The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1879-02-22
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, d. c.. Feb. 2, 70.
A noteworthy change is going on
with reference to the Indian
policy" which has been SO expensive
and inefficient an attachment of the
Government time ont of mind. In
fact it means g total abolition of
all "policy" and treatment of In
dams like that of any other race or
class. Leading to this change,
! which believe mist come in
few years, I may mention the re-
port of the Senate committee which
has been investigating the affairs
of the Indian Territory. In brief,
that report provides for the repre-
sentation of the Indians in Con-
gress by Territorial delegates, the
establishment Of U. s. Courts for
their benefit. and the division Il
their lands in severslty, subject to
their own disposition. 1t ~ be-
lieved that such measures will lend
to civilize the Indians by inducing
them TO be thrifty and to take pride
IN ,heirinstitauons. Theold policy
has been sinplypne of non-inter-
course with the whites, whereas
that intercourse is the only means
of civilization, aud it has encour-
aged idleness by governmental
aims giving, whereas the indians
are capable oi getting their own
subsistence from the rich lands they
hold. The strongest motive for
maintaining the present expensive
and repressiy,, policy il the plun-
der now mt cenmsi,l of the Indian
Bureau through agents and com
tnissioncrs, all OF which would he
saved by governing the Indians as
others are. governed and trying to
make them. useful instead Of bur-
deus upon tie taxpayers
| The Senate. postofiice committee
has agreed npon al amendment to
their bill gring = posta! contract
to two lines of steamships TO Brazil,
to sail respectively from New York
and New Orieaas. The amount
paid is a. bo 100000 aud the
steamers are to make monthly trips.
There is no doubt that this amount
can be more than returned to this
country in the form of Increased
trade; for with proper facilities we
can furnish South America nearly
all the productions Of the mill and
the field of which the people there
stand in need. The Republicans
almost unanimously favor this
measure, and snch leading Demo-
Gratis az Maxey, Wallace, Lamar
and Eustis are earnest for ii.
The political sensation of the day
is the confession of Pelton of the
authorship of the cipher corrup-
ton. Some of the Democrats, who
expected that the ciphers as inter-
preted by the Tribune would be
denied and disproved, are astound-
ed and confounded, while others
are malicious enough to rejoice
that Tilden's friends are smootched.
But the latter may not rejoice after
all is over, for it looks as If Tilden
were to escape and return to the
field as a candidate ia 1850. The
men who will be crushed are Mar
bic, Pelton. Weed and Q few other
Interiors.
The exposure Of Secretary Sher-
mans idea of civil service reform
in his Efforts to force certain APP
pointees upon Collector Arthur is
r disagreeable phaze of politics,
even of the professional reform
order. He said to N. Arthur, for
example, that "for manifest rea-
sons" he wanted con of Judge
Bradley to have . good place in
the Custom House. The "mani-
fest reasons" are generally inter-
preted 10 mean q reward for the
Judge = faithfu.nees in tie Electoral
Commission, and naturally the
Democrats are making great deal
of capital out Of. s
Only three weeks of legislation
remain to this Congress, and yet il
would appear that there is business
enough left for two months. A
great deal of hasty. and imperfect,
if no. improper legislation, or an
extra session are The only alterna-
tives. RICHARD.