The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1880-08-06
CHRISTIAN INDIAN AGENTS.

the Eas tern States, who knew nothing
of the Indian character except what
Fenimore Cooper pictured it in his
novels, conceived the idea of appointing
Indian Agents from the various relig-
ious denominations, with the view of
Outstanding the red men. The Adj
ministration, which was not averse to
rewarding some of the denominations
for the patriotism displayed by their
preachers in denouncing Democrats and
lauding Republicans from their pulpits,
approved the plan, which the people
were told was to, end forever Indian
wars, and civilize. and Christianize the
savages. 1t is said that Rinehart, who
was something of sport as well as u
politician, was converted to order liz
Eastern Oregon to qualify him for the
agency at Malheur, to which he was
appointed, and where he is still kept
Under salary, although there has not
been an Indian at the reservation for
two years Another convert named
Livingston. was sent from the East to
the Crow Agency, on the Missouri.
where he displayed the true inwardness
of his profession by sending handsome
presents quarterly to the down.east
church of which he was member,
'while he robbed the Government and
starved the Indians at the reservation.
An investigation of his management of
affairs at the agency showed that he
could well afford to make liberal con-
tributions to the church of which he
was a member, as his stealings amount
cd to over $4,000 year. Now an
other fraud has been discovered at tho
Fort Yates Agency. 1t is found that
the Christian agent at that place had
drilled holes i'll the iron weights and
filed them with cork to conceal the
fraud. When beef, flour and other pro-
visions were dealt out to the Indians
they were weighed with the corked
weights, while the Government was
charged with the full weight indicated.
Captain Ball, the inspector of supplies,
found that barrels of so-called mess
pork contained heads, shoulders and
'backbones,. and that all the supplies
were of an'mferor quality or damaged,
while the Government was charged
with prime, articles Story. the agent,
had -four made to order, and gave par.
ticular instructions about sacking it.
He ordered'i put in double sacks with
the miller's brand on the inside and
outside sacks. For, this trouble the
1Ilsller was paid extra, but he could not
SOC the necessity of it, and was kept in
the dark as to it's object. 1t is now
shown that the inspector examined the
-four by running small probe into the
sack, and if the -four was good, branding
The sack. When the inspector left, the
branded sack was stripped off the
-FOUR which was again ready to
fbe inspected and charged to the
Government at the next visit of the
inspector. These frauds in almost
every instance have been discovered by
the military and exposed, for whatever
cur Republican friends may say in con-
domination of West Point since Han
cock WINS nominated for President,
there is' no reason to believe that the
art OF stealing and defrauding the Gov
'crnment is taught there.
Those who live on the frontier and
KNOW how the Christian agents, who
preach honesty and practice fraud
manage che affairs of the Indians, are
unanimously in favor of placing them
under the charge of the military, but
as this would dispense with the Indian
Bureau and throw a regiment of salaried
officers at Washington and the agents
.aI1 their subordinates at the reserva-
tions out of employment, it would not
be beneficial for the party in power to
do it. The clerks and the agents con-
tribute to campaign funds to save the
country, and although it would be
economical to dispense. with their SER