Connecticut western news., 1882-03-22
KEEPING THE INDIAN QUIET.
Indian Wars of the Last Ten Years Costing $5,O5S, S21-The Expense, $223, ,s91,264.

If anybody thinks that ther Indian, "the ward of the Nation," is not an ex- pensive luxury, says Washington cor respor dent, he should direct his atten- tion to a report made by the Secretary of War of the cost to the Government of Indian wars during the last 10 years. This information was called for by the Senate, and the officers of the War De- partment have transmitted to Congress-, through Secretary Lincoln, an array of figures so prodigious as almost to take ones breath. .. The "wars," strictly speaking, have not been very expensive. The Modoc war of 1928 cost only $335, ,009. The war in Texas, in 1875, cost only $6,641. A more expensive trouble was that with the Sioux, in 1876-7, which ran up bill of $1,S94,- 361. In 1877 there was difficulty with the Neg Perces, costing $975, ,082, and the next year $56T,571 were spent in. the Bannock war. The conflict with the Northern Oheyennes, in 197S.9, cost $34, ,209, while the attempt in 1879 to subdue the Utes involved an expendi- ture of $1, ,192,68 In the same year $9,411. were spent in controlling the Sheep Eaters, and in 1881, with the Apache difficulties not overcome, the expense reached $43S, 500. The total cost of these active attempts to control the aborigines was $5, 058, 82l, but this is mere fraction of the cost to the Government of watching the Indian tribes that were not travelling abroad in war-paint, but which had to be watched to keep them quiet.
 The aggregate cost of all kinds of service by the United States Army west of the Mississippi, in which part of the country there was no proper occupation for the soldiers but fighting or police duty on Indian account, was, for the last 10 years, $205, ,474, 759. This has been the cost of troops, and does not take into account the peace offerings, annuities, andother inducements to pre- vent the use of the tomahawk and scalping knife, which have been pro- vided at very large expense by the Government. One must decide from the report that the Indians are almost the only excuse the Government has for maintaining an army. During the last 10 years the troops have been distribu- ted as follows: The number employed each year in observation or control oi Indians has ranged from 17,000 tc 21, ,OOO, and the number otherwise em. ployed from 5000 to 5000. The total force has fallen from 28, 163 in 1872 tc 25, 183 in 1881. The average number used in the Indian country has been 6 little more than 73 per cent. of the whole force. While the cost of these troops is given at $205, ,474, 759, Adju tant- General Drum decides that this is not all the expense which can be charged to them, and furnishes tables, witt items additional, to be charged on ap propriations for supplies, incidental ex penses, transportation, purchase o
 horses, and other trifles, which make the grand total of $223, 891, ,264. Ac cording to General Sherman, the Army now consists of 23, 7S5 enlisted men ant about 2 1000 officers. Of these, all tho cavalry, all the Indian scouts, 24 out O 25 regiments of infantry, and an entire regiment and three com panies of artil
 lery, numbering IS, 529 men, are wes
 of the Mississippi, while the total mum
 Der east of the Mississippi is 5,256. Hi
 general conclusion is, without examining the figures closely, that fourth.fi .fifths o
 the expenditure of the annual appro
 priations had been made on Indian ac count during the 10 years between 187: l and 1SS0