Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-02-14
Report In Favor Of Transfer.

ne members OF the lDdta1 tralsft
committee who favor such transfer hay
made in substance the following repor
The history Of our management @
Indian affairs and our treatment of Tn
dams is ons Of shame and modification
TO all right thinking and liberal minde,
men. A proper solution of the .Tn
dian problem" is pressing itself NOR,
strongly upon public attention ever,
year, demanding tho immediate atten
ton of Congress. and cannot with eithe,
safety to the Indians or honor of the
government be longer deferred. The
failure on the part Of our government,
to discharge its duty to the Indians is
not confined to the last few years. Our
wrongful treatment of them is coeuual
with our existence, though not to the
same extent in the earlier and purer
days as at present. During all the
years past complaints have been made
OF violated pledges, broken promises,
and the lack OF Efficient and response
Bile management. Indeed, the system
OF management Of Indian affairs we
have pursued has been UNEQUAL to the
demand Of our duty, nor has it met the
expectations Of its instigators and advo.
Gates, and to such extent have these
wrongs been multiplied, and to such ex
tent have frauds and peculation crept
into the management of Indian affairs,
and so g'aring and shameful have these
frauds become that indignant public
opinion will not longer look on with
Indifference and uncoucern, but de.
mands thai these matters be looked into
and the wrongs, as far as possible, be
righted; and that policy be adopted
which will conform with the dignity
and character of our government and
secure ut the same time full and annie
justice to suffering and outraged pco-
pie. That these wrongs and abuses do
now exist, and 10 fearful extent. we
think no one at all acquainted wit. the
facts will attempt to deny. IF proof
upon this point were wanting or de.
manded, we have but to refer to the
statements Of all who have investigated
the question and those most familiar
with our present management, and to
those who are to-day strenuous advo.
Gates OF the present system, and who
ask its continuance and who seem to be. |
lisve 10 its ultimate success.
The Indian bureau is incapable of
proper conduct Of Indian affairs, and
was compelled, therefore, to delegate
much Of its authority to other hands.
From the slow progress made in civil
izing, educating and Ch-istianiziug the
Indians, to which your committee had
their attention called while among them
last fall there is no room to doubt that
We should try some method Of dealing
with this question different from that
now in vogue. The glowing accounts
Of the rapid strides Of the Indians in
the way Of civilized life, aud their rapid
march to stan lard Of civilization are
not borne out by the facts. Shameful
irregularities and gross frauds have
crept into every branch Of the service.
No one il found with the hardihood to
deny the history Of such frauds as are
visible on every page of Indian man.
agement for tho last score or more of
years. Indeed, so fragrant are the
frauds, aud so defiant have their perpe-
traitors become, that it appears noto.
rious fact that ring exists composed of
contractors, employees Of the bureau,
and wealthy and influential persons out
side, whose object is to swindle and de-
fraud both the government and the Tn.
dams. The opinion entertained by the
undersigned is that these frauds will
forever exist, even with the most vigi.
liant and scrupulous honesty which can
be brought into the management Of the |
Indian bureau, because we believe the
method OF system Of that department
are inadequate to prevent fraud, how
ever honest the head Of the department
may DO, and for the reason that the sys-
tenn Of accountability in the department
is not close enough to prevent corruption,
We are asked the very ,ertinent
question whether or not the same
abuses and frauds would DO practiced If |
che management should be transferred |
to the war department.. We think not.
Whatever else may be said about our
army officers, they are as class men Of
high honor and strict integrity. Their
training has impressed these high quail.
ties upon them and their association re-.
guircs their constant observance. Every
officer in the army is a check upon
every other officer. and such is the sys-
lem Of accountability in tho army, that
it is nearly impossible for an officer to
act dishonesty without being detected
aud punished.
To go back into the history Of this
question. it will be found that our sys.
tenn of Indian management has always
been virtually and in effect the system
now in vogue, even while it was nomi.
nally under the war department prior
to 1849. The system was very much
At ~