Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-12-06

and other large beasts once so abund.
ant in our woods and mountains and on
our great plains and now tending |
toward extinction. Every support |
should be given to the authorities of the |
Yellowstone park in their. successful |
efforts at preserving the large creatures
therein, and at very little expense por-
tions of the public domain in other re-
gions which are wholly unsuited to ag- |
ricultural settlement could be similarly |
utilized. We owe it to future genera
tions to keep alive the noble and beau |
tiful creatures which by their presence
add such distinctive character to the
American wilderness. The limits of the
Yellowstone park should be extended
sOuthwards The canyon of the Colo
RADIO should be made a national park,
and the national park system should
include the Yosemite and as many as
possible of the groves of giant trees
in California.
Pensions.
The veterans of the civil war have
claim upon the nation such as mo-
other body of our citizens possess. The
pension bureau has never in its history
been managed in more satisfactory
manner than is now the case.
Indians.
The progress of the Indian toward
civilization, though not rapid, is per-
haps all that could be hoped for in view
of the circumstances. Within the past
year many tribes have shown, in de-
gree greater than ever before, an ap-
probation of the necessity of work.
This change of attitude is in part due
to the policy recently pursued of re-
ducing the amount of subsistence to the
Indians, and thus forcing them, through
sheer necessity, to work for livelihood.
The policy, though severe, is a useful
one, but it is TO be exercised only with
judgment and with full understand
ing of the conditions which exist in each
community for which it is intended.
On or near the Indian reservations
there is usually very little demand for
labor, and if the Indians are to earn
their living and when work cannot be
furnished from outside (Which is al
ways preferable), then il must be fur
nished by the government Practical
instruction of this kind would in few
years result in the forming of habits
of regular industry, which would rem
der the Indian n producer and would
effect u great reduction in the cost OF
his maintenance.
1t is commonly declared that the slow
advance of the Indians is due 10 the
Unsatisfactory character of the men ap
pointed to take immediate charge OF
them, and to some extent this is true
While the standard of the employees in
the Indian service shows great improve
ment over that of bygone years, ano
while actual corruption or fragrant dis
honesty is now the rare exception, it ii
nevertheless the fact that the salaries
lpaid Indian agents are not large enough
to attract the best men to that fiel,
Of work. To achieve satisfactory re
suits the official in charge of an lndiai
tribe should possess the high qualifiea
tions which are required in the mana
ger of large business, but only in ex
ceptional cases is it possible TO secur
men of such type for these positions
Much better service, however, nigh
be obtained from those now holdin
1.-The places where it is practicable I
get out of them the best that is III theI
and this should be done by bringin
them constantly into closer touch wit
their superior officers. An agent VIII
has been content to draw his salary
giving i'm return the least possible equiv
alent in effort and service, may, b.
proper treatment, by suggestion an
encouragement or persistent urging, b
stimulated to greater effort and induce
to take a more active personal interes
in his work.
, Under existing conditions an India
agent in the distant west may be who'll
out of touch with the Office of the In
dian bureau. lie may very well fee
that no one takes personal interes
in him or his efforts. Certain routin
duties in the way Of reports and az
counts are required of him, but theI
is no one with whom he may INTEL
, gently consult on matters vital TO HI
, work except after long delay. Such
man would be greatly encouraged an
aided by personal contact with som
/, one whose interest in Indian affairs an
, whose authority in the Indian burea
were greater than his own, and sue
contact would be certain to arouse an
constantly increase the interest
takes in his work.
The distance which separates III
lagents--the workers in the feld--fro
\ the Indian Office at Washington is
. chief obstacle 10 Indian progress. Wha
ever shall more closely unite these w
branches of the Indian service and sha
enable them to cooperate more hearth
? and more effectively will be for the Il
, creased efficiency Of the work and u
! betterment of the race for whose IN
! provement the Indian bureau was estaI
lished. The appointment of a field a
= lsistant 20 the commissioner of India
!. affairs would be certain TO insure th
a good end. Such an official, II possesse
!. of the requisite energy and deep inte
a est in the work, would bo most ct
J cient factor in bringing into closer r
v llationship and more direct union
4 effort the bureau in Washington an
). its agents in the field, and with the c
2 operation of its branches thus secure
I the Indian bureau would, in measu
fuller than ever before, lift up the sa
|. age toward that self-help and self-r
v lliance which constitute the man.