The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-02
UPON HITCHC0CK'S BACKBONE
Depends the Future of the Indian
SilnIt Business

Guthrie .. T., Jan. 1.-The controversy
| between the Commissioner of Indian At
fairs and the Wild West showmen, des-
cribed in recent dispatches from Wash
ington. is not new During the Harrison
administration Commissioner Morgan
made some effort to shake his bureau
free from its theatrical partnership, but
failed because he was not supported by
the the secretary OF the interior, Mr..
Noble The present secretary, Mr.. Hitch
cock, is understood to have given mis- con-
sent. if not his active encourag cement, to
Commissioner Jones' purpose TO join issue
with the showmen and have the question
once and forever settled; but the show
men profess great confidence that, when
they shall have brought their Influence"
to bear, Mr.. Hitchcock will be found as
complaisant as the best of his predeces-
sors.
Perhaps he will; but he must b emade
of softer stuff than is generally supposed
if it is not his resentment rather than his
good nature which they Will stir by this
threat Any one as familiar with public
affairs as we may presume Mr.. Hitchcock
to be knows that Influence" is the last
trump held in reserve by political gam
bier in a game where all the odds of
merit are against him. It is safe. from
the moment this comes into play. to as
sumo that there is nothing Of value be-
nina it, To talk to q public officer about
forcing him to do that which he has con-
demned on moral grounds is pretty fair
test of his spirit if nothing else; for it
means that he can be cajoled Of fright
ened. and no imputation touches human
self-respecr upon a more sensitive spot,
To give the showmen their due there
are responsible and irresponsible men
among them. as among other classes.
Some have dealt fairly with the Indians
from the beginning. paying them good
wages furnishing them with abundant
food and comfrtable shelter. and keeping
them as far as pssible out Of the reach Of
vicious associations. Every Indian these
men have taken from a reservation has
been returned to it within the contract
period in good condition and without ex-
pense either to himself or to the govern
ment. They nave regarded all this as a
matter of course. One instance IS known.
indeed, where. a weak combination hav-
ing been stranded a long distance from
home. the proprietor Of a -iva! enterprise
offered TO, pay out of his own purse all
the cost of returning the Indians to their
reservations. not from any Ideaustic mo-
tive. but for the general credit OF the
show business.
It is not. therefore, from any fear Of
breach OF agreement that Commissioner (
Jones has decided TO withhold his consent (
10 use the Indians for exhibition pur-
poses in the future The trouble les FUR
ther back IN the moral effect % this prac- F..
tice upon the Indians Fifteen of twenty +
years ago there may have been some /!
force N me reason ng that TO take q group +.
Of Indians away from thel- reservation IN f
the thirly settled west introduce them .
into ;he heart Of white CIVILIZATION ard /
show them the wonders accomplished By +
human labor and thrift. had wholesome (
effect nos oaly on them. bal on all the /
uas-nac-z 81 their tribe with whom they
came in -r-act upon the'r return They
wee thus convinced ~ yhe folly ~ at
tempting "a cone with the government IN
war. or IN withstand the advance ~
n 1ie-n civilization Even then. the II
dians. here and JGe-e. wAo travelled q
tn. cas. were disSel3evci when jhlv ~
turned 10 s,la,- reservations The saying
Is stig sscals5 ~ ar cid cAieC vhe .si .
been saaea 50 she top e. a hotel IL al
elevator. when sst back 10 ny Pc pls
ana tel then taat ( was 1ul iBto Hta.s
square room vita IS wall a.. made Of
AKA TIA: as soou as v--s E
inside II rose wtsa me lrto tle air. 20
height far above the top os the ta-le~t
tre2 ia.c,ir sarc-s VIII .hey believe me-
Ne fhey Tf ~. me taa1 ,hee- kros ehst
I O. IS, saea1 - ,.e % -Een. Bug taAs
I L>rc been Gecs.ve1-ch4t some enc has
M = n-eEsrlae s,fc-e rg eyes and -aGe
ne ,a.nE "a sa1se ia-Gss. a1t l.-a1
I Cd a.. sea-v see them.
A me facilities for travel reached fGE- !