The Wilmingtonian., 1884-11-22
Our Indian Wards.

1t is time that something beside mere ex-
preston of sympathy were accorded those
societies who busy themselves about the
condition of the Indians of the Northwest
The Indians are starving. The Pawnees
aud Choctaws aud Piegans are dying in
dozens from sheer hunger and destitutionl
Mrs. Amelia s. Quinton, general secretary
of the Philadelphia branch of the New York
| Indian Association, stated, at the annual
meeting of that society, held last week at
DR.. Taylor's Broadway Tabernacle, ''that
many Of the poor creatures were obliged to
SELL their families into worse than slavery
in order 10 procure bread.
Also at meeting of the Indian Rights
Association letter was read from an agent
in Montana, which stated that the stories of
the destitution among the Pi, gan and other
tribes in that territory are true, but do not
give full idea of the condition of these
wretched people. A committee will be sent
to Washington to lay the facts contained in
the letter before the Secretary of the Inter
or, with view of securing temporary re-
lief.
Again, at meetings of the National Indian
Association similar disgraceful revelations
were made. Who is to blame for thisP
The statements made by these societies
are undoubtedly authoritative, and scandal
Gus. What has the Secretary of the Interior
to say about these tales of negligence! What
is the Indian Bureau doing!
1t is commonly supposed that the Federal
Government has the charge of the Indians!
Why is it that number of private socie-
ties exist, finding it necessary to take upon
themselves the charge of seeing after the
domestic necessities of our Indian wards
that they do not starve, wholesale, off the
face of the earUh!-that these private socie-
tics for furnishing bread and clothing to
those famishing wretches come around to
us, begging, for the Indians, the simple nee
essaries of life? We are commonly under
the impression, though, of course, it may be
a popular fallaoy, that there existed an
Indian bureau, an expensive department of
government, with secretaries, assistant sec
retaries, chief clerks, assistant chief clerks,
oil Ire oil lis nd 1a
t'na 1t may be popular fallacy, but the
| supposition is that these public servants are
luxuriOusly ensconced in fine apartments,
well warmed and carpeted, with obsequious
attendants to wait upon them,-all this in
order that they might, untrammeled, give
due attention to the business which is con-
tided to their care, and for which the cti-
zens pay them remarkably good salary.
How is it that the citizens have to take
this work again into their own hands and
find it necessary to beg their servants to
mind their business, "begging the Secretary
of the Interior for temporary relief for this
starving people"
Surely the department has not been so
negligent of their trust as to be ignorant of
the facts revealed by these citizens socie-
ties.
Large sums of money-verY large sums
are annually appropriated for the support Of
The Indians Were the money placed in the
direction ordered by Congress it is not too
much to claim that our Indian wards would
not be dying by scores. of destitution!
Nobody dare accuse Uncle Sam of stint
ing, or being niggardly in his appropria
tions. Where has the money gone? Who
is responsible for this condition of things.
There is culpable administration somewhere.
But, in the presence of the scandalous
statements made by these responsible Indian
societies it is bare justice to the people tc
assert that shameful mal-administration, il
not something far worse, exists.
Let the Indians be relieved Immediately
Let it not be said of the American people
that after taking their lands from them,
promising them certain concessions q in
return, that we voluntarily sat still and al,
lowed them to starve to death in our pres.
ence. Let our miserable victims have bread
and blankets Immediately, ly,-and let it be
done with as little bureaucratic circumlo
cution and red tape as our well-fcd Indian
department can stand.
h
: "a Blaine was Burchard for a Roman
D holiday.