New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-19
CLEVELANUS INDIAN RECORD.

President Cleycland's vlrtuous intentions
when he entered upon his Office embraced the
Indian ouestion as well as Civil Service reform.
In his Inaugural Address he said " The con-
science of the people demands that the Indians
within orr boundaries shall be fairly and hon
estlv treated "a wards of the Government and
their education and civilization promoted with
view to their ultimate citizenship" Almost
in the next breath he spoke Of the necessity OF
the application of business principles 10 puDhc
affairs. and referred to Civil Service reform as
means to that end adding: Our citizens
have the right to protection from the lnconl-
potency of public employees who hold their
nlaces solely as the reward of partisan service,
and from the corrupting influence of those who
nromise and the vicious methods of those who
expect such rewards" The friends of the In
dian were encouraged by these promises and
pledges to hope for a clean, efficient and non
nartisan administration of at least one branch
of the Government service. They confidently
expected that business principles and reform
methods would be applied to the lndian Bu-
reau, that appointments would be made only
for merit to the exclusion of craftsmanship and
that Government work among the red men
would be placed upon an intelligent ana per-
manent basis. In all these respects they have
been sorely disappointed.
Mr.. Welsh of the Indian Rights Association,
is with reference to the results Of the Admins
trations Indian policy witness and an expert
whose intelligence and fairness cannot be im-
peached lie declares that under Mr. CleYe-
land, "the service has been cOntided TO narrow
and greedy partisans whose selfish policy has
brought it to a condition Of deplorable degra-
dation" Out Of sixty agents employed III 1854
only eight remain, and changes in subOrdi-
nate positions have been correSpondingly nu-
merous. A clean sweep has virtually been
made of clerks, school superintendent, teach
ers, physicians, farmers traders and black
smiths. The work of removal was begun with
some caution on frivolous and false charges,
but soon concealment was thrown aside. The
patronage of the service was turned over to
partisans, and large body of faithful workers
among the Indians were discharged for poltl-
cal reasons Many of the new workers were
incompetent; some of the appointments were
VIGOROUSLY bad. A Democratic ballot-boX
suffer obtained one Of the most responsible
posts A convicted defrauder was awarded
lucrative office. Mr.. Welsh, from whom these
statements of fact are derived speaks OF one
official holding very important position in the
Indian service, who secured it, by his own ad-
missions, because he had committed murder
and found it desirable to quit the locality
where he was known.
Commissioner Atkinss only &" reform in the
application Of those Cuisines principles" to
which the President referred in his Inaugural,
consisted in the appointment of chief clerks to
agencies directly from Washington, without
reference to the Agents choice or wishes. Mr..
Welsh again IS our authority for the statement
that the majority of these clerks we're from
Tennessee, most Of them raw, unframed boys,
totally ignorant of their duties and incapable
of acquiring knowledge Of Them One Of these
chief-clerlls openly admitted that he secured
his position because his father prominent
Tennessee politician, could further Commits
sioner Atlxinss aspirations to a United States
Senatorship. Many of these clerks were of
such dssOlute habits that their removal be-
came necessary. One of them arrived at his
destination so drunk that in descending from
the stage he fell, and his clothes catching on
the step he hung in the air until he was car
ried to his bed by the Indian police. The APP
pointments are described by Mr.. Welsh as
"ludicrOusly and VIGOROUSLY bad ~ and inefll-
cheney and disOrganizatiOn resulted from this
policy. Commissioner Atkins himself has con-
fcsSed that the work Of the finance department
of his bureau has increased 100 per cent
through the reservation clerks ignorance Of
bookkeeping.
The Indian service has been converted under
the Cleveland Administration into clearance
house for the liquidation Of political debts |
Traderships have been awarded to needy pol- |
iicians from Tennessee, Mississippi and else
where. The Indian schools passed under the |
of stump orators who had made |
speeches in 1884 for Cleveland and reformD |
The entire service has been recruited with par |
tisans without reference to the requirements |
of efficient government or the welfare of the |
Indians. All this is what has been Familiarity |
known among Nugwumps as Reform