San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-08-21
UNCLE SANS INDIANS.
An Official Estimate Of Their Cost
to the Government.
A Difficult and Intricate Problem That
Has Never Been Attempted Before
Warfare with the
Redmen.

lust published, an interesting attempt is
made for the first time to cast up in
figures an aggregate of the government
expenditures on account of the red men
residing within our borders since the
union was established in 1889. The re-
suit of this remarkable attempt indi-
Gates in the statistics presented that
the gigantic sum of one billion one
hundred and five million odd dollars
(S1, Jos, 219, 1870 was spent by the govern
ment up to the year 1890, either upon
the Indian directly, or indirectly be-
cause of Indians. Counting in, how
ever, the civil and military expenses
for Indians since then, together with in
cidental expenses not recognized in the
official figures given, it is safe to say
that up to June 80, 1895, further sum
of s114, 1898 may be added to the
foregoing figures, making grand ag-
gregate of 81, $50, 000,0 900 chargeable to
Indians to date.
The problem, says the Washington
Star, is such a difficult and intricate
one that it has never been attempted
before. The prime factors entering in
to the problem are: ~ The expenses of
the wars waged between the federal
government and the Indian tribes since
the date mentioned and the mainten-
ance of our standing army in the vicin-
ity of the resorva tons; (2) the claims
of the states for indemnity for ex-
penses incurred in repelling Indian in
vasions; (3) the civil and educational ex
penses incurred on account of Indians,
and (4) the cost of pensions to the sur
vivors or widows of soldiers serving in
Indian wars.
OF course, a large amount of treasure
was spent in wars with the American
Indians prior to the establishment of
the federal government in 1889. In
deed, ever since the white man ap-
peared within the present territory of
the United States there has been war
almost continually, beginning on the
Pacific side in 1889, and on the Atlantic
side soon after the year 1900. Since the
founding of our government the
United States army, except when en-
gagged in the wars with Great Britain
and Mexico, and during the civil war,
has been used almost exclusively in
the Indian service, and has been sta
toned largely in the Indian country or
along the frontier.
In their calculation the Indian census
| experts omit the army expenses Incl
dent to the wars with England and
Mexico, and the civil war, with it's
sequel of reconstruction, and safely
counts two-thirds of the total ex-
penses of the army as cbargeable d.
rectly or indirectly to the Indians. The
total expenses Of the army from 1880
to 1890 were found to be s4,725, 521, 495;
but deducting sS,514, 911, O07 for the for
eign wars and the civil war, the re-
mainder is s1,21O,610,4s9. Fully two
thirds of this sum, or ss07, 073, 65s, it is
estimated, was expended for Indian
wars and for army service against the
Indians.
To this sum the census experts add
the expenses of the Indian civil admin
istration for the period between 1889
and 1890, amounting to 1855, 944, 0S2, and
1000, 900 more to reimburse particular
states for expenses incurred by them
in Indian wars, and 2S,201 1882 more
for pensions to survivors or widows of
Indian wars. and then the total foots
up to 81, los, 219,372. Counting in, as
suggested above, s144, $50, 62s for civil
administration expenses and proper
tionate share of the army expenses
since 1890, the grand total becomes
81, ESQ. 900, OO0-a billion and quarter
of dollars.
The Indian wars under the govern
ment of the United States are stated to
have numbered more than 40, and to
have cost the lives of about 10, 900 white
men, women and children, including
about 5000 killed in individual encoun-
tiers, of which history takes no note,
and of 10000 Indians, including $500
killed in personal encounters.
,, 1t has been the policy of the national
; government since the year 1928 to re-
fund to the states and territories the
moneys paid out by them in suppressing
Indian hostilities. This liability is
!, based on the fact that the federal gov
eminent has treated the Indians either
as nations or as wards of the nation,
!. thus keeping them from control by the
several states.
Speaking of the number of Indians
now in the United States, as shown by
!, the reports of special agents, and the
number supposed TO have lived in the
}. past, the census editor says: ut is moi
8 probable that the present area of the
United States since the white man came
has contained at one time more thar
100000 Indians. High estimates were
made in the early days, but the averag,
@ even then was about 100000 In 1881
a we have 24s, 1853 civilized and uncivilizet
i Indians. Through almost four cen
: turtles warlike bands have resisted, ant
. many of these Indians are still resisting