River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-03-01
QUEER EXPENSE ITEMS.
Cses for Uncle Sans Money That Are NJ
Generally known.


Some curious items enter into the ex-
pense account of Uncle Sam. Away
out in Arizona, near the city of Flor
ence, there is a ruin of the dwelling
place of some prehistoric people. 1t is
called Casa Grande. The government
pays a man $3.50 year to watch Casa
Grande and see that some Chicago
archaologist doesn't carry it away for
exhibition purposes.
Secretary Gresham tried to get along
last year with $1,000 for bringing home
the remains of diplomatic and consular
officers of this country who died
abroad. In view of the probable in
crease of mortality among the unusual
ly large number of these patriots who
have responded to the call of Joseph
Quincy and have gone to places where
the climate is bad, Mr.. Gresham asks
$4,000 the coming year for diplomatic
mortality.
Another item of close relationship to
the last mentioned is $1,000 to bring
home the widows of those diplomats
who die abroad.
The vaccination of Indians is o
charge of 81, 900 year on the United
States treasury.
The condition of Lo-the-poor Indian
is the inspiration of much sympathy
among certain Caucasian philanthro-
pists. The regular budget for the red
man this year reaches $685., 1856 81.
Next year it is expected to go to ST.
9s,61L44 This covers a multitude of
things which civilized people have
never thought of. For instance,
every one of the 600 men Crows gets a
$40 suit of good wooden clothing,
consisting of a coat, hat, pantaloons,
flannel shirt, and wooden socks"
Every one of the ZOO women Crows gets
"a flannel skirt. a pair of wooden hose,
twelve yards of cotton domestic"
The end of the Indian budget is not
in sight. The Indian is as good a
slayer as the pensioner. Away back in
1924 the government stipulated TO pay
the Six Nations of New York state a
certain sum-several thousand dollars
every year, and it is still doing it.
There are annuities which have been
paid to the Senecas religiously since
1917. The Shawnees have been getting
a good round sum yearly since 1894
These and many like them are perma-
nent annuities. Some of them have
run hundred years Most of them
have been in operation fifty years
They seem TO be just as good for an
other century.
There are the Pottawatomies of In
diana and Michigan. They have
worked the wife man beautifully. In
1895 they got one permanent an
nuity, which has been paid regu-
larry ever since. In 1909 they
socked it to our grandfathers
for another annuity. In 1918 the
Pottawatomies came again, and this
government agreed to pay them anoth-
er sO-much-a-year without any limita-
ton of time. The fourth permanent
annuity for this thrifty tribe was fas-
tened upon the treasury in 1928. Be-
tween that time and 1896 four more
permanent annuities were added to the
Pcttawatomies' list. And they have
been paid faithfully every year. They
VIII be paid next year and the next
after, and nobody knows when the OBJ
legation will cease. Three of these an
nuities are payable in silver" and sill
yer it was for the Indian all through
the war and afterward, when white
folks never saw the color of coin. An
other annuity is in ''specie;" two more
are 'in money" The other two an
nuities illustrdta more forcibly
the farciaL Every year since
1925 the government has solemn
ly delivered to the Pottawatomies
fifty barrels of salt. And every year
since 1876 this government has main
tanned blacksmith's shop with equip
ments and supplies for three black
smiths at cost of 81 ZOOS. 90 a year for
the Pottawatomies.
The disbursements to these Potta-
watomies, who long ago ceased to be
Indians in all but name, amount 10
s20,64Z65. They must, according to
the treaties, go on forever. They are
permanent"
The Creeks have the oldest of these
annuities. II started in 1890. The
Chickasaws began to draw perma-
nent annuity in 1899. The Chocktaws
were put on the roll for SO, 900 year
as early as 1905. Is it any wonder that
the more civilized he gets he more te-
nacious the Indian grows of his tribal
relation and Of Uncle Sans paternal-
ism?-St Louis Globe-Democrat.