Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-28
EASTERN E w S.
NIGHT DISPATCHES.
SPECIAL TO II EUREKA DAILY SENTINEL.
The Management Of Indian Affairs.
TRANSFER TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT.


The report OF the four members OF the
joint committee Of the two houses OF Con-
gress, who favored the transfer Of Indian
Affairs from the Interior to the War De-
partment, is just completed by Represen-
tative Boone, and will be submitted to the
House at the first opportunity. The prin-
cipal features of the document are as fol-
lows The history Of our management of
Indian Affairs and our treatment Of the
Indians is one of shame and modification
to all right thinking and liberal minded
men. A proper solution Of the Indian
problem is pressing itself more strongly
upon public attention every year, demand
ing the immediate attention of Congress,
and cannot with either safety to the In
dams or the 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 past
few years. Our wrongful treatment Of
them is coequal 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
lack Of efficient and responsible man
agement. Indeed the system of NANCE
ment OF Indian Affairs we have pursued
has been unequal to the demands of our
duty, nor has il met the expectations of its
instigators and advocates, and to such an
extent have these wrongs been multiplied,
and to such an extent have frauds and spec
ulation crept into the management of In
dian Affairs, M so glaring and shameful
| have these frauds become that an indignant
public opinion will not longer look on with
indifference and u%nconcern, bnt demands
that these matters be looked into and the
wrongs, us far as possible, be righted, and
that a policy be adopted which will con-
form with the dignity and character of our
Government, and secure at the same time
full and ample justice to q suffering and
outraged people. That these wrongs and
abuses do now exist and to q fearful extent,
we think no one at all acquainted with the
acts will deny. If proof upon this point
we're wanting or demanded we have but to
refer to the statements Of all who have in
vestigated the question, and those most ia
miliar with our present management, and
to those who are to-day strenuous advocates
Of the present system, and who ask Its con-
tinuance and who seem to believe in its ul-
success.
Following is the balance of the report
of the joint committee of both houses OF
Congress, who favor the transfer of Indian
affairs from the Interior to the War De-
partment:
The Indian Bureau is incapable of q
proper conduct Of Indian affairs, and was
compelled, therefore, to delegate much of
its authority to other hands. From the
slow progress made in civiiizing, educat-
ing and Christianizing the Indians, to
which your committee had their attention
called whilst among them, last fall, there is
no room to doubt that we should try
some method of dealing with that
question different from that now in vogue.
The glowing accounts of the rapid strides
of the Indians in the way of civilized life,
and their rapid march to their standard of
civilization, are not borne out by facts +;
that shameful Irregularities and gross
frauds have crept into every branch of the
service, no one is found with the hardi-
hood to deny. The history of such frauds
is visible on every page of the Indian man.
agement for the last score or more of years.
Indeed, so fragrant are the frauds, and SO
defiant have their perpetrators become,
that it appears a notorious fact that a ring
exists, composed of contractors, employees
of the Bureau, and wealthy and influential
persons outside, whose object is to swindle
and defraud both the Government and the
Indians. The opinion entertained by the
undersigned is, that these frauds will for
ever exist, even with the most vigilant and
scrupulous honesty which can be brought
into the management Of the Indian Bu-
reau, because we believe the method or
system Of that Department are inadequate
to prevent fraud, however honest the head
Of the Office may be, and for the reason
that the system Of accountability in the
Department is not close enough to detect
corruption. We are asked the very peril
nent question whether or not the same
c1vrao. AL f-c~,1u xro,,1J ko ~uo..l -
the management should be transferred
to the War Department. We think
not. Whatever else may be said of
.4ur army officers, they are, as a class
OF men. of high honor and strict integ-
ritz. Their training has impressed these
high qualities upon them, and their asso-
ciat N requires their constant observance.
Eveey officer in the army is a check upon
| every other officer, and such is the system
of accountability in the army that it is
nearly impossible for an officer to act dis
honestly without being detected and pun
ished. With civil agents this is not the
case. They are appointed generally as
partisans, and for q limited time, subject
at any TIM to removal they are paid
small salaries and can emily hope to hold
their positions o few years at the most,
and hence they have not the same induce
ments to act honestly and fairly that an
army officer has. We do not undertake to
say that the War Department is perfectly
managed; that abuses do not occur in its
administration also, but we think it COM
pares favorably with any other Depart
ment, and that fewer instances Of dishon-
est practices have been laid to its charge
than to almost any other branch Of the
public services.
Next to that Of absolute justice to the
Indians. comes that Of the comparative cost
OF the two systems, and we are decidedly Of
the opinion that a large amount of money
can and will be saved il the transfer is
made. II it be true that army officers can
| perform the duties of Indian agents as
faithfully, diligently and honestly as civil
| agents have and are doing. and if the War
Department can purchase as cheaply
as can the Indian Bureau, and
If the means Of transportation in
the War Department are much superior,
and if the systems of inspection are equal,
and If army officers are not SO apt to be-
come victims Of temptation, and If we can
secure a more honest and faithful admins
tration through army officers, and thereby
avoid some, if not all the Indian wars, we
say II these, or any number of these propo-
sitions be true, then who can say that we
shall not save millions Of dollars in our
Indian management il this transfer is
made, and at the same time secure Justice
to the Indian, the lack Of which has caused
30 much trouble.
The report concludes: We believe the
interest Of the Government and the good
OF the Indian will be best promoted by
transferring the management Of Indian
affairs to the War Department, leaving it
discretionary with the Secretary Of War to
appoint civil agents to those agencies
which, in his judgment, the interest Of all
concerned will be best secured by such
| agents, and officers of the army where the
interests Of the service requires them.
The fact that all the Democratic mem
| bers Of the joint committee on the transfer
OF the Indian Bureau to the War Depart
| ment favor the project. would seem to in