The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-07

Towards Civilization All That COuId
BE Hoped For.

BE Hoped For.
The progress of the Indians 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
a degree greater than ever before, an
appreciation of the necessity of work.
! This changed 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
a livelihood. The policy though severe,
is a useful one, but it is to be exer-
| cised only with judgment and with
full understanding 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 can not be furnished from
| outside (Which is always preferable),
! then it must be furnished by the gov
eminent. Practical instruction of this
kind would in a few years result in the
| forming of habits of regular industry,
which would render the Indian a
| producer and would effect great re-
duction in the cost of his maintenance.
| The Indian Service Unsatisfactory.
1t is commonly declared that the
| slow advance of the Indians is due to the
unsatisfactory character of the men
| appointed to take immediate charge
| of them, and to some extent this is
! true. While the standard of the en-
ployes in the Indian Service shows
| great Improvement over that of by
| gone years, and while actual corrup-
ton or fragrant dishonesty is now
the rare exception, it is nevertheless
the fact that the salaries paid Indian
| agents are not large enough to attract
the best men to that field of work
To achieve satisfactory results the
official in ch-rge of an Indian tribe
| should possess the high qualifications
| which are required in the manager of
large business, but only in exceptional
cases is it possible to secure men of
| such a type for these positions. Much
better service, however, might be OBJ
| tanned from those now holding the
| places were it practicable to get out
of them the best that is in them, and
this should be done by bringing them
constantly into closer touch with their
superior officers. An agent who has
been content to draw his salary, Civ
ing in return the least possible equi-
valent in effort and service may by
proper treatment, by suggestion and
encouragement, or persistent urging,
be stimulated to greater effort and in
duced to take a more active personal
interest in his work
Out of Touch with the Bureau.
Under existing conditions an Indian
agent in the distant West may be
wholly out of touch with the office of
| the Indian Bureau. He may very we'll
| feel that no one takes a personal in
terest in him or his efforts. Certain
routine duties in the way of reports
| and accounts are required of him, but
there is no one with whom he may
! intelligently consult on matters vital
| to his work, except after long delay
Such a man would be greatly encour-
aged and aided by personal contact
| with some one whose interest in In
| dian affairs and whose authority in
| the Indian Bureau were greater than
| his own, and such contact would be
certain to arouse and constantly in
crease the interest he takes in his
| work.
| 7-- Obstacles to Indian Progress.
The distance which separates the
| agents-the workers in the field-from
the Indian Office in Washington is
chlef obstacle to Indian progress.
| Whatever shall more closely unite
these two branches of the Indian serv-
| ice, and shall enable them to cooper
| ate more heartily and more effectively,
| Will be for the increased efficiency of
| the work and the betterment of the
| race for whose Improvement the In
dian Bureau was established. The an
| pointment of a field assistant to the
| commissioner of Indian Affairs would
pc certain to insure this good end.
Such an official, If possessed of the
| requisite energy and deep interest in
the work, would be a most efficient
factor In bringing into closer relation
| snip and more direct union of effort
the bureau in Washington and it's
agents in the field; and with the CO.
operation of its branches thus secured
the Indian Bureau would, in measure
fuller than ever before. lift up the saw
age toward that self-help and self-re-
lance which constitute the man.
In 1907 there will be held at Hamp-
ton Roads the tri-centennial celebra-
ton of the settlement at jamestown.
va, with which the history of what
has now become the United States
really begins. / commend this to your
favorable considerat ton. 1t is an event
of prime historic significance, in which
all the people of the United States
should feel, and should show, great
and general interest.
The Postal Service.
In the Postoffice Department the
sci VICE mas increased IN eff1cienCy. and
conditions as to revenue and expendi-
ture continue satisfactory. The in
crease of revenue during the wear was
$9,S5S,1S1 10, or 60 per cent, the total
receipts amounting to $143,3S 1874 81.
The expenditures We're $152, S62. 116. 70.
an Increase of about per cent. over the
previous year, being thus $S,97g, 492 &c
in excess of the current revenue In.
cluded in these expenditures was a. to-
tai appropriation of $12, $3.50. 637. az for
the continuation and extension of the
rural free-delivery service. which was
an increase of $4,902,237 .S5 over the
amount expended for this purpose
in the preceding fiscal year. Large as
this expenditure has been the bene-
hcent results attained in extending the
free distribution of mails to the resi-
dents of rural districts have justified
the wisdom of the outlay Statistics
brought down to Oct. J. 1904 show
that on that date there were 81. 1sS
rural routes established, serving an
rroXimately 10000, 600 of people I'm rural
districts remote from postoffices. and
that there were pending at that time
1853 petitions for the establishment of
new rural routes. Unquestionab bly,
some part OF the general increase in
receipts is due to the increased postal
facilities which the rural service has
afforded. The revenues have also been
aided greatly by amendments i'm the
classification of mail matter. and the
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