
interests would be as well served, while
several millions would be saved annu-
ally TO the Treasury. The fellows who
hold "fat positions, with stealings, in
the bureau would be the only sufferers
by the change.
The Postoiiice Department is making
some lively times lately. In his war
on the lottery companies, and refusal to
deliver mail to them, tho Postmaster
General will be sustained by public
sentiment but in one of his late or
ders about imperfecily addressed letters,
Deacon Key has raised very large
sized hornets nest about his ears. I'm.
der this order postmastcrs are forbidden
to forward letters not addressed to the
exact designation Of the post-ofiice and
State for which they are intended. A
letter addressed to certain number
and street, New York city, or to Bos-
ton or Chicago, will not be forwarded,