The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-25

congress. Finally plan giving secu.
lar school control to the government
was accepted ~ President Harrison
administration
under Commissioner Morgan very
efficient system of education had been
organized; the appropriations have
been very considerably increased and
| If, under the present administra ton,
| the work is carried on as efficiently
| and vigorously as it was under the
| last. there is no reason why in four
years from now there should not be
substantial educational provision
| under the federal government for the
education of all Indian children of
suitable age who are, or recently have
been. on the reservations.
What further reforms, doctor, are
asked for by the friends of the
Indians?'
''The next step is to secure practical
civil service reform in the Indian de-
partment. Everything, of course, de-
ponds on the personnel of the agents
and their subordinates. Under Gen.
Harrisons administration the civil
service reform rules were extended to
the school-teachers in the Indian sery-
ice. which was distinct gain
''Do yo4l think the civil service rules
should be applied in the selection of
the agents?''
''It is not practicable, in my judg
ment, to extend those rules to t. e In
dian agent. The agent must be Sc
lected for qualities which cannot be
got at by competitive examination.
But, under the last administration, the
appointments were made on thor
oughly bad principle. The commits
sioner of Indian affairs was never con-
suited q believe not in single in
stance) in respect to the appointment
of any agent. The principle of what
was called home rule was adopted by
the secretary of the interior, under
which the Indian agents We're appoint
on the nomination or request of the
local politicians in the state or terri
tory in which the reservation, over
which the agent exercises an almost
despotic control, was situated. Some
very incompetent agents were APP
pointed. When an Indian war was
threatened one of them ran away from
his post and did not come back until he
came with the army.
What is now desired by all friends
of the Indians is that President Cleve-
land shall appoint an Indian commits
sioner who is familiar with the Indian
work and the men in the field, and
shall allow him to weed out the incom-
petent and unworthy agents, and en-
courage him to keep in their places all
the agents that are competent and
worthy, regardless of politics.
Before the Inauguration of Presi-
dent Cleveland number of gentlemen
headed by myself waited upon him at
Lakewood in the interests of Indian
service reform.
"Mr. Cleveland thoroughly approved
of the general principle we laid down
He also asked US to suggest some
names for Indian commissioner, and |
believe some names were afterwards
given to him by the deputation- We
also suggested TO Mr.. Cleveland that
the Indian agents should be appointed
on the grounds of competency and
without regard to politics. We also
urged the extension and development
of the educa tional system"
What would be the qualifications of
an acceptable Indian agent?'
First of all. the agent should be a
man Of thorough honesty, with a real
interest IN the moral and intellectual
development of the Indian race. He
should be a man Of affairs, with a
strong and resolute viii, 50 that he
can be neither coerced nor hattered
ont OF the performance Of his duty.
either bv the Indians on the one hand,
or by unscrupulous whites on the
other.
Moreover, the position could be ele-
waited bv giving the agent higher
compensation and holding him - a
strict accouz liability. bu: while nv i-a-
preston is that the salaries Of the
agent. ought 10 be increased. / Is not
much 10 do tha. unless the government /
first establishes the principle % look !
for the best men for the Office
Aside from the Lake Mohonk cor I
ference. doctor, what other organiza- !
ti0ns are there whose aim il j. 20 b. |
friend the Indian
There Is an Indian Rights ssso-cia- /
ton. with headquarters a. Ph5lzdel- I
phia. under the secrctaryship Of Her 4
bert WEIGH. Then there IS Ladies 4
Indian Rights association Of which /