The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-02-16
CURRENT PRESS OPINION.
Indians and the Army.
E,o,,, -. ItLjeuao TTsg,i,g

The Indian Bureau officials at Washing
ton appear to think that if they can show
a desire on the part of the savages to re-
main under the care of civil agents they
can prevent the transfer of the nomadic
tribes to the Army. They also assume
that such preference for civil agents is
conclusive proof that .he administration
Of the Indian Bureau is satisfactory; that
the savagos themselves have nothing to
complain of, and that even The lnlian
RIG is an organization based on pure
philanthropy and incapable of doing
wrong. Commissioner Morgan aud Others
in the same interest evidently believe that
they are making q very strong case for
themselves, because the Indians now at
Washington manifest hostility TO the
Amy and q desire to remain under the
authority Of the Bureau, but the public
should not and probably will not be de-
ceived by them.
There are two excellent reasons why
the Indians at Washington should testify
in favor Of the civil agents. In the first
place, they are subject to these WORTHLESS,
and they know from past experience the
gains and the pains of their favoritism,
and, in the second place, the present
generation Of Indians has been taught
10 fear and hate the army, which,
to win the friendship OF the
sayages, has always been compelled to
punished them when they resorted to
violence. Naturally enough, the Indian
himself Is not anxious to become ward
of the army, but his opinion in this
matter eught not to be the controlling one.
IL is known that the present system IS
corrupt and inefficient 1t is known that
the bureau fails miserably to perform the
1,tt; oil g Ia 30 lynn tbat its
| officials and employees are all partisan, all
| irresponsible, generally incompetent and
| ignorant, and not infrequently outrage.
| ously dishonest. 1t is capable only of
| stirring up strife. ltprovokes wars which
| the army must wage, and when many
valuable lives and much treasure have
been lost il hypocritically washes its
hands Of the responsibility, invents. Sian
| ders against the army and shields incOr-
rigible villains from the punishment that
| is their due.
| Every observant reader must have per
| ccived that General Miles was tied hand
and foot during the recent campaign, and
it is clear enough now that the plunderer.
Of the Indian Bureau are seeking to dc
| prive him of credit for what he was per
mitted to accomplish. 10 maintain tive
and provoke and the other to punish thf
savages when they revolt, is manifest
nonsense. The Army is necessary. The
hypCcritcs and incompe.ents and thieve:
| of the Indian Bureau are not necessary
We cannot shift our responsibility upor
the Indians themselves. It is our duty /,
govern them for their own good, and tn,
Army alone is the proper agent 10 ac
for MS.
All the Star-Eyed Goddess Fault.
From Tie New York Tribune.
4. II. =. l. l.o,.
signed, enyeloped and addressed the docu
ment, Colonel Watterson gave ii to hi
handmaiden, the Star-Eyed Goddess o
Reform, to stamp and mail; and, eithe
because she imagined that in q calme
mood the Colonel might regret his i'm
petuosity, or because she didn't happen b
have postage'stamp in her pocket ant
the drug stores were all closed, that sh
retired TO the secluson of her own apart
ment and used the precious missiye 70
curl papers. This theory implies sa(
breach of faith on the part of the Star
Eyed; but in the first place she has alway
been trlfle flighty, and in the secont
place she is n woman, and the Colonel ha
been guilty of numerous inlidelities.
Here in this very letter for example, Ia
assures Governor Hill that he thinks wei
of him, and would like TO see hin
| olttlltI anu hhbN lltin INV
could she be expected TO put up with sucl
hiiling complacently? We have assume
that the letter was sealed when IL wa
placed in her hands; but there was moth
ing to prevent her opening 1t with q hail
pin, after the manner of her sex.
There is one cause for regret in clnneC
ton with this incident, and We shall nc
soon forgive the Star-Eyed Goddess fo
sequestering that letter. Suppose that sh
had no stamp; it is possible that Colont
Watterson may have had two cents abou
his person. This was a case in which sh
would have been saved, not lost by heiit;
, tion. Her not altogether unnatural wrat
would have subsidized in a moment, tn
letter would have been mailed, and th
Governor would have received 1t. ii
would not only have received it, but-ln
this is the pont-he would have answere
it, for he says so himself; and If he ha
been half as angry as he is now his repl
would have made mighty interestin
reading.