Allen In Congress

Although the Uongressman of this iitrlct has worked very hard since going 0 Washington in the interest of Iiíb contituents, and especially tor the oM soliers; and has always been on hand durng the sessions of Congress, lie haa not eeu attempting to get his name in the tecord every day for a speech. Occaionally he wilt take a live tilt with the democrats when tliey fret too obsteperous. Last Saturday Holman, the 'great objector," tried to shut liini off, whereupou the followiug running collo[uy took place: Mr. Allen of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I ara directed by the committee to isk unaniinous consent to offer an aaiend - ment increasing the salary of the agent at the Maokinac agency trom $1,000 to $1,500. Mr. Holman. I make the point of order that tliat salary is flxed by law, and therefore the amendment is not in order. The Chairmai). The gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Allen] asks unanimous consent to otter the nmendment indicated iv hun, and the gentleman from Indiana Mr. Holman] objects. Mr. Holman. I will witlihold the obection to allow the gentleman to make a itatement, but I liopo he will bear in niind the tact that the Indians over whoni ;his agency extends uie citizens of lila State, and volers. Mr. Allen, of Michigan. Mr. Cliair111:111, I am quite familiar with thu Indians of Michigan. I had charge of that agency until cireumstances over whlch I liad no control appointed my successor. [Laughter. ] When I was appointed agent at Mackinaw the salary was $1,200 a year, but it was cut down here on a motion made, I belleve, by the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Holman]. [Laughter.] The gentleman did not know me at that time. If he had known me as well as hc does now he never wonld have done it. [Renewed laughter.] Mr. Chairman, the State of Michigan has about six thousand Indians. Of these probably bout four thousand are under the control of the Government in one way or another. White they are citizens, still they are the wards of the nation in regard to lands, money, and schools. The Indians of Michigan are not only numerous, but they are scattered over every part of the State. You will find tbetn in the midst of the high civilizaron of Calhoun County, in the southern part of the State, and you will find them on Lake Superior, where they dweil by themselves. The agent is obliged to travel from one end of the State to the other to yisitthem all. There are six different Indian schools whlch he is obliged to look after. The work takes the entire time of a very competent man, and from the time I was appointed up to the present we have always had men of that kind. [I,ughter.] The agent must see to the allotment ot lands and to the 6Chool8. He must likewise look after denredaüons committed upon the lands of the Indians, who are constantly annoyed by persons stealing their timber, and the agent is really obliged to give hii entire time to the work, as I understanc the present agent is doing. Now, a com petent man will not and can not do that work for $1,000 a year. I shuuhl havt redgned myself ouly that I expeoted t come to Congress and have the matter riyhtfd. [Laujjhter.] Fifteen huudred dollars is oertainly litlle enough compensación for the agen there, becaose, as I have said, not only does he have to travel over the entire State of Michigan, but he must give his constant attention to the daties of his office. Tüe Connuissioner of Indian At fairs, wlio has, of course, investigatec this question, reports strongly in favor o increasing the salary of the agent a Mackinaw, and I speak what I know when I say that mi honest, conscientious industrious Indian agent is worthy of his hire. The Indian agencies ought never to be made political machines. The position ought to be occupled by men who can appreelate tl. e wants and the conditions of the Indians, and who have tht conscience and the manhood to stand 11 j for them. Mr. Ryan obtained the floor, anc yielded his time to Mr. Allen of Michigan. Mr. Allen, of Michigan. Mr. Chali man, Indian agenta have been accused o: being politidans. My friend from Iiull ana [Mr. Homlan] once, when I was Indlan agent in Michigan, had the hanlihood to say on this Hoor that the office was filled by a tirst-class politician, wlio gave more attention to politics than any thing else. While I was agent for the Indians of Michigan, Mr. Chairman, ] neither spoke to them myself upon po litical questions nor allowed any one else to do so; and if I were President of the United States I woul'J remove a man who undertook to interfere With the politics of the Indians, if they had any more quickly than for any other one cause. Such interference with the politics is not the business of an Iudiai agent, and my friend from Indiana never would have made that charge ajainst me had he known the laas. Mr. Nelsor.. Or the man. Mr. Allen, of Michigan. Yes, or the man. [Laughter.] The present ageri there, I am satisiled, is working fnithfullj to do his duty, and I believe it is but a matter of justice to give hlm a Balar] somethiiig near what the dutles of the office demand. My own salary was cu down without inquiry, upon assertions which were not true, although I know the honorable gentleman from Indiana would not state anything knowins? it to be untrue; but he was misinfonned. TIn circumstauces connected with this agencj do not justify the continuasce of si meagre a salary as $1,000 a year, and ] hope this democratie House will consen to give that democratie official who is serving as Indian agent there a salary oi $1,500. 1 am not afrald to vote to pay men properly for their services where they are in positions to earn their salarie? as is the case of the man who has cliargu of the Macklnac agency. Mr. Ryan. Will the gentleman be kind enough to state how many Indians are under the control of that agency ? Mr. Allen, of Michigan. There are two reservations in Michigan, and about forty-five hundred Indians under the control to a greater or less extent of the agent. The agency is very large. The duties connected with the distribution of lands and money and the supervisión of the six Indian schools make that a very important position ; and it has never, so far as I know, been a political place. Mr. Uvan. What is the amount of money and property diatributed annunlly the! Mr. Allen, of Michigan. To one band of Indiaus, a remnant of the Pottawatoniies, there is a perpetual annuity of $400; to another band there isdistributed $2,200 a year; but this isdistributed not in cash but in goods which are purchased by the agent. In addition to these matters, the agent has charge of the Indian schools, the allotments of land.-, and the protection of these lands from trespassers which is a very important item. When I was aLnt there I paid attention more particularly to the education of the Iudians. The present agent has given more attention to the prevention of trespassing upon the Indian lands than I did. He has done his duty in that respect, and I give liiin credit for It. I think he oughr. to have the salary I now propose. If I live long enough, I expect to compel the Government of the United States to pay me what it agreed to pay me when I took charge of that agency; and I expect my friend from Indiana to help me in bringing about that result. The Government owes me about $500. [Laughter.] Mr. Holman. Mr. Chairman, I think the fact that my friend from Michigan [Mr. Allen] held the office now under consideraron ata salary less than he proposes to pay - Mr. Allen, of Michigan. Allow me a moment. The salary of the office when 1 took it was nol less. It was cut down after I got in. Mr. Holman. While the gentleman occupled the office C'ongress, not knowlng :iow well the position was tilled, reduced he salary. I agree with my friend from Michigan, that if we had known at that ;ime Hint he held the office and how well te filled it no such effort at reduction would have been made. Yet there Is compensation in all this. My friend from that office comes here to Congress and recelyes a much better salary. A Merober. Tpe ludían a.m-iicy was a tepaing-RtoDe. Mr. IIüluiHii. The nducement for íoldinj? an office of ttils kind should not e a pure y mercenary one. The motive for taklng the position should be not so nucli tlie salary, bnt sucli a motive as inluenced my tiiend from Michigan. I lope he will beur In mimi that the offices nnght all to be held from h motive of that dnd, for the benefit of these "wards of the nation," as they are called. These ogitlons whicli involve the care of the [ndians should be held by benevolent, kind-hearted gentlemen, who syuipathize with the utifortunatc condilion of the9e remnuiits of once powcrful tribes - gentlemen who feel iiH curncst interest in the education of the Indfan cbildren and want to protect the Imlians from the ra);icity ainl injustice of tho white man. It ís tliis tl asa of men who slionld hokl these ollices; and now, sincf I havo come t know the gentleman from Michigan, I ciin bear testimony that he carne fully u] to the qua'.iticatlons reqnisite for au Iu(lillll Hl'llt. I do not wish to soe u motive licUl out to seek tliese positions for the purpose of iimking money. On the contrary, these offices should be held by men who teel intcrested in tliis work- clerjrynien, for instance - thoogb I helieve my frieiul from Michiirnn is not aclergyman. Tliere can be foun 1, however, all over the country lerymeD who would be glad to sx-nd their livcs as missionaries to the lmlimis, doing everything possible for their welfare, md desiriu as a {eueral tliinr notiiintr more In the way of compenMtton than the payment of tiieir cur-, rent expenses. Uuriiifr this little test of mettlc when Capt. Allen made bis point so well, there was tbc usual noisc and contusión in the room, but his msgnlficent voice could bc heard above it all, and it whs deeided that the (tcntleman from the Second District of Michigan had the best lungs in Congress.