The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-26
CEN. ATKINS NAILS A LIE.
HE PROMPTLY REFUTEs. A sLANDER
OF REPUBLICAN INVENTION,
Devised by Man Whose Convict Friend
Gen. Atkins Would Not Tolerate The
Ex-commissioner Not To Be Intimi-
dated In This Way.

by one Welsh, also bitter Republican. An
APPEAL reporter brought this matter to the
attention Of Gen. Atkins, who was In -
city yesterday.
ut is simply tissue Of wicked lies from
beginning to end" said Gen. Atkins.
"Welsh has a grievance against me, based
upon the fact that removed from office q
friend OF his. ] did II because this friend
discovered had served eighteen months in
the Minncsota pcnitentiary. This action
has caused me to incur the wrath Of Welsh,
and IL Is not surprising that a paper
with the virulcnt partisan DISPOSE
ton OF the New YORK Tribune should
give Welsh's lies circulation, but / did
not expect that paper in Tennessee would
reprint them. II this Is the character Of
warfare that am to confront in my canvass
of the State, you may be sure that am pre-
pared 10 meet the emergency. In making
| my appointments us commissioner OF the
Indian bureau, | had to rely TO considerable
extent upon recommendations OF gentlemen
from various parts OF the Union, whose in
| dorscmcnts were entitled TO consideration.
| Whenever found that appointces were un-
worthy, caused their immediate removal.
No more wanton lie was ever set aioat than
the statement of Welsh that l confessed that
the work Of the finance department Of the
bureau had increased 100 per cent
through the reservation clerks ignor-
ancc Of bookkeeping The cordial APP
prevail OF my administration by the
refutation of the vile falsehoods uttered by
Welsh and the Tribune. | have just received
this clipping from the New York Sun [hand-
ing IL to the reporter.l do not know who
wrote n, but II Is well known that the Sm,
has not looked upon the Cleveland admins
tration with altogether favorable eyes"
The clipping was as follows;
"rhc long contemplated resignation OF Gen.
J. ID. &. Atkins as commissioner OF Indian
affairs, which occurred yesterday, will leave
vacancy not wholly easy TO I'll. Gen. At
kins was anxious some time ago to withdraw
from the Indian bureau on account OF the
disposition OF his friends TO urge him as a
candidate for the Senate from Tennessee.
But the Secretary Of the Interior and the
President desired him 10 remain In Office UNI
Ill afteS the passage Of the then pending an
nual Indian appropriation bill, and, II posi-
bic, until after the assignment Of the con-
tracts for supplies during the coming fiscal
year, which WIN be the last one made under
the present administration.
Taken as whole the service Of Gen. At
kins ms Indian commissioner must be rccog-
nizcd NJ among the most progressive In our
governments dealings with the red men.
He has made enemies, particularly among
the mugwumps, who accuse him OF allowing
his chief subordinate too large share In the
detailed management OF the bureau. and OF
appointing too many Democrats 10 Office.
No doubt In making appointments he has
preferred men In political sympathy with
the party 10 which the country has intrusted
| the government and which IL holds respon.
sible for success or failure. But his action
Is based on the belief that since there ar,
competent men for Office IN both parties u
Is preposterous 10 prefer those whose party
interests might lead them to thwart the
purposes Of his administration above those
who could heartily concur and work with
him in all respects.
THE administration OF the Indian bureau
under Commissioner Atkins has ocen one Of
gratifying results. To begin with, II has
been generally peaceful, tho troubles with
the Apaches In Arizona and with the Utcs
aud Crows being the only hostliitics Of con
sequence. The former were inherited from
years Of disturbance, and tho latter wer
brief and easily settled. Gen. Atkins has
been exceptionally successful In his relations
with tho military forces, since instead o.
finding these two sources Of authority work
ing nj cross purposes rs 80 often before they
have been IN harmony. There have alsC
been. perhaps fewer Irregularities In the
Indian service than for many years pre-
vious.
'srho most important Indian legislation o.
the present day, the allotment Of land II
scvcralty. dates from Commissioner Atkin'i
administration. Under II steps have alrcad,
been taken for the survey OF reservations
and by iudicious measures the consent o
many tribes and bands 10 the scycralty sys
tenn and 10 the reduction Of reservation
has been obtained. The process hereafter Z
! be carried ON by Gen. Atkins successor viii
be merely that Of detail In the application o
, the law.
another important policy has been thu
reversal OF the old pncticc In regard 10 thu
building Of railroads across Indian rcscrva
tons, this being encouraged instead OF op
! posed, as formerly. The new policy u ON
, feature OF Commissioner Atkins broad view
that Indians can never be made sclf-sup
porting American citizens 40 long as the,
are kept rigidly coopcd up and deprived o
,, enjoy. Scores OF grants have been made 4
, railroads during the last three years and IN
reservations will profit by them as well a
, the railroads and The country In general.
, THE school system has also hscn remark
,, ably developed during the last few years
the number Of institutions and Of pupil
having been greatly increased, while durinl
| inc Irttcit tnUffct1 linIoItnut NV
measures have been taken for fndlal
education. The checking OF trespaSscr
and the securing OF indemnity for tmbci
, dcprcdntions, the planning OF judicial sys
. TENS for the reservations, have all received 10
exceptional degree of attention under Gen
Atkins administration. While none o
these subjects have reached their ilna
stages. they have been 30 carefully invcsti
gated that little moro Il now needed thai
legislation by Congress upon facts rrportc'
aud bills proposed While many millions q
acres " surplus Indian lands will soon b
open 10 civilization, the Instances 81 en-
croachmcnt by whites upon reservation
, have called out vigorous efforts 10 cbccl
: them aud prompt complaints 10 Congress.
, "With all this crciitablo record the est
mates for the Indian service have heel
steadily decreased during the last thrc
: years. Those for the year ending June "
|. 1850, had been s., 31S, $50 those Of the FOL
: lowing year, sBOSi, go. those Tor the currcn
0 fiscal year wcrc e, COS s5i; while those whicl
: wurc made the basis ol the bill lust paxsc
4 wcrc q, ass 500. Vet thcrc had been larg
Q additions for schools, surveys additions
farmers and for tho increased cost OF tran,
a portation under the interstate commerce act
. The successor 81 Gen. Atkinswlll be fortunat
II he l. able 10 show as good n rccorl, Ia III
4 main. Of economy and efficiency"
d Commenting upon this, Gen. Atkins said
h "What the Sos correspondent says abou
the achievements OF the bureau during M
4 administration arc true, and contmdlci natl
. the vcnomotu diairibc Of this man Welsh
! Nothing could please me moro than III
closest Investigation Of my conduct Of N
Indian bureau. invite Il aud challenge u
l4a. =. - n. a