Evening star., 1901-05-06
THE INDIAN SERVICE
Report on Conditions to the Civil
Service Reform League.
ALLEGED MISCONDUCT OF AGENTS
DepIorabIe Effect of Cor -tant
Shifting of Control.
LAW AFFORDS A REMEDY

The investigating committee of the Civil
Service Reform League has presented to
| the council of the league report on con-
ditions in the Indian service of the United
| States government with particular refer
! ence to the appointment Of Indian agents
under the present administration. The
| facts contained in the report and the rec
| concentrations with which it concludes have
| been submitted to President Mckinley.
| 1t is recited in the report that among
| the political appointments which remain
untouched by the civil service law none
have given rise to greater scandals than
those of Indian agents, who are chosen
by means of nominations made by the
President and confirmed by the Senate.
Agents Frequently Changed.
LAS these agents. it is said, "are
often selected by the senators from
the particular states in which the agencies
are located, it naturally follows that the
motives for urging their nomination upon
the President are frequently those of per-
! sonal or political advantage to the senators
concerned The unfortunate character Of
these appointments is clearly shown by
the numerous changes made during lhe
past sixteen wears During President
Clevelands first administration, in Sixty
agencies, all the agents We're changed but
two: during President Harrison's admins
tration while the number of agencies re-
rnained unchanged, there We're seVenty-slX
/ appointments, and only eight agents were
allowed to serve out their four years
terms; during President Clevelands sec
ond administration, in the same NUMBER
of agencies, there were eighty-one changes
and only four agents were allowed to serve
out their terms; and during the hrst term
of President Mckinley, in iifty-elsht agen-
cies, there were seventy-nihe changes 1iliS y.
nine agents We're allowed to serve out thelf
terms and only one was reappointed at the
expiration thereof.
Nothing could be more unfortunate for
the Indians than this constant shifting OF
control If they are to have respect lor
the authority of the government, that gov
ernment ought to be represented contnu-
ously Cor a considerable period OF time py
some responsible officer, and 1t is eVl-
dent that no plans for the Improvement
of any particular tribe can be made ei-
fectual where these plans are stopped al
most at their inception by removing the
agent in charge.
Alleged Misconduct of Agents.
1t is set forth in the report that Under
the system OF patronage appointments
these wards of the nation have in many
cases been despoiled by fraudulent con-
tracts whereby the agents have obtained
large sums of money in violation of law
while the morals of the Indians have been
corrupted by the example OF care-takcrs
who are often drunken, brutal, Hcentlous
and dishonest
In reviewing the matter of the appoint
ment of agents under the present admins
tration the committee making the report
expresses the fullest recognition OF the
efforts of the Secretary of the Interior ana
of the commissioner of Indian aHalrS 1or
the Improvement of this branch of the ser
vice and also the fullest appreciation OF
the changes made by the President, where
81 or ipnf ri
appoint ed by him We're subsequently sepa-
rated from the service.
The report reviews a large number of In
stances of alleged misconduct on the part
of Indian agents, giving thelr names ana
the charges against them.
Change in System of Appointments.
In conclusion, the committee says: 1t
seams evident that whatever temporary
Improvement may be made by changes in
the personnel Of the Indian service no last
ing reform can be inaugurated without a
change in the system itself.
"a law providing that agents should be
chosen by promotion from the classified
service, or from the classified service and
the army, would seem very desirable. But
no law is necessary for this purpose. Ac-
cordng to section 1853 of the Revised Stat
utes, the President is authorized to pre-
scribe such regulations for the admission
Of persons into the civil service as may
best promote the efficiency thereof, and to
ascertain the fitness OF such candidates in
respect to age, health, character, knowl-
edge and ability for the branch of service
into which he seeks to enter, and for this
purpose the President may employ suitable
persons to conduct inquiries.
1T is submitted that under this law the
Chief Executive has the light to promul-
gate regulations declaring that all appoint
mcnts of Indian agents hereafter shall be
made by promotion from the superintend-
ents of Indian schools and from the other
higher grades of the classified Indian ser
vice and by details from the army. In
pursuance of this statute, an inspector
might be selected by the President from
the classified service to ascertain and re-
port the relative qualifications of the diff
ferent persons in this service eligible for
appointment.
IN this manner patronage would become
greatly lessened if not eliminated and the
motive for many of the abuses which have
heretofore existed would become extinct
1t is believed that those who have ac-
quired experience in dealing with Indians
through school service and otherwise would
form the best body of men obtainable at
the present time from which to make ap-
pontments of Indian agents.
by adopting some such method as the
foregoing the President would render a
very substantial service to the cause of
good administration and greatly promote
the welfare of the Indians. The number of
these places is not great, but their import
ance is beyond all measure. 1t is conf
IDENTIFY believed that the Senate would not
stand in the way by refusing to confirm
good nominations made in pursuance of a
system which would be of such manifest
advantage to the service"
The report is signed by William Dudley
Foulkc Richard Henry Dana, William A.
| Aiken, Charles Richardson and George Nc
Aneny.
WOman's Press Association.
| The Woman's National Press Association
gave "a public" Friday evening in the up
! ner narlor of the Riggs House. The nro-