The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-04-28
OUR wAsaIsGToS LETTER
trum our Regular Correspondent,
WAsHINaroN. April al, ISL

\
The Indian question and shc Ge-
neya award bill have engrossed the at
tention of Congress during the great
er part of the week Both sueleeis
are teo well worn to be very vIgor-
ously exciting. Millions are ex-
pended yearly to cloth and feed the
red men so that they will be pescea-
BILE and refrain from t. king scalps,
and cattle and burning sq4trer's
buts 1t is possible that if the came
bride were given the burglars. foot
pads and common thieves all over
| the country, We would realizs a
ouaatum OF domestic peace aud Sc
curity that would prove the home
CHARITY, the better of the two, al
though no enthusiast, even in this
sentimental age, will advocate 1t. III
then. nobody will defend the least
bad of two policies what should be-
come Of tie worse? II is principle
long established in nature, and writ
ten 10 law, that human beings must
be honess aud work, and that ma
rauders and origands, no matter how
vide they pilch their tents, must
weld to the benign eDcroachmenis OF
civilization In the light and might
of civilization, the Indian has nc
more right TO the soil over which he
rosms than the prairie wolf and griz
zfF bear. If be is an animal OF so
,.erior in elligencs, be is ais, fiend
o. m7Ie d sboIical cruelty.
The bill to carry out the agreement
of the Interior Department with the
Ules was passed in the Senate on
Monday by 81 to l6. This measure
vas most vehemently resisted by
Western Senators, who desire 10
open all available Indian reserva-
ton to white industry or cupidity,
though, singulariy enongb, the two
Colorado Senators we're found on op
site sides It was also opposed, on
tie iasl vote, by Nc. Eimunds, on
the ground of It's uDconsliJutionallty
ss infringing 90 the treaty mssI lg
power of the executive. The agree
ment requires the assert Of three
fourtbs of the Utes, aud ore Of the
difficulties pointed out by Mr. Ed
munds is, that they are divided in.o
three separate communities, compeli-
ing any Que Of which to bulge By
force, because outvoted By the re-
m aiuder, would seem g great hard
-bip Incidentally be showed how
doubtful is the power to exempt from
State taxation, the lands TO be grant
ed 10 Ihe Indians in seVeralty. With
20 pfiudice againss the experiment
and apparently unable to suggest
better way from the old to the neg
system, be could not overcome nis
scru les rs to be legality OF the bill.
Tue Oili;e VI Commissioner OF Pat
enls is about to be vacated by Gea.
Paine, aad it il rumored that mis- de-
signted successor, is though law
ger, thout any considerable spe-
cial = lining and experience in Patsat
matters. His decisions on appealed
cases, in the capacity of a legal advis-
er to the Department Of the Interior,
have been far from giving satisfac-
ton. Geoeral Paine's adminis,ra-
tion mas, in all respects except person
al integrity, borne oct the fears ex-
pressed at the time of his appoint
ment, and strengthens the argument
of those who contended then, as they
cGntend now, that the appointment
should be in the line of promotion
from within the Office, not only oB
the theory Of sound civil service, but
because the requisite experience and
trained judicial faculty can only be
found there ANY difficulty which
may arise from rivalry snd pressure
on the part of examiners can surely
be overcome, and at least should be
disregsrded in the face of the imp0r-
tance Of establishing the principle of
the immense interests at stake There
is even, as in General Paine's case, a
physical limit 10 the tenure of Office
on the part Of an untried man