The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-14
INDIANS As soEprEas
Thsir E-pIoy-eut ss Pert % ahs Rest
neatal OrnanIsstless Is nI-lnlshine.

Vhetr EHnloywent - Eart ~ We Aemt-
@estsi Organisations Is Di-,'nishisG
WASHINGTON May IA further indication
Of the gradual dwindline Of the force Of Indian
regulars IL the fact that Com panies ]. Second
Infantry. and l. sixteenth. stationed respee-
lively At Forts Omaha and Douglas. now close
their careers. The Fort Omaha company IL
broken IN. and when paid OF before starting
for their reservation at Pine Ridge the mem
bers laid out large part Of their money In
various articles Of need or luxury. a consider.
able portion Of II going TO ERE water
II IL possible that the number Of Indian
troors and companies will gradually decrease
and that return may be made to the sys-
tenn Of employing Indians as scouts or for
special service. instead Of ss regularly enlisted
soldiers In companies OF their own. attached to
cavalry and infantry regiments The last re-
port OF the acknowledgements ONCE showed
that at the end Of the fiscal rear. June 30. the
whole number OF Indian soldiers enlisted was
903. OF whom l2B were enlisted during that
year The number actually in the ranks was
I'll. Four Indian companies had been dis
continued for failure to obtain the numbers
required. and other discharges 81 Indian SOL
diers had been made for various causes.
There we're left at that date nine com panles OF
Indian infantry and six troops OF Indian
cavalry The current fiscal year will show
further diminutions.
That there 10 a difference OF opinion in the
army regarding the wisdom OF the present ex.
pertinent has long been obvious. one adverse
influence may have been that In the past year
there has been an unusual amount of applica.
lions Of white recruits. owing to the deprss-
sion In labor. so that no need OF relying upon
the red len has been felt. But II Is proba-
bly, safe to say that II the present experiment
should ever be fully abandoned the fault will
hA that of thu Inlf ana this m aalyaa IN a f0nnd
IN fact. that although some Of them took up
the proIect OF enlisting with a good deal Of en-
soldiers. and anienable to discipline, yet many
strsint. they are inclinsG 70 tax take %dvsn.
tage OF the law which allows the enlistment to
and Il 10 said that some even 'g purchase their
tribes has been rather difficult.
directed to the TACT that enlisted indians can
sometimes procure liquor from the neighbour
others on the next reservation. TO Agent
Cole OF the Colyille Agency. who reported the
pa4sd Fox. the Indian. ONCE replied that
Eek rSS t fSsd r b Slfss he
changed the laws iorbiddine such sales to the
red men Mr. Fox was arrested. and scq uitted
der the charge OF the Indian ONCE that it
- unlawful dispose OF eplfltuOub liquors
them. Commissioner Browning stated In his
last report that. as no whiskey or spirituous
liquors or wines are sold at tho post OK
changes. many Indian soldiers resorted to the
saloons which exist near army posts. and nj UGH
trouble was caused thereby.
1t is only fair to say. however, that there is
strong testimony from some garrisons as to
the general good conduct and soldierly char
acter Of the enlisted Indians.
Secretary lamont 10 his last report, indi-
Gated that the experiment with Indian com
panies would be continue !. IN order to give
than fair test: and yet We are not to look for
any effort to carry 1t out on larger scale. Gen.
ter In saving that leading object sought In
In enlistments was to furnish q safe out
let for the martial instincts OF the young men
OF the tribe. who. inheriting adventurous
path from the LEX Q, Is. such an out: out;
the last disturbance occurred among
the Crows. Gen Ruger. after suppressing IL,
suggested that one OF the best means OF avoid
ing its recurrence would.be to get some OF the
restleso young braves into the military service
OF the Government But mother purpose Of the
that Of Determining how far the Indian tribes.
relied on.
AS has been said. there are some very favor.
able reports OF the progress OF Indians as aol-
diers Some OF them are found to be very
discipline; one drawback Is the inability OF
many OF them TO speak and understand Eng
lish; II looks as II the question OF enlistinG
Indians on any large scale might be settled By
the lack OF desire OF the Ind ans TO- reenlist al
though. unless change in the whole system
may be found for long time yet In the SER
vice.