Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-23
Sheridan,s Scheme.

correspondent writing OF the "Trip |
Of the President and party to the Yellow |
stone insinuates that the trip is not en-
tirely for pleasure. but that the main
feature is the feeling of the Indian tribes
in regard % the adoption of new In-
dian policy recently invented by Gen.
Sheridan. The reason why so much
secrecy is INDUCED in is presumably to
prevent any inventor jumping the idea,
as the patent on the new deal has not
yet been applied for, and it is not
looked upon as good form to let any
other fellow get in ahead. The new
policy has the merits of originality and
novelty, at least. 1t appears to aim at
accomplishing two objects; the transfer
of the Indians to the care of the war de-
partment and their practical adoption
into citizenship. The plan as given is
as follows:
''He proposed to do away with all
reservations as such, and Indian agen-
lands thus taken, the government would
issue bonds bearing interest, the same
as any other government bonds. These
bonds would be issued in payment for
all property lost, and the interest paid
semi-annually. Under the act the In
dams would be obliged to take up home
steads, and live on the interest of the
bonds, and the product of the farms
thus secured. The interest on the bonds
would be payable at certain convenient
forts by United States officials, in the
same way rs the army is paid. This
would effectually release the Indians
from the control of the interior depart
ment, and place them absolutely at the
mercy of the department of war. There
would be no agencies, but the citizens
would be protected by existing lines OF
forts. Gen. Sheridan claimed that
nearly all the Indian troubles of the last
few years have arisen through the cor
ruption of Indian agents. Under his
method the Indians would be held res
ponsible as citizens, and would be liable
to both civil and military law in the
district in which they live.'
1t is further stated that this plan has
been under discussion for some time,
though never publicly preached. Sec
rotary Lincoln is said to be the only
member of the cabinet who has been
approached, and be is a hearty supporter
of the scheme. At present two hun
dred thousand Indians occupy two hum
dred thousand square miles of territory.
1t is estimated that sixty-four million
dollars in bonds would have to be issued
for the purchase of this land, which,
with interest at four per cent, would
amount to two million five hundred and
10000 dollars annually, which would
have to be paid to the tribes. The an
-nual cost of caring for these bands, I'M
der the present system, is, in round
numbers, six million dollars, from
which it will be seen that there is a di-
rect saving, under the new scheme, of
about three million and a half of dol
lars 1t is stated that this plan will be
presented to all the tribes before the
next session of congress, when, presum-
ably, it will be brought before that
body.
The stories of correspondents have
usually been taken with the same de-
gree OF allowance that is accorded to
the tales of Baron Munehausen, or the
stories of Eli Perkins, but if the alleged
scheme is not true, it is obviously good
enough to be so, and the hero of Win
chester need have no hesitancy in faith
ering the bantling. With the rapid in
crease of immigration, the time is not
far distant when the Indian under The tri-
balsystem mustgo. Honor demands that
he be provided for in rs good manner
as the white settler. The well-being of
society will then demand that he is held
amenable to civil laws, and protected
by them. How to bring about the
change, has been for long time, and
is now, puzzle to statesmen. As an
calculation of the problem, the alleged
Sheridan plan is interesting.