New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-18
GEN. SHERIDAN'S REPORT.
APLAN TO SETTLE THE INDIAN PROBLEM.

"A LA
SUGGESTING THAT THE GOVERNMENT BUY THE
Observation-Disclosures LEGISLATION
WASHINGTON Nov 1.-THE annual report OF inc
Lieutenant General of the Army is made public TO-DAY
AT the date OF the last consolidated returns the Army
consisted of g 154 officers and 24,7Oo men, Nothng'
avs the report has yet been done IN this DIVISION Ior
the protection of our seabcard by the Improvement
enlargement or inc ease and armament OF our oruca
TONS so that many OF large cities are st AZ the
,nerc of the ironclsds OF foreign nations In case OF
rppture of our relations, but it is hoped that public
sentiment will before long prevail on Congress 1Or
liberal appropriations in this respect The DViSo9 OF
the Missouri has had disturbances which have severely
taxed the troops and the supply departments oil tue
Government First came the Oklahoma invaders, VINO
undertook to take possession OF certain lands ID the "
dian Territory The sincerity OF the leaders OF 'he
Oklaboma COLONY" writes General Sheridan, may
well be doubted. but they were bold IN the'r NOV
,,ents and carried their scheme to the verge OF blood
shed The belief exists that their intention was not
actual settlement but call the attention oil Congress
q. the oneDno I'D of the Indian Territory. and That
money WAS subscribed thei purposes by interested
corporations
The report SAYS: The situation in that part OF the
Division of the Pacific comprising the southeastern
portion of the Department OF Arizona has been re-
p,et to saw far from satisfactory. so long as Genera"
Crook had control of the Apaches, under the agree
ment between the Secretary of War and the oecr hy
Of the Interior matters went very well IN Arizona
but when contentious began under the divided author
ity that existed year ago dstrBst and trouOl arose
among the Indians and continued until the outbreak
ot The Chiricahuas IN Nav last. The outbreak was
reulant and without cause and embraced only part oil
The tribe bat this element comprised the young anu
most vigorous Iheconduc of this band not exceeding
forty-two and nnety-two squaws, was henols" III
the extreme. Unprotected and unarmed pe"pie were
murdered wherever met on then route ana wneD
pressed by the troops they scattered hike noeK OF
Quail and came together again at some deslSit'
Doint from fifty to a hundred miles distant. They
eventually crossed the line INTO Mexico, thinking. per-
haps they might escape pursuit; but our agreement
with the Government Mexico enabled US to continue
The chase with occasional conflicts which have resulted
in the killing of small number. probably not exceed
ing twelve and the capture OF over thirty women ana
children They should all be extenminattd OF cap
tured, and have the greatest conhdence IN "eHeral
Crooks ability to accomplish this purpose though inc
Gculties very great The country III ihat secl1h
i rouph and mountainous, and the ability OF THIS bahd
OF desp srad,es steal horses and III lhnt themselves
gives them large yantaSes. they nave, OF COURSE,
greatly psralyzed the commerce y. Inc country ana
business interests have suffered ana claled unaef hc
interruption beg the people IN that sectloh 10 otdr
i'm mind that General Crook is the best man We nave 10
deal With these hostile indians, and will accomplish
the end perhaps any lndI III INC army,
OF the Indian question General Sheridan says " On
account OF the rapid growth OF Western settlements
the army is obliged. III some places, 10 protec' VIM"
people from Indians while other places VI Is protect
nq the Indians liz their persons and property from the
whites The Indians are the richest people hi this
.ountrv as coumu nities Their atoms include
some OF the best land and if divided among the bes IDS
OF Families each family would have Il onsands OF acres
If nav be permitted to suggest / would rec naehd
that each family be given and located on the o-V
acres now provided for the oy law IN ease OF actual
settlement The Government should then condemn all
the balance of each reserS alton bay 1t IN al ~ - per
acre. and with the proceeds purchase UO'eIhhleh'
bonds TO be held in trust by the Interior De parnen
only giving the Indians each wear the interest on TIE
bonds tor their support Let tins money sou please
be disbur ed the tie money appropriated tech
wear Oy Congress. The practlch Worklhg "oh' oe
about follows; The Crow Indians ioI instance, nave
nearly 500 600 acres of land here are not more
than 2 800 of them. and counting hve persons 10
family large estmate-they could he settled sel'a-
raely on $40 tor each family and then have over
400 900 left. which the Government c)uld ony
of the N wheu condemned II the pr.cecds we're III
vested in Government bonds an the Interest uSed or
their support it would be more money than Is no" APP
prooTiated by Congress Tor their yearly maintenance
Ii would be their money and take the question OF
ANIMAL aupropriat ons toI them out OF Congress Take
the Cheyenne and Arapahoe indians ~ another eX,
amvIe They have nearly 1900 900 acres 100000
would settle them in sevetaity ana the 4.IOoVVo
acres remaining if purchased by the Government IN
the manner described would yield an annual interest
suffe.eut for their support. The Ute Indians nave
about 90 600 acres, winch II purchased III the same
way would furnish revenue adequate LOT thcH sup
port port" ,.-,,..
TIE Lieutenant General has not dlscoNereu any 'hhS
TO change his views expressed last wear "a To the cause
of oser,ions He calls attention to the necessity OF
concentrating troops tue aIee citlt Wherc ley
can be more economically supported and whence meg
can he more readily moved to the frontier when ie-
ouired there He says there dre many disabled orcerS
for whom no vacancies exIst on the retired hSi. ana
states that would greatly relieve the service II Con
gress would retire them. The status OF the NaIyhaI
Guard h. says should be regulated lay general Law
OF Congrcss-the number o. officers and men be 1Hcd
and Interchangeable except change L. made necessary
at stated periods by growth OF population The Gen
eral Government could then issue ihem inc best arms
and camp aud garrison eGuipage and exact RESPONSE
bihty which Is not now required.
General sheridan concludes his report as io!lows
"1he dscrpliur throughout the Army Is good. nave
no Recommendations to make except to increase The
number IN the companies aud Ia add Two more
companies and two majors TO eaen regimen OF ~
fauIry. / most heartily coincide WIN the remi,As OF
General SchOfed the need of nlDtarj legislation
His views are of sc much importance that trans or
them bodily my report. There is great need III the
military service of legislation under the power con
ferred by the Constitution upon Congress 10 maze u"s
for the government and regulation OF tpe lana ehd
navoI forces Although the regulations
have undergone changes almost without number, ne
most Important questions involved in the command
and government of the Army, which have been the
source OF constant embarrassment and the canse Oh
much controversy for many wears. remain unrttru AZ
the present time No commanding general IRON lhe
highest to the lowest. know the extent or hfnts o
his authority and bave any stan reSpOn>l-
BILE 10 him for the faithful execution OF hs orders
During tue last twenty-five years tho country mas
passed Though three momentous crises WHEREIN tbNo
unsettled questions OF vital Importance 10 the
Nation and their decision for the occasion depended
solely upon individual opinions Another such crisis
may not be far distant when such decision mi2ht
not be so fortunate for the country, Hence. winls
present the necessity OF consider able increase d he
Army. also suggest. as still greater necessity that
laws be established by Congress Tor the government
and regulation OF the military forces
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