New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-19
INDIANS AND SPOILS.
Mr.. WELSH ASSUMES MORE THAN HIS FACTS
JUSTIFY

Spoils system May | briefly reply to the same
Tic statement attributed to in the report Of my
address Of January - which appeared IN Inc Sprlhs
| field Republican Of the following day, to the erect
mat DR.. Mct,illy cuddy retained during the Iist
Democratic Administration. was wholly Incorrect
made such statement, and | have written "Ihe
d Springfield Republican to that effect. MY correction
appeared in the issue Of The Republican OF January
T. The error unfortunate one, 80 Tar a.
am concerned. but perhaps a natural one Tor tie
reporter 10 make. | spoke at considerable length ana
as my utcrancc rapid the reporter doubtless became
confused in recording the somewhat complicated details
Of that part OF my address. did not know that
tho had been made until | received an inquiry
on the subject from the Editor Of " The POST dt
once responded to him. giving him the correct version
Of tho matter which. in word, is this
DR.. McGillycuddy was removed from his position
As agent under Mr.. Ccvcland's Administration on ue
charge that he would not accept chlel eern at, d
him from Washington. This association pro,eo I'
I against nj, removal at the time, ana a pdlnPhcII
fully stating the facts Of the case was issued ana
largely distributed. His successor was Mr. tIal,
Of the agency seriously deterorated. Gallagher
was removed during the present Administration ant
Dr. Roycr was Wholly unsulted 10 his Office. and that
he knew nothing of the Indians but received his ap.
aPpon nm % My d sstanH By local political
hucnce. lie unequal to the crisis which existed
at Pine Ridge during the past autumn, and nc aDal-
doned hi, post on the occasion Of trhIng disturb
ancc and elegraphcd for the military. II waS tho
chin prccpita,cd the outbreak The recent removal
Of Dr. Rover by tn President would seem 10 JUSTIFY
my criticism upon his inehcicncy
make no charge against this Administration winch
! did not make against the prcviou, one. am not
animated by partisan motives. | say distinctly tla'
both the last Democratic Administration and the pres
ont Republican one. far - the appointment OF IN
dian agents is concerned, have acted on the spo sN'
ten. The Tribune says: Vague charges against All
Administration which deserves only the highest praise
for t-ifI mt rod
to nv credit" But nv charges vague IN TINS
matt,r9 Are they not specific, Was there anything
vague i'm the charge that the authority Of the Govern
mcnt ~ Pine Ridge collapsed through me appointment
Of incompetent agent. or, that the " hoHcric
system OF appointment. which removes practically the
power Of selection from the President and the Depart
mcut where IT clong,-and places it in the hands OF
politician, I'm the variou, Territories in which the In
dian To- cryation- are located /, an unsound policy
NJ objection 10 it /, not that it chooses men from
Dakota or Nebraska or other Territories for lis supply
u Indian accuts-doubtlc,s there are good men lor
these post, To found all over the western country
iut that makes its selection on false p'lh'lPic
that IL selects not for merit but for the performance
u party -orycc. Is not this the spells Sy'iem' II
tii, principle is. as The Tribune states. AN
excellent principle and one that should always
Doe followed why g. il that DR.. Dorchester
the present excellent superintendent Of Indian schools
wl, s,, travelled over 900 miles through the Indian
country spoke recently in public address, II the
-,oy,us effect Of The home rile y'tcm' so hot!y
Insisted upon hy whit" people of the West, ara uiseu
that the Indian school system AT least slyuIt DC
token oar of politics. or why i, it that Bishop Hare
ID Profound conviction I'm the mind not only OF rev.
lui II the people that the Indian problem j. WORT!
Tie dl0cult Indian problem should be protected from
tine importantly Of hungry politicians. ana that inc
cnployc, n the Indian country, agents, ticheis,
,fI.r c,rpcnicr~ should not be- changed with every
shuttle % tt political cards. The abuse here has been
IL B, very far from nv desire to make any unneceS.
-ary criticism # tie administration Of indian allals
luf oi. object in view and that !, 10 do what niue
nay Dee n my power TO secure FISH Se,lC o hon. VI
iAi. question. ard - prevent ccurri,c 1i tc ip'
rr- r~,.Yflv witnessed iu Dakota. with the present
Administration. management II Indian auar'' so faI
a. Gu. bureau b. concerned. when i ind.I lho '0t
.ft,..t-i II I--iu. have nothing but Woir =" prt,.'
Inl,. t, he ha, been devoted and faithful oi1er'
i.,n.'t of agents. with which the Commissioner has
nothing 20 do. cannoi for thr rrn ti9R WEfs I"o
rilc. VERY truly yom, HhKhfNI WELSH
Philadelphia. Jan. -. l7"l'
rTtc trorh'c with M Wclshs statement is that
II assume, vastly more than the facts. oven as he
rpi. tbcr, warrant II he had confined himself
in hi. numerous letters and speeches TO tlH asSer-
ZION ,h.t Or Ecy'rs appointment was lmpoiu'
.,d unfortunate. W. should lave had no criticism
:, nuke That is truc. The President o!>'ol
r,r ~. trut. sooner tau any nodY ''''' ana maui
l..t. -. correct IT, Nor J., n the fit error oil
,i.,.,,., 30. l,. made I'm hi> Indian appointments
,... ,r. a... D.. Inns corrected. Bat none Of them
nor al OF +. cm. cla be- made - ljSiiiy VIZ "'NAS
.... .,,,..,,r, charge that the Administration
IN, been -ui.c1 lH lis appointments pY inc SPo"'
system. aha. i "a charge which VIZ. welsh mas
mo- RIGHT to makc-trst because II + not true am
s..,,,l h.,,r., lie owes it to his position as an
officer Of the Indian Riehts Association to ~
..,,-dcd and temperate in his language. not Nlo-
lent aud Illogical 49,.
Tho Tribuuc undertakes 70 say that President
Harrison has made 10 removals IN me Ihuian
Service which the facts do not fully JUSTLY anu
.tl.t Lis commitment, have been in the man eA-
ceIlcpt To say that Tie appointment of Dr.
p,t,r WAS am c>ccni ion proves nothing more thah
tb,, fine President is rot mfallihlc, and That Is
not worth Will, wovre. In aiuhhnlin% thlS
,i.,utir Indian trplb'c which extends all over
flo Indian c,uutry and which has been brewing
for %? least three yc,rs.to d.. Rogers Incompetence
j.. c>tla>a-lrt ani absurd Equally eNtiaNaIaht
and equally absurd is tie ALLEGATION tlaJ l"'
.. bo,pc ruic system" OF appointment. which sim
ply means the selection of Indian AGENTS from Inc
St,tcs within which the reservations are con
tanned. mean, thc application oi the spolla System
How in tn, wprll can tie spolS SyStchi-"l''cn
is % particularly meaningless cNpl'>>o'' any Nv"
he made to apply 10 the choice ot agents from
the country near the reservations any more 'i''l
from fine country remote? Why is the power OF
selection removed from the President ard pla'ed
in the hands of politicians" by system when
cboo.es opDlicants from Dakota or Nebraska any
more than by system which chooses them from
Maine or Florida? II a President Is going to
allow himself f. be- constrained by the SpolS sy'-
fem no will he as sab,crvicnt to it whether his
cboicc falls in one tcction or another. Tic arGu-
Incnt in favor of the home rule system is that
il places upon the people among whom the Indians
live a certain measure of responsibility for their
wise and kindly treatment and ii IS a good arSu-
mcnt.
This Administration is cors entiousy and sue
ccs.fnllv nntiinr into npciatOn all the Indian r.