New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-08
RIGHTS OF THE REDMAN.
ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT HIS GRIEvOUs
WRONGS,

WELSH.
PHILADELPHIA. Feb SIN one Of the most I'M
prctcntious and Quakerke buildings on tlipoeo-
It,, No 1916. is situated the office OF the ih""h
Rights Association Its name sgnihcs It's purpose
1t is TO secure for the Indians fair play ana JUS
tice Its method of work is exceedingly sihpie
and correspondingly effective. IL is to ma out ohe
truth about the Indians and those VINO nave onareo
of them ard publish the facts thereby 10 use i's
own phraseology," so enlghtening public sentiment
as TO insure adequate support for legislative ana
executive measures for securing and protecting
the inst rights of the Indians. and maintaining
the Governments faith plighted to them IN
treaties It employs agents to investigate
things on the Indian reservations and these agents
being simply instructed to tell the truth and spare
no one tie association with pardonable assurance
asserts that it knows about the actual condl-
ton of the Indians and the Indian service than the
Indian Office itself 1t keeps too, an agent at wash
ington whose business it is to let the light OF truth
shine on eny scheme for stealing march on poor
To- But it takes no sentimental Fenimore Cooper
like view Of Lo 1t bases its appeal to the public
ear and conscience on practical ground. 1t says
that 10 is 100000 strong and unless the best is
made Of him, instead Of the worst. he will become
an nto!erable nuisance and curse to the commu-
mites among which he soiourns.
The association was founded December IS,
1882 IL is voluntary. unncorporated and nom
partisan and has no interest in any business enter
prise in the Indian country. Herbert Welsh is
the corresponding secretary and practical manager
Of the association Although young man, he de-
votes himself 10 this work, without pay OF any
sort. A reporter Of TIE TRIBUNE recently had
an enter aiming chat with him and j. b Harrison.
one OF the agents of the association. whose recent
book. The Latest Studies on Indian Reserva-
tions,7 attracted much attention. Both gentle
men were found at the Office of the association.
What work does the association now consider
most important TO secure proper treatment of the
Indians ?@ asked the reporter.
such reform of the Indian service as would do
away with ARTISAN appointments and removals.
replied Mr.. Welsh promptly. Nowhere eau in
competent men work greater mischief than among
the Indians Nor are amabe intentions alone
sufficient to secure their proper management 1t
requires knowledge and eXl eIience. The Indian is
peculiar; as IA study he can't be mastered in day.
Therefore IL IS of the utmost importance that men
OF proven integrity, who by experience have ao
Quired the necessary knowledge and that necessary
TO manage tho Indians should be allowed TO con-
tinue 10 man sc them. If there are any places
that ought 10 be exempted from the spos system
they the Indian reservations. The present Ad-
ministlatOn came into power pledged to Civil
agents who had demonstrated their fitness Tor the
work they had undertaken would have been al
lowed to remain. But our hopes delusive.
According u the latest rel ort tftyone out OF the
fity-nlne agents that occupying positions
when the present Admins tratiOn came have
been discharged"
"On the ground that TO the victor belongs the
spois? -
Il know of no other reason for the bulk of the
removals. Men in every way well fitted Tor their
work have been removed. and i'll most the
new api ont es have no pclsonal htness Tor the
positions have been given to them. The changes
have had the effect of para yzing the good work
that was being done among the Indians. AT tne
Rosebud Agency, Dakota, Agent Wright did work
winch CuahU 10 nave ensured Ils reappOtntmenU
under aiy sS which made the slightest pre-
,onre of re- OgmZlng merit here were 5000
Indians III his care. DriUro he came among, them
practically nothing had been done for them IN
IOuf yeas he enccted complete change. When
he was turned out there Some seventeen
schools tAeIe attended by the Indians where none
had EXISTED before. Where not an acre had been
previously piOuShed there were 4.UOO acres cult
waited by the Indians. The indian Comm SSiOner,
General ADAMS. himself acknowledge the personal
fitness and the excellence Of his work Our asso
ClatOn dld lts best 10 secure his reappOinlment,
but yet hc dropped lie couldn c. mlrte with
political influence. AT Pine Ridge Agency there
was one OF the best agents in the service DR.. Me
Ollly uiCN. Bat with Inn likewise. good service
touMn I outweigh political influence. Hi place
was gwen 10 Captain James ii. Bell. lie subse-
quehtiY made report u the CommirSi ouer of
Indian AiaiIs which contains some passages that
so clearly EXHIBIT the evil eilecto Of the Present
system ihat OFT Gne Of them worth quoting.
They were stricken out oi the report issued by the
interior Deptrin mt. Captain Bel wrote:
The policy now in Vogue is degrading and de-
morahzln@. The agent is but figure-bead, and 10
prevented by the interference of the Depart ment,
from conducting the affairs OF the agency accord ing
70 common sense business principles. If our agent
is not capable Of selecting the persons TO serve
under BIN he is not tit person for the place and
should be- removed. Both Indians aud employees
are kelt in constant STATE OF uncertainty and I'M
rest by g p rpet ua eXpecta ion o; the dropping
Of the Official axe. Ii is unreasonable 70 expect
that employees can have the interest necessary TO
the proper execution OF their duties. with the feel
ing that they are at any time liable 10 b. dis
charged without any other cause than Mat th"ir
positions or rather their salaries are needed for
some political ofliOc seeker
Numerous instances Of inoomrctert ar-pointees
might be cited" continued Mr. Welsh. At one
of the reScrN aions Of our agents found last
summer a man appointed to teach farm NJ VINO
confessed that he had never been farmer and
knew nothing about it; He said that he received
his appointment for 'whOoping her up a. h. cX-
pressed il. He friend Of DrOnl inent
official in t1ic Indian service His predecessor
was likewise incompetent. Icing an oid man
seventy mine years of age. tie WAS removed But
IL often asreAs thai incoanctent men are sot dis
missed even after theiP ncOmpetency hss bccClee
So Obvious dat Official notice has 10 be taken Of
it. They afe frequently transferred to other aeen-
cies7
"Wtat does your associst on propose TO do to
remedy This state of affairs ?"
Publish tie facts and appeal to public opinion
II should he distinctly understood that neither
the ASSOCIATION myself has quarrel with
the Administration as such. We strictly nom
part san We do not seek TO create political en- il
tai for any par " But il is shown that a system
that ass gns men to >pOn>ibe positions among
the Indians simply Tor having whOOped her uP
without rc-ard u then fitness. cannot secure Tor
the Iadi.n> tat fair pay and justice which 1t is
fba IN H-ADi Ia =
Tor them lhcr' fore we OPP csc the system. The
President has the right 10 extend the Civil Ser
vice rules 10 tho Indian Service without further
action the part OF COnSiess We have twice
appealed TO him 10 do this. His last reply was
b. the fleet that hereafter he would consider him
SELF respoLs bic for the ch racter of the pontees