Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-07
INDIAN AGENTS CONFER
The Meeting Today With Interior Depart-
ment Officials.
An Interchange of Views Relative to
the Experiences In MannE-
Ing the Red Men.

A conference was held at the office of
the Secretary of the Interior this afternoon
between the Secretary of the Interior.
Judge Browning, commissioner Of Indian
affairs, and the following Indian agents:
Capt. Cook, Blackfeet agency, Montana;
DR.. Treon, Crow Creek agency, South Da-
kota; Peter Couchman, Cheyenne River
agency, South Dakota; Lieut.. Mercer, La
Ponta agency, Wisconsin,; Maj. Wright,
Rosebud agency; Capt. Rae, Shoshone
agency; A. NJ. Keller. Sisseton agency,
South Dakota; James McLauffiin, Stand
ing Rock agency; J. A. Smith, Yanktcn,
South Dakota: Maj. Allen, White Earth
agency, Minnesota.
These agents had been called to Wash
ington to confer with Secretary Smith and
Commissioner Browning as to the best
means to promote the interests of the In
dians, with especial reference to the Sioux
ration. The conference was not called, as
has heen stated in some quarters, because
the condition of the Indians is less satiSfac-
tory than heretofore. On the contrary, the
commissioner of Indian affairs is authority
for the statement that the condition Of the
Indians has never been better than it is at
present. 1t was thought though, that by
bringing the agents together each might
profit by the experience of the other. and
the department would perhaps learn more
of the needs of the wards of the nation
by personal contact with the agents than
by the study Of formal reports. 1t is the
desire of the department to improve the
Indians and to make them self-supporting.
Interchange of Views.
1t was with these views in mind that Sec
retary Smith and Commissioner Browning
concluded, ovel one month ago, to have a
conference of agents in thi. city. All the
parties to the conference met in the office
of the Secretary before noon, and it was
long past 1 o'clock when the conferees ad-
journed. OF course, it was not expected
that anything definite would be dcre and
this expectation was realized The agents
told Of the hopes, ambitions, failures and
successes of the red men.
Each agent told how som. improvement
in the condition Of the Indians under his
charge might be brought about by modi-
fication in the policy of the department.
Certain policies. it was urged, should be
applied to certain conditions.
No one ironclad rule or policy could we'll
be applied to all the agencies. A great deal
should be left to the discretion of the agent
and then great care should he taken in Sc
lecting the agent. The Indians at the
making a success Of agriculture. Nobody
could make 4 success of farming on such
lands. The Indians however. We're making
big progress in the matter of cattle raising.
This branch of industry, it was urged,
should he especially fostered at those agen-
cies. The question of schools and irriga-
tion was talked about. The question Of
sectarian schools was not brought up.
The agents will have a conference with
the President as soon as he names a time.
Secretary of the Interior and at the Indian
office during the week. All the agents were
directed by their call to Washington to re-
main in this city till next Monday.