New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-28
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
,osT or THE RECENT INDIAN OUTBREAK.
SIOUX TO BE ENLISTED IL THE ARMY-GEN
ERAL RUSK's CHAHACTEMsTICs-DEM
CRATIC ASPIRATIONS FOR TIE SPEAK
ERSHIP WATCHED BY TIE

Waslppton Feb Ell asked Secretary Proc.
tor Yesterday the cost Of the recent Indian var
IN the Northwest. II has been said in various
publcations that the cost of the war was upward
Of 8, 600 900. The Secretary said that these re-
porIS were cNaegcmtions The extra cost Of She
war was about 100000 The report
which placed the cost at S3,0O0,000 was
based upon the deficiency in the Army bill. when
grew out Of another cause. Under a recent de-
cision of the Controller of the Treasury, the War
Department is now called upon 10 pay 10 the
Pacific railroad, Tor the transportation Of troops
upward OF S3.O0QC coo. The Army transportation
hes averaged about 100000 year
As these railroads are in default to the
Government, it has been the policy of the Wa;
Department to withhold the payment of trans
por,a,ion money and 70 credit it upon the cnorln-
Gus Indebtedness due the Government from these
roads Thi, indebtedness is To-day over 500
100000. II is an extraordinary decision on the
mart Of the Controller which requires the pay
mcnt OF money by the Govcrnmc at TO corporations
which are so hopelcs>ly indebted to il. ms
decision may reopen in Congress the whole Pa
cifc railroad question. il is said that III" Cen
tIal Pacific Railroad intends TO permit the mort
CAGES Of the Government to he forccloSed IL
viii then buy in the property at auction. Tins
will be a settlement of the difficulty SO far as th2t
road is concerned. 7 he Government mortgages
on the Central Pacific will fail due within Tie
next six years. II is probable that Cong'
VIII some day dispose Of the other indcbtcdn,
in funding bill. Bnt il does not appear TO be
fair or Just that there should be such a large
deficiency in the Army bill this year on account
oi transportation charges mentioned above.
Secretary Proctor intends TO enlist 5000 Indians
in the Army. 1t is believed that this number
Ind fIo ID No
Sioux Nation who are inclined 10 make trouble.
Under the existing law. Tie Secretary has the
authority 70 enlist 900 Indians as scouts Three
thousand is the number required 10 put out Of
Tie way the active and troublesome among the
Sioux. The Secretary hopes 10 obtain from this
Congress authority 10 enlist the full number
Quirci as scouts If he locJ not he still has
authority which he will undoubtedly exercise. u
enlist 1000 Indian, as private soldiers This he
can Go a, vacancies occur without extending the
limits Of the Amy All the reports to the War
Department say that the Indians make splendid
soldiers They have courage equal If not ST.
pcror TO The class Of men enlisted in the Regular
Army. They are natuIal-born horscmcn and are
quite different men once they have the Army
uniform on their backs. They are active. alert.
amcnable to discipline and fall Of an intense pride
in their place Indians IN their blankets. who
NouIu SCOln 10 NOiK, III Inc UNIFORM OF a common
soldier alongside OF white soldiers work with
docility and industry at all the classes of work
required Of a soldier in Western fertilization and
camp work,
On account of the agitation throughout the
country by the Farmers Alliance people, great at
tcntion is directed toward the farmer member Of
the present Cabinet, General Rusk. General Rusll
Is about sixty years of age, but he
has the carriage and active vigOr OF man of
forty-fve. He is tall and broad-shouldercd, with
deep, full chest His hair is snowy white and
tails in curling name about his large rugged face.
His eyes are blue and deeply set His complexion
is well tanned from exposure TO the weather.
His nose is large. \ snowy white muStache ard
beard descending to his breast add TO the striking
features OF his vigorous personality For nearly
forty years he has been a farmer. lie understands
farm LIE practical man who has followed the
plough. In Congress he noted for his common
sense and his iron decision OF character In the
army he was superb soldier. To-day he is mOIc
in touch perhaps with the general mass of TIE
people than any one else connected with the Ad
mnstration. Some Of his enemies have tried u
poke fun at him by aScrbng TO him certain uu-
grammatical forms Of speech. TIE people who
have done this were not aware that they were
giving him quality Of additional strength. Il
was said in ii old times that the charges Of using
bad grammar made against General john y Lo-1n
cid more 10 make him popular in the country than
ANYTHING else The bad grammar is not apparent
10 any Of General Rusl;s friends. lie uses viz
crous expressions, and tie current phrases
Of the day often come tripping Of the end Of his
tongue when he is much in earnest hnt his Eng
lsh Is good and rarely lacks Vi-or and cicarncsS
There is plainness and bluntness about him
which contribute greatly To his popularity. He
is simple and direct lie never prctcnds 10 be- any
thing more than what he is. He has no patience
with red tape Any one who wishes 10 transact
business with the Agricultural Department Will
find It's head ready 10 meet him in the most direct
fashion and ready u dispose OF business with tie
least possible delay.
II Is rare 10 ind in public life c.earncSS Of per
ception IN unusual and trying circumstances. 1t
j, stu Iarcr 70 find the decision OF char
aotcc and fcariessncss Of results necessary for
the carrying out Of vigorous policy when CON
froHted with new conditions. In the riots 81
1856 at Milwaukee,. Wis., General Rus, made
reputation for himself second to that % no Gov
cYnor IN the Union. Before THAT he was known
IS an honest. upright Executive. But one
dreamed OF his capacity 10 regulate such a trying
situation As was presented to him in May Of that
wear When the riots broke out there were the
usual conflict and indcclsOn among the municipal
authorities. The moment the Governor heard of
this trouble lie went to Milwaukee upon special
train and arbitrarily took possession Of everything
it was his iron rule during that time, his ordering
of the mcrcilcss No!cy which killed seven people
and stopped the mob III their first rush that BROKE
Tie back of the riot. The practical character vi
this Gentleman is well illustrated by Colonel King,
o retired officer of tie Army, who commanded tie
Wisconsin National Guard during the not Colo
mel King slys that tie guard for some time had
been preparing Tor domestic violence. The officers
Of tIe guard met in convention 81 Madison some
lime before the riot for the purpose Of discussing
what should lie done in the cas-" Of a domestic
outbreak Colonel King says that lie prepared
AN address upon the subject, in which he sid that