Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08
THE INDIANS.
How Uncle Sam Sends the Idle Red
Man his Annuity Money.
GENERAL GARDENERS AMBITION.
How Drunkenness Prevails Among the In.
dian Scholars.
THANKSGIVING DAY ON THE AGEECY
IconHrspoNDrKcE OF THE DrsrArcH.l !


REDRocK, OTAE AGENCY, I. T., Novem-
der H.-General Gardner, special agent,
and D. NJ. Wood, the new agent for the
Ponca, Pawnee, otae and Tonkawa tribes of
indians, passed through otae en- route to the
Pawnee agency, with S21 500 in hard money
and scrip. with which to pay the Pawnees
their annuity money. The train was quite
imposing, with the Indian policemen. three
abreast, riding ahead to clear the road of
lurking banditti. If they had only had
camels instead of the independent Govern
ment mules, and horses of Pharaoh's lean
kind, we might have thought we were in
Egypt, when Jacob and his family made a
final visit to Joseph. One of the horses
dropped dead ON the journey. The poor
thing died in the harness, either from over
driving or exhaustion caused by i'll usage on
previous occasions. But it was in good
hands when it passed away to its haven Of
rest, and the matter can be easily fixed up"
with Uncle Sam, whereas, if subordinate
had been so unfortunate an investigation
would have been necessary. General Heath,
an ex-rebel general, who was an inspector
during the last administration, killed two
horses during a flying trip through this part
of. the country. He received telegram TO
report as quickly as possible at two certain
points. He reported, but horsehesh and
Government money paid the penalty.
General Gardner is only a special agent
now, but wants his old place as inspector.
He will have that or nothing, he says. He
is the best inspector in the Indian service.
He is rather rough and uncouth in his man
ner, but frank, honest and outspoken. He
is no respecter of persons; dealing out justice
without regard to party, friends or any in
huence they may possess. Not so with some
others who seem to have sympathetic ears
for all the ladies' troubles and trials, and
who will allow themselves to be buttonholed
by them, magnify trivial affairs into noun.
tains, give verdict accordingly, thereby
causing great disturbance sometimes.
One of these nice, pliable inspectors
who agrees with you in everything, then
agrees with your adversary in the same man
ner; one of these "ves, yes" men in speaking
of the qualifications of an Indian school su-
perintendent said: shouldn't he have a
sweet, amiable disposition" Certainly
he should, but accompanied by grit. I"
There is such thing as
RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION.
A corps of disinterested, lazy employees
will not improve the sweet, amiable dispo-
sinon of an interested, jealous, energetic
superintendent. He will occasionally dis
play the indignation of Moses. And if
there is one place above another to try
mems souls, and Women's, too, it is
to be in an Indian school and be interested
and see such a neglect and shirking of work
by some of the employees. The governing of
the Indian children very often is but drop
in the bucket compared with the control
ling of the employees. But this is only the
case where there is q lack of interest and
real love for the elevation of this people.
The Pawnees have 1916, 900 for the sale OF
their lands in Nebraska invested in United
States bonds and in other securities, on
which they receive annually B per cent in
terest Then they have $4,000 accrued
interest, besides $4,000 appropriated sbY
Congress. The tribe is decreasing fast In
1885 there were 1880; to-day they number
but 762. At this rate, unless they soon be-
come civilized sufficient to take their lands
in severalty and attend to the disbursement
of their own money, the conscience fund in
the United States Treasury will be largely
increased.
The S21, 500 they received will be equally
divided, the babies receiving as much as
their fathers and mothers. The trains of
Pawnee wagons en- route to Arkansas City
will join the innumerable caravans of dis
gusted boomers, and the road will be kept
dusty and the school children's necks
stretched to see the sights as they pass,
equal to a circus almost. The traders
store will reap some OF the harvests of the
$21 800, but the greater part Of it will be
deposited with the Arkansas City mer>
chants, who will be very accommodating
with John" and his dusky wife and babies.
They will come home saturated with per-
fume, loaded down with silk handkerchiefs
and cheap trinkets, smuggled frewater in
ternalIy and externally, sold to them by de-
signing, mean white men. This is the way
they spend their money. 1t is "come easy,
60 easy"
The Otoe Indian children are now study
ing the "Child's Health Primer" an excel
lent little book just suitable for their minds.
We had lesson few DAYS ago about the
nerves, and the effect of alcohol and tobacco
upon them.
LITTLE INDIAN ToPERS.
At the close of the recitation the question
was asked how many in the room had tasted
whisky or alcohol2 Seventeen bovs and five