The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-03-08

very careful attention to the I24th page Of
the late Agent Lynch's letter book. The
letter from whish quote is addressed TO
the Indian commissioner, and Is dated
April IL, 1892:
From all can learn at present there
are but lew families that have any flour,
meat or provisions Of any kind, except
dried roots and 6sh. As a class they
have no money and nothing to sell but
ponies, and there is no market for them
now. While the majority of them dress
as civilized people, only a few Of them
speak English. and an interpreter is re-
quired to converse with them, very few
cases excepted. They make great preten.
sions when talking in council or with the
agent as to civilization and advancement,
but upon acquaintance and visiting them
as they live. I find a very different state
OF affairs. From reports OF former agents
and also some OF the employees, find
them very different from what was led
to believe during the FIRST few months
after assuming my duties here nearly
year ago.
II found the physicians reports we're
grossly misleading and when made my
annual report last July, IL was to great
extent received from the reports Of former
agents and employees in service. Such re-
ports have tendency to create erroneous
Impressions, and the agent, unless very
careful, is deceived; consequently your
office and the public obtain wrong idea
as to the true condition Of the Indians.
was under the impression that could
undoubtedly suppress the practice OF The
Indian doctors in a few weeks, but find
there is not dozen Indians on the reser.
walton that do not believe in the Indian
doctors and | cannot get an Indian court
or policeman but what is afraid of them. {"
The letter from which | have Just
quoted was written before the ex-agent
had been ordered to ".ake walk" The
letter in the Republic was written after
he had taken the walk. There is as much
difference in these two letters as there is
in that old familiar picture-"before and
after taking"
He says further: SIT is unfortunate
for all concerned il the Indians are to be
misrepresented before the department"
/ think so, too, Mr.. Lynch; and why
did you write direct to the department
and tell them that your "office and the
public obtain wrong idea as to the true
condition OF the Indians. There is not
dozen eiriii,ed Indians on this recreation I"
Imagine l can hear you say: "Consis-
tency, thou art jewelw
| would like to quote from many other
letters, especially one Of fifteen pages
written to the Indian commissioner, June
8, 1893, just sixteen days before was APP
pointed, in which Mr.. Lynch discusses
the condition of the Indians at the gap;
but have written enough to show the
Rentleman's inconsistency and that 1t
does not lay in bis mouth to criticise my
official actions. l sm willing to compare
records with him at any time.
As to the sale of the fishery, 1t was
agreed to, and 275 signatures obtained,
and all the papers had gone to Washing
ton long before the much-talked-of DOW
WOW at the gap. WAS one Of the COM
missioners appointed by the secretary OF
the interior to negotiate the treaty We
agreed to give the Indians 1900 and
allot the Wenatcbee Indians so acres of
land apiece. There were l25 Of them re-
ported to us and these would require TO-
900 acres of land. We have, therefore,
agreed to give 10000 acres of land and
so, 900 in cash. The matter is now before
congress and have no further connection
with it.
In all my connection with this Wenat-
shapau fishery from the survey to the
sale, am satisfied, and so is the depart
ment. II Jay Lynch is dissatisfied am
sorry, for know his dissatisfaction will
make President Cleveland very sad.
Respectfully, l.. T. ERWIN,
u. s. Indian Agent,