The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-07
HITCHCOCK ID
 PRIEST. GARRETT Secretary of Interior Replies to
 Charges in Letter AN INVESTIGATION MADE Was Already We'll Aware of State of Affairs in Indian Reservations,
 and Had Dismissed Officials
 for Crooked Practices.

Washington, September 6.-The following letter from Secretary Hitchcock to Philip C. Garrett, president of the Indian Rights association. was written on the 29th ultimo. The secretary has not yet re- ceived a reply from MT. Garrett. but under the circumstances feels at liberty to make 1t public:
 Department of the Interior,
 Washington, D. C., Aug. 29. Hon. Philip c. Garrett, President In-
 dian Rights association, 135 Arch street,
 Philadelphia:
 "Sir-I have received yours dated Alan dar. Mass. August 25. replying to mine of the 20th. instant, and quote the first paragraph of the same as follows:
 :" I am away from home. as I have been much of the summer. and I do not recall exactly how the copies of MT. Brosius' letter were sent out. "
 This is in reply to my letter of the goth to you. which was as follows:
 ' Upon my return to the city on yes terday, find your letter of the 18th in- stant enclosing a letter from your Wash ihB tpn dBtnts D. M. iet OSiuSt Niiitn ldSl you state seems to me (you) to present grave Irregularities on the part of of ficials appointed by the government which have tendency to wrong the Indians-the very wards of the nation whom they are appointed to protect; and I take liberty of submitting a copy Of it to you In order that, if thought proper by you, the subject ha offio
 Want of information.
 Before replying fully to your letter as above acknowledged. { will thank you to kindly inform me wissther or not the widespread publicauoi Fin the press of the country. on or abo,s. the date of your letter to me enclosing said letter. was au- thorized by yourself or any officer of your association.
 My purpose in thus addressing you was to ascertain whether or not you had authorized, or were aware of the fact, that the letter of MT. Brosius enclosed with yours to me of the 18th, which 1 city on the 18th. had been given wide spread circulation throughout the coun- try, and before 1 had had an opportunity to make any reply, as much as the publi- cation seems to me as being most dis courteous under the circumstances; hence my inquiry, which, as a matter of cour- tesy. l deemed due to yourself.
 II sincerely regret that you cannot now recall exactly how the copies of Mir. Brosius' letter were sent out.
 Returning, now, in further reply to yours of the 18th instant. 1 note with pleasure, your desire not to exaggerate any of the evils in the administration of the Indian bureau, and beg to state that the grave irregularities on the part of the officials appointed by the govern ment, with which you seem to have teen impressed by the report made to you by MT Brosius have, for months past. had my personal attention, thus antici- pating your courteous request that this subject be officially investigated.
 Investigation in May.
 This investigation was made by me while on a visit to Indian Territory in May, as the result of which certain re- movals from office by dismissal and en- forced resignation, resulted and upon my return here amended rules and reg ulations were prepared and issued on July 10, the purpose of which was to more fully protect the Creek Indians in the matter of sales of their lands None of the original dc eds for the sale of lands under the inherited act, nor of lands in the Creek nation, have been, up to that time. nor since, approved.
 ''On the contrary, in the matter of the sale of inherited land under the sealed bid order we are receiving. in many cases. from 15 per cent to 125 per cent advance over the original price rendered f<@,- 1.,,
 .'The interests of the Indians have not been neglected by the department as in- directly charged by MT. Brosus, whose report I do not care to further discuss. because the accusations therein contained are to receive a full and rigid investi- gation.
 'They have been promptly denied and such investigation demanded by the mem- bers of the Dawes commission and In- spector Wright. who are, of course, en- titled to be presumed innocent in the meantime.
 Willing to Accept Assistance.
 This department is. and always has been more than ready and willing to ac- cept the assistance of your association in ascertaining and rectifying any irregular ities it may discover. or believe to exist. when properly presented and substantial ed, and is always glad to do anything to- ward the betterment, in all respects of the Indian wards of the government
 "There are, however, proper and i'm proper methods of procedure and I think that it was not only unjustifable. but discourteous to me. and unfair to them to publish broadcast to the world the ma teriai gathered by MT. Broslns without further verifcation, and without his hav- ing afforded to the officials. whose repu- taton he attacked. any opportunity to explain what seemed to him objectiona ble. This department does further maintain that its inspectors and other officials should have respect and confidence until a clear case Is made against them; aud that the present policy of dealing with the Indians is the result of accumulated experience and is being pursued intelli- gently and vigorously with view to the Indians best interests. Your obedient servant,