Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-03-19
IsnIAN AGEST woo0 REPIsEs Asp
DENIES.

WAN HAt AdkSNIs AHcu IL, i~c0.
EDrrcGs Posr IsTKIIIOxxcKR
| enn in rsciept of yoar daily Of the
lzth instant, IN which appear charges
against nv ofncial acts. both editogiaiiy
and over the signature Of A. McFar-
lane, and brief reply from me naay
not be out of place.
la your editorial you state that the
lncians complain OF no. being fairy
treated y ns; that they are ooppeilei
10 bay their goods of ). Baxter. the
trader; shat they are compelled 30 work
for Baxter for lS.s money than they
could get from Others for like service,
and they are compelled 20 eli their pei
trles 70 Baxter FOR less money than
others woala give. You also stats thai
one OF BAxter's oieE ks has been draEing
his ray from the Government, plainly
Inferring that said clerk was an agency
employee All that y0u state has been
reported for some time past, and in
proof OF these repsEts you poblIsh and
call attention With evident satisfaction
TO letter of A. MOI ArIans'a. taking /.
TOR granted that all of his statements
are true. Nov, - far as any Os the as
sertiOns or charges relate 70 ms officially
tif1sbiy false IN every Particular. and i
any saOce~sful contradiction
There are lass aud rules governing the
Indian service fuTnished indian agents
for toeif guidance and instru u ION, and
Ehsn they are enforced against a class
of advenGursrs who hare No regard fer
the rights of others, there are no end of
complaints against the agent, and fer
ing sfiAlrs under the laws, Father than
ailou these men TO Override, control and
run the agency and iDdians, as shall
seem most advantageous 70 them. pecu
niarlly or otherviss.
SO far as the schooner Mis- - opn-
ceFned. have too much regard for the
lives Of the IDdiaRs OF this az gsncy to
ALLOW them 10 10 od to the seslilg
grounds on her. II saoa was their sish.
Years ago she MAS employed IN sealiug.
bot tOs the past two years the Indians
have refused { - sailing in her, eI-
cept very late in the season, when the
danger sf sudden storms has passed.
and then only for very short crui q.
and there has not been fifty seals AIKEN
by this vessel IN the past two seasons.
since AekariaBe has 0oen here in the
oay with this schooner, for the purPosc
''Uf plotting" As be states, be has had
indians 10 a. iss him, bat none would
remain With him for any length OF
time, aud for the reason, a. they state,
that they could not get their pay. and
be is nov indebted to some of them for
services rendered on his schooner, aad
Il their claims art not soon paid, sh all
of necessity be compelled TO institute
legal proceedings against The scao lner.
and have the matter adjusted In the
courts. | am aware that MsF arians has
to raise the price OF zeal skins
aulsss Baxter would EMPLOY hin and his
schooner. the Mist, during the season.
bis price 10 $1,000 for the season, as b.
states Ia letter he has recently written
IBe; and he further states ID Vt in the
event of his terms not being accepted
by Baxter there will be trouoie all
aroahd. admit that the policy of con
ciliation Is always To be- considered IN
important matters; bat II il AlSays well
10 ooasider the price asked for that pur-
pose. Nov here Ii man Sitn
schooner nnseaw ,Ethy and worth not To
exceed $40, morlgaged for more than
il is worth, and who is without funds TO
pay the poor Indians, whose wrongs
have touched bis sympathetic art"
for services rendered sa tine vessel be
,laims to oSn, aud wins wants 10 be
IN the sum Of 5000, and on
failure OF compliance with these terms
be will raise the price OF seal skins and
make sill the trouble possible.
have no objections to Blxter ptylng
any sun he likes TO conciliats tbs re-
toubtable son Of Neptune, but do OBJ
iect 10 having wrath called down on my |
head until this man IL faH American
,itizsn, IA am eEedibly informed he i.
not, aaa therefore not quaiiied 10 com |
mani vessel in American waters.
SO far as Baxter's monopoly Of the |
irade with the lndi ms IN concerned. on |
shich yon put 40 much stress. have TO |
inform you that he is the licensed trader |
n this agency. and by the terms Of his |
icsnse he IL entitled TO q monop ,ly OF |
al the trade in the Iudian couutry to |
which his license Appliesi aud the laws |
the Indian service provide |
hat IL Any person other than an In |
iian shall attempt 90 reside IN the In |
iiau country, or % introduce goods OF |
% trade therein without licen se. be |
hall forfeit all merchAndiss offered for |
,ale to the Indians or found in his pos |
session, and shall be liable 90 3 penalty |
n $500; and .tasy further prov de that |
INV person going into the Inditu coan- |
nv without pass from the proper au
hoFities shall be liable 10 fine of $1,000. |
I am aware that the snforcesaent of |
.hese laws /. vers Questionable to Ger
ain GLASS of people, that are uevsT sat-
sfisd unless thay can interfere IN the |
% siness OF others. hat a. agent at the |
agency am compelled to enforce them |
Il all times d regard 20 trade with the
Indians. II is not to be understood
rom this that the Indians are compelled
70 buy their supplies of the trader at the
agency, bot that other persons cannot
some hare for trade with the Indians.
II is we'll known TO every enc that has
INV knowl de of 4his agency. land |
10 none better than Mcfarlane." that
.heses Indians 60 TO Dungeness, Port
Townsend and even 10 your Queen City
10 purchase barge amount of supplies.
and have always given then passes 10
DO 50 whenever they have applied. Nor
have l ever refused any one permission
10 come on the reservation for any legt.
innate purpese, but when the pQrposs
has bees clearly an infringement Of the
laws governing the Indian service
would be clearly negligent OF my duties
II allowed them 10 do 20. So far as
the price OF seal skins is concerned. In
which it is claimed thai the Indians srs
defrzuded by the trader with the assist
anee OF the ageut. have TO cay that
since have been in charge at this agen-
ey that the Indians have beeR paid in
ooin the same price for their skins a.
the traders in victoris. b. O., pay for
The sIuae class Of skins, and u b well
knountn business circles that the prices
are always governed by the ssuni annaal
sales in London. II h possible. how
ever, that this knowledge hss never
found entranee into your sanctlm, and
hence yuaF readiness to endorse the
statements Of others whose sole shieet
IL 10 have their own way In everything
reasrdless af the Law OF the rights and
duties OF the Indian agent. ] am ready
AZ ali times Tor q athoroagh Investigation
Of all my affairs esnnscted with Indian
service by ccmpesent authority. aud have
no fears Of the result and | am fully
that the wonderful fabric that
Won and your informants have h1ilded
s.in imagination" wiii be and is fabric
Of loose sand that will be hlssn away
chen tested BY facts. Wili add that st
ny Suggestion some OF the Indians Of
fered their skins 10 yOnr very reliable in,