The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-06
THE NATIONS WARDS
How the Government Handles the In
dian Problem.

The progress of the Indians toward
civilization, tho not rapid, is perhaps
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-
This changed attitude is in part due. to
the policy recently pursued Of reducing
the amount Of subsistence to the In
dians, and thus forcing them, thru sheer
necessity, to work for a livelihood. The
policy, tho severe, is useful one, but
it is to be exercised only with Judgment
and with full understanding Of the
ity 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
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 pro.
Queer and would effect a great reduce
ton in the cost of his maintenance.
Standards in Service. '2
It is commonly declared that the slow
| advance of the Indians is due to the
unsatisfactory character of the men ap-
pointed to take immediate charge Of
them, and to some extent this is true.
! in the Indian service shows great M
provement over that of bygone years,
| and while actual corruption or fragrant
| dishonesty is now the rare exception, it
is nevertheless the fact that the sal
aries paid Indian agents are not large
enough to attract the best men to that
field of work To achieve satisfactory
nCJ1lf q 10 off oil oh 81 w
dian tribe should possess the high quail
fcations which are required in the man
ager Of a large business, but only in
exceptional cases is it possible to secure
men of such type for these positions.
Much better service, however, might be
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, giving
in return the least possible equivalent in
effort and service, may, by proper treat
ment, or persistent urging. be stimu-
lated to greater effort and induced to
take more active personal interest in
his work.
Faults Of Agents. .
Under existing conditions an Indian
agent in the distant west may be wholly
out of touch with the office of the In
dian bureau. He may very well feel
that no one takes personal interest. in
duties in the way of reports and ac-
counts are required of him, but there
is no one with whom he may intelli-
gently consult on matters vital to his
work, except after long delay. Such
man would be greatly encouraged and
| OF o1
one whose interest in Indian affairs
and whose authority in the Indian bu-
reau were greater than his own, and
such contact would be certain to arouse
and constantly increase the interest he
takes in his work.
agent-the workers in the feld-from
his Indian office in Washington, is a
chief obstacle to Indian progress.
Whatever shall more closely unite these
two branches of the Indian service,
and shall enable them to cooperate
more heartily and more effectively, will
be for the increased efficiency of the
work and the betterment of the race for
! whose Improvement the Indian bureau
was established. The appointment of a
field assistant to the commissioner Of
Indian affairs would be certain to in
sure this good end. Such an official,
if possessed of the requisite energy and
uS0p IuCSI cSG CHo WOIh, WOulo Uo d
most efficient factor in bringing into
closer relationship and more direct
union of effort the bureau in Washing
ton and it's agents in the field, and with
the cooperation of it's branches thus
secured the Indian bureau would, in
} measure fuller than ever before, lift up
the savage toward that self-help and
selfreliance which constitute the man.
In 1907 there will be held at Hamp-
ton Roads the tricentennial celebration
!, of the settlement at Jamestown, Va,
J, with which the history Of what has
n now become the United States really
begins. I commend this to your IA
vorable consideration. It 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 DEPARTMENT
Added Facilities Which Are Being
Given to the Public.