The Washington times., 1903-09-30
Indian Territory Scandals.
Present Methods to Unearth Them Not
Promising Ones.

an able, honest and fearless man, we
dc not think it possible for him to
make successful investigation of the
scandals in the Indian Territory by
sub-delegating the work, or any part
Of it, to theoretical reformers, ideal
lists, and civil service moralizers who
take up a good deal of space in de-
esying magazines with articles full of
vapid liquidity and absolutely devoid
Of common sense. These individuals
are very pompous in their self-impor-
tanee. The mercury stands high in
them. They are like Pau-Puk-Keewis
in "Hiawatha" -larger than the other
beavers. They are so far above most
Of US that we can't get horizontal
view of them-at least they think SO.
The Government needs the services
OF men who will get down to business
in common sense, business-hke way;
who know the difference between the
credit and debit side of a ledger; who
ere familiar with the methods Of the
Dawes Commission; who will be able
to discover whether the Tribal Devel-
opment Company was organized sole
ly for the purpose of taking care Of
the Indian" as is claimed, or for the
benefit, financial and otherwise, of GER
tain Federal oficeholders, including a
few United States district attorneys
end marshals.
1t is charged that the Dawes Com
mission has spent more than ten years
III doing what ought to have required
but half that time to accomplish; that
it costs the Government nearly $780,
GOO year to maintain it, while it pur-
sues its innocent diversion Of killing
time and perpetuating the jobs of the
Inen who compose it; that it spends
more time and thought on affairs of
lean and development" companies
than upon its official duties, and, "a
one of our contemporaries puts it, SIS
milestone around the necks of 500,-
600 American people and $4,000 In
dams"
Whether these and numerous other
allegations concerning the commits
sion, individually or collectively, ar,
true, Mr.. Bonaparte's investigation
will develop.
1t has been said, perhaps somewhat
rneharitably, that the commission
will never be abolished, as it affords q
convenient dumping ground fol
broken-down politicians, and, as one
of our Western friends declares, ths
desire to take care of certain clam,
dHeks" was perhaps as potent fac
] tor in the creation of the commission
as any other one thing" Whethel
the commission Is to 90 on forever, OF
whether the real purpose of its crea
tion was or was not to take care" o.
broken down politicians, we shall no
undertake to say, but certain 1t Is tina
the annual expenses Of that body ar
a heavy drain upon the public treas
ury.
The itemized statement of expendi
lures of the commission for the fsca
year ended June 80, 1902, shows
total of $27s,o22.4S, Excluding tn
salaries of the four commissioner
| 500, 700, the amount paid for salarie
Of employees was $1S2,975.42. Trav
cling expenses of commissioners am
employees, including field parties
amounted to SS,9O1.27. Subsistence
of employees Of field parties COS
! $40, 699.57; and express charges wer
81, 705.97; mules, horses, wagons
tents, camp equipment, furniture
etc, we find $l1 ,645.73. For print
ing, binding, and stationery, in ope
market, S6,948.52 was expended; 70
repairs of surveying instrument!
, typewriters, wagons, harness, etc
$2,063.09; for incidental Office an
field expenses, such as ice, coal OF
/ axle grease, soap and fuel, 81 ,3l5.6l
: for forage for stock Of headquarters
9 and field parties, Sl4,4O437. 1t seem
that the contract purchases amounte
: only to 1888, for "typewriters, tow
2 els, feather busters, etc"
, 1t is possible, of course, that II
: commission found it more practical
s to purchase horses, mules, an
J, wagons, forage and axle-grease
+ open market, and to invite bids f.
b. feather busters; and the astute inve
y tigator may find that the FEEDERS
( statutes were not violated by tn.
. method of doing business. But pas
: ing over the charges of extravaganza
0 of incompetency, the frittering ava
I