The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-06-05
UNCLE SANS INDIANS.
An O@cial Estimate Of Their Cost
to the Government.

| DiAsult and Intricate Problsm This
Uas Never Been Attempted Before
WARFARE with the
Rsdmen.
In the complete Indian census report
just published, an interesting attempt
made for the first time to cast up i
figures an aggregate of the governmen
expenditures on account of the red mel
residing within our borders since tn
union was established in 1889. The re
suit of this remarkable attempt indi
Gates in the statistics presented tina
the gigantic sum of one billion on
hundred and five million odd dollar
($1, los, ,219 1917 was spent by the govern
ment up to the year 1890, either upo,
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 tn.
official figures given, it is safe to say
that up to June 80, 1895, a further sun
of $114, ,780,62S may be added to tn,
foregoing figures, making grand ug
Rregate Of 81 ,25o, ,000, 900 chargeable t
Indians to date.
The problem, says the Washington
Star, is such difficult and intricate
one that it has never been attempted
before. The prime factors entering in
to the problem are: % The expenses o.
the wars waged between the fedora
government and the Indian tribes since
the date mentioned and the mainten
ance of our standing army in the vicin
ity OF the resorva tions; (2) the claims
of the states for indemnity for ex
Penses incurred in repellirg Indian in
vasions; (3) the civil and educational ex,
penses incurred on account of Indians,
and az 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 1859. 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 1000. 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 di-
rectly or indirectly to the Indians The
total expenses of the army from 1899
to 1890 were found to be s4,725, 521, ,495;
but deducting 1854, ,911 ,0O7 for the for
eign wars and the civil war. the re-
ma,nder is s1,21O,610,4ss. Fully two
thirds of this sum, or $so7 ,01s, ,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 s359, ,944 ,0s2, and
SIC, ,000, 900 more to reimburse particular
states for expenses incurred by them
in Indian wars, and &os, 1901 .632 more
for pensions to survivors or widows of
Indian wars, and then the total foots
up to 81 ,1O5, ,219,372 Counting in, as
suggested above, s144, ,7s0, ,6oS for civil
expenses and a proper
tionate share of the army expenses
since 1890, the grand total becomes
81, ,250, ,00O, 900 "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 IL, 900 white
men, women and children, including
about 5000 killed in individual encoun-
ters, of which. history takes no note,
and of 0,00o Indians, including $500
killed in personal encounters.
It has been the policy of the national
government since the year 1928 to re-
fund to the states and territories the
paid out by them in suppressing
Indian hostilities. This liability is
based on the fact that the federal gov
has treated the Indians either
IS 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
aumber supposed to have lived in the
past. the census editor says: 1T is not
probable that the present area of the
United States since the white man came
has contained at one time more than
;OO, 900 Indians. High estimates were
made in the early days, but the average
.ven then was about 1000, 600. In 1890
vc have 24S, 1853 civilized and uncivilized
indians. Through almost four CEN
many of these Indians are still rcsis,ing
progress. There are not 10 tribes out
# any of the 200 or more now in the |,
United States but that have been in |
evolt, and those existing as tribes are
low remnants, with few exceptions,
90 poor or too few to fight, or they con-
ider it too dangerous.
Woman's Work. /
Women were the first shoemakers. !