Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-26
NEW SYSTEM Is NECESSARY
Present Pan Of Selecting Indian Agents
Certain to Breed Scandal.
MANY OFFICIALS ARE TOTALLY UNFIT
Indian Reform Association Calls At
tention to the Record of
CroOkedness in the
Service.

Service.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 25.-The Indian
Reform association has written the follow
ing letter to the president calling atten-
tion to the necessity Of a change in the
method Of selecting Indian agents:
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 9.-To the Presi-
dent, the White House. Washington, d. c.
Sir II was great satisfaction to us to
read in your recent annual message to con-
gress, in reference to the officials who rep
resent the government in dealing with the
Indians, that "A particularly high stand
ard Of conduct should be demanded from
them, and where misconduct can be proved
the punishment should be exemplary"
We heartily commend the high stand you
have taken in this matter. At the same
time will you permit us to call your at
tention to certain facts in connection with
the deplorable results incident to the pres
ent method OF selecting Indian agents which
show beyond question the Importance of
a distinct change in the plan now in vogue
for appointing them-a change that, in our
! opinion, cannot be made too soon for the
| good OF the Indian service.
! A careful examination of the changes Of
agents in the Indian service from July 6,
| 1899. TO November TO- 1902, Ia period COW
ering a little more than three years) is
sufficient corroboration of this assertion.
There were lfty-hve Indian agencies on
July 6, 1899 Up to November 10. 1902, the
number had been reduced to thirty-nine,
by Placing the Indians at sixteen agencies
under the care of bonded superintendents
| of schools. In some instances these
changes we're made because the agents in
question were notoriously unfit; in others,
! because the Indians were so far advanced
In civilization that an agent was no longer
| needed. Omltting the latter, 1t leaves for
| ty-three agencies as a basis for compari
son. During the three years in question,
| twenty-one agents (about so per cent of
| the entire number) were either dismissed
from the service by the department or al
lowed to resign, or refused reappointment
for cause. In many instances the official
record of these mon was very bad and
must have exerted a most pernicious influ-
ence on the Indians under their care.
Too Much Politics.
OF those so removed, one is now serving
term in the penitentiary for defalcation,
another is under Indictment by the United
States grand jury for fraudulent practices
and will doubtless be tried at an early
date. His predecessor in office, guilty OF
similar offenses, upon learning whgt ac-
tion had been taken, committed suicide.
OF the, others displaced, 1t may be said that
two we're removed for immortality, nine for
dishonesty and eollusion with traders or
others. and seven on the ground Of being
unfit" or worthless
In addition to these twenty lone cases
there are seven agents still in the service
against whom serious charges have been
preferred who are wholly unfit for the
responsible positions they occupy Sew
eral Of these agencies are now being in
vestigated.
We desire to express our approval of
the earnest efforts the present commits
sioner OF Indian affairs, Hon. w. A. Jones,
has almost invariably put forth to purge
the service of improper or unfit agents.
In some instances, however, he has been
prevented from taking prompt action where
charges were made owing to lack Of in
spectors who could be detailed to make
the necessary Investigations
Five years ago a statement prepared by
the National Civil Service Reform league
showed that a large number of changes
made in the Indian agents was due al
most entirely to political reasons The
changes made during the last three years
! however, show a commendable effort or
unfit or dishonest agents, whose appoint
ments, as a rule, were obtained through
political influence. 1t need scarcely be
added that had the question Of fitness beer
the determining factor in the selection o
those agents the Indian office would
doubtless have been spared this dark page
l on its records. We are glad to note tha
: during the three years in question there
is but one instance where the removal of I
good agent before the expiration Of hi
term was due to political pressure, ant
in that case the indian ofice vainly sough
d to have the man retained in view Of hi
proved fitness.
Scandals Sure TO Come.
The Indian office unquestionably desire
to elevate the personnel OF Its agents ant
: keep the service free from scandal, but thl
I is obviously impossible so long as the pres
I ent system obtains OF permitting the ap
pointment of men to these important posi-
4 tioas for purely political reasons.
1t would be a great Improvement, we be
= Iieye, II the executive were to insist tina
. men recommended to him for the position
T Of Indian agents by members OF congress o
= others should be subject to some form Q
= examination analogous to those under tn
a civil service commission 10 ascertain thei
n qualifications before they should be elig
n ible, Even this, while it would be prefer
T. able to the present system, would be ia
IS short, we believe. OF what ought to be don,
Il II the position of Indian agent could b
brought within the classified service tn
IS problem would /be simplihed. but since tha
= would require congressional action II
o doubtful whether 1t could be accomplished
IS The authority conferred upon the execu
tive 20 place bonded school superintendent
r in charge OF agencies, when such a step
! deemed advisable, affords a certain measuT
Of relief. II the plan is followed whereve
possible, it promises we'll for the future
These superintendents Of Indian school
are usually men OF Intelligence and hig
character, and before they are appointe
must pass a rigid civil service examinatio
- to prove their fitness mentally and moralll
~ That the plan is sound in practice as we
. as in theory is evident from the fact tn,
- although more than one-third OF the II
dian agencies are now in charge OF scho,
superintendents, not a single instance
defalcation in once has occurred. On II
other hand. as has been shown. one-half