Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-14
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
MAKING FIGHT AGAINST
COMMISSIONERS.
WOULD REMOVE DEPARTMENT
FROM CIVIL SERVICE
Interesting Hearing Before House
Committee Develops Antasonism by
Democrats Against Present Conduct
Of Affairs Of Red Msn-Assnts
Charged With Brutal Tactics.
Especial correspondence

Especial correspondence
Washington, April 1.-THE long ex-
pected attack on the board of Indian
commissioners has opened before. the
senate committee on Indian affairs. The
icommittee is engaged with the. Indian
Appropriation bill and motion OF
Senator Townsend. Of Michigan, to in
crease to $4,000 the appropriation of
$4,000 recommended by the house for
the use aof the board furnishes the
technical excuse for the discussion.
Daily hearings given by the committee
for more than week have made 1t evil
dent that the administration is eager to
reorganize the Indian bureau complete
ly: to relieve it of what Commissioners
Cato Sells and the democratic senator's
apparently regard as the handicap of
the civil law, to save it the possible
embarrassment CT criticisms by the
board of Indian commissioners and
generally to give the new commits
sioner a free hand to administer Indian
affairs as he pleaGes, with such sub
ordinatesE throughout the service as he
may choose to appoint. From the
democratic point Of view the effort will
be to give commissioner Sells full
power and hold him responsible for a
new Indian policy. Others may take
different view. among them the board
of Indian commissioners.
Boards Character Admitted.
The testimony of all witnesses as
to the high character of the board fs
unanimous Indeed. it has been said
repeatedly by senators and others OK
high character Of the men composing
the board has warranted continuance
of that distinguished body in existence
The board was established in 1859 by
President Grant virtually to formulate
an Indian policy for the government.
1t is an unpaid body appointed by the
president, without other power than OF
recommendation 1t is not even
bureau or division, of any department,
but, as the official declaration OF its
status reads, sis purposely kept reason
ably independent and afforded oppor-
tunity for Investigation in order that
it may freely express an intelligent and
impartial. opinion concerning Indian
legislation and administration.
The board is composed as follows:
Chairman, George Vaux, Jr., OF Phila-
sdelphia: Merrill E. Gates. of Washing
ton: William D. Walker. OF Bunalo;
Warren K Monrehead. OF Andover,
Mass: Samuel A. Elliott, Of Boston;
Frank Knox Of Manchester, n. H.:
Edward e. Aver. of Chicago; Rev Fr.
William II Ketchau, OF Washington;
Daniel Smiley. of Mohonk Lake. n. y;
and Isidore E. Dockweiler of Los An
geles, Cal. The secretary is F. H. ABB
bott, OF Washington. former Assistant
commissioner Of Indian affairs.
Neglect Of Duty Charged.
The testimony in the hearings so FAR
has developed no sins Of commission
on the part of the board but rather has
tended to charge the board with neglect
of duty in. failing to correct the many
admitted evils Of Indian administra-
ton. 1t was opened with statement
of Mrs. Laura Cornelius Kellogg,
highly educated woman Of seven
eighths Indian blood. who informed
the committee that she had no desire
to place at the door Of the board all
that has befallen the Indian. In fact.
Mrs Kellogg acknowledged that Ger
tain part Of the Indians misfortune has
been due to his own reticence rather
than to any one outside. A year ago
Mrs Kellogg addressed the committee
lin behalf Of the board. and she ex-
plained her change OF heart partly ny
criticizing the appointment Of Mr.. Alb
bott to the secretaryship. Now as |
think Of 1T" said Mrs. Kellogg, my
Impressions Of this board came from
nv personal knowledge of Warren X
Moorehead, of Andover, and Father
Ketcham. I was convinced they knew
the actual conditions among the race
land that they deplored them no less
than did. looked forward to marked
achievement on the part Of these. able
men and of the organization to which
they belonged. SO thoroughly did be-
iiieye inf this type of men In our affairs
Itha, even incorporated in my re-
formed measure under the Loloma1
industrial community similar board
TO- take the. place of the bureau.
Indian Woman Raps Bureau.
"My convictions then was that the
bureau needed supervision more than
the Indian. And with all due respect
to the neW commissioner. and his as
sistanr-in whom we have the utmost
cOnfidenceaI am not yet convinced thai
/ am wrong. I do know for fact that
even witha,a right disposition on the
part OF the heads of the bureau, great
pains are heing taken by some Of his
subordinates to misinforn him as to
the actual in the field"
Mrs Kellogg recounted several Of the
"Ihdeous facts" in the Indian situation
which, shsSsaid must now be reckoned
with as emergencies. Many Indians
are starring. The Blackfeet of Mon
tana are no better off this year thar
they wereaAast. though the agent has
wired to the Secretary OF the Interior
that everything is prosperous with
them. Among the Yankton Siouxs OF
South Dakota the same conditions pre-
vail; aged; Indians who were rich In
lands andfin many instances had money
on depositt.at the agency died of want
Affect poverty exists among the Creeks
Of Oklahoma. Among the Crows, Mrs
Kellogg was informed. there Is wan,
o~A sato ryatfon ac a direct result OF