Year: 1873

The INDIAN Agents AND TRADERs.-
The Indian has no means of knowing how
much in value or how many presents of
any particular kind the Government, the
" Great Father as he terms X, has sent
him. For knowledge on this point he must
accept the statement of the agent. The
goods sent by the Government are general
y those which would most please an In
dian's fancy. The Indian trader usually
keeps goods of a similar character. The
trader is most frequently a particular
friend Of the agent, often associated with
him in business, and in many instances
holds his position of trader at the instance
of the agent. They are always located
near each other The trader is usually
present at the distribution of annuities.
If the agent, instead of distributing to the
Indians all of the goods intended for them
by the Government, only distributes one
half and retains the other half, who is to
be the wiser? Not the Indian, defrauded
though he may be, for he is ignorant of
how much is coming to him The word of
the agent is his only guide He may COM
plain little; express some disappont-
ment at the limited amount of presents,
and intimate that the Great Father "
has dealt out,the annuities with a sparing
hand; but the agent explains it by re-
ferring to some depredations which he
knows the tribe to have been guilty of in
times past or if he is not aware Of any
particular instance of guilt, be charges
them generally with having committed
such acts, knowing one can scarcely 90
amiss in accusing a tribe Of occasionally
Staying a white man, and ends up his
charge by informing them that the Great
Father" learning OF these little Irregular


tiles in their conduct, and being panied
greatly thereat, felt compelled to reduce
their allowance of blankets, sugar, coffee,
etc, when at the same time the missing
portion of said allowance is safely secured
in the store-house Of the agent near by.
Well, but how can he enrich himself in
this manner? it may be asked By SIM


ply, and unseen by the Indians, transfer
ring tbs unissued portion of the annuities
from his government store-house to the
trading establishment of his friend the
trader. There the boxes are unpacked
and their contents spread out for barter
with the Indians The latter, in gratify-
ing their wants, are forced to purchase
from the trader at prices which are scores
of times the value of the article offered


| have seen Indians dispose of buffalo
robes to traders, which were worth from
fifteen to twenty dollars each, and get in
return only ten to twenty cups of brown
sugar, the entire value Of which did not
exceed two or three dollars. This is one
of the ways agents and traders have of
amassing sudden wealth. l have known
the head chief of tribe to rise in a coun-
ell in the presence Of other chiefs and of
officers of the army, and accuse his agent,
then present, of these or similar dishonest
practices. Is it to be wondered at that
the position of trader among the Indians
is greatly sought after by men determined
to become rich, but not particular as to
the manner of doing so? Or is it to be
wondered at that army officers, who are
often made aware of the injustice done the
Indian vet are powerless to prevent it, and
who trace many of our difficulties with the
Indians to these causes, should urge the
abolishment of system which has proven


itself SO fruitful in fraud and dishonest


dealing towards those whose interests it


should be their duty to protect


GALAXY.