The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-09-17
How They Steal.

Ii is probable LnaL Id no u0pafL-
ment of the public service have grosser
frauds been perpetrated than in that
branch of the Interior Department
which has to do with the manage
ment of our Indian affairs. What to
do with the Indians has been a vexed
question, and is still one upon which
there is wide difference of opinion
The Indian department had become
a source of so much and such con-
tinuous trouble, resulting in frequent
murderous outbreaks, growing out of
outrages perpetrated upon the tribes
by those in charge as well as at the
government trading posts, that few
years ago the government was per-
suaded to adopt policy of selecting
their agents through and under
the recommendations of Che different
branches of the Christian church.
That plan, it was argued, would in
augurate more humane policy, and
insure honest treatment and thus put
an end to Indian troubles and depre-
dations. The Indians were to be
educated, enlightened, civilized,
christianized and instructed in agri-
culture and taught habits ofindustry.
How advantageous this new system
has been it is impossible to say, but
that it has not accomplished all that
was claimed for it is apparent, The
government has not succeeded in Sc
surfing at all times good and honest
agents, nor have frauds, and those of
enormous extent, been prevented
Dishonest rascals who seek these po-
sitions, not for the salaries, but for
what they can obtain by fraudulent
means, force themselves into such
positions.
The temptations and opportunities
afforded man for dishonest gain in
these positions are too great to be
easily resisted by many men, and
then again the places are purposely
sought by others for the purpose of
perpetrating fraud. It may be in
teresting in this connection to notice
one of the principal methods by |
which these frauds are perpetrated. |
One of them has been recently
brought to light through an inyesti-
cation of the affairs of the Cheyenne
and Arapahoe agencies. It is accom-
pished partly by an over enumera-
ton of the Indians upon a reservation |
and by thus imposing upon the ig-
norance Of the government upon that |
point, drawing a large amount of |
surplus rations, from which the agent |
and his partners derive handsome
profit. It was found in the case re-
ferred to that while the tribes had |
been enumerated at 1857 and rations |
had been issued for the past ten years
to that number, there were actually |
only 1916 all told, thus some one was
getting the. advantage of supplies
issued by the government to 1881
Indians who had no existence. A /
proper reduction so as to supply the
real number in this single case effects
an annual saving of $105,000 in the
two items of beef and -four alone
1t is known that In nearly every case
the number of Indians in the tribes
is greatly over-estimated- The Indian
population has been largely decreas-
ing to an extent which has not appear
ed in the official enumeration. Anoth-
er source Of fraud which has been
exposed in this same connection is
practice ofbuying cattle, for instance,
for the government at a certain
weight and distributing them to the
Indians at a largely increased weight,
thus saving to the purchasing officer,
and those interested with him, a very
handsome profit from this method of
improvement In stock. There is no
reason whatever tn conclude 4bo4 4ba |