Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-12-06

JEsDAY, DEcEMBER {, f3o&
Ess7 a 4
which would render the indian i .pro-
Queer and would effect a great reduc-
ton ID the cost 81 his maintenance.
It Ii commonly declared that the
slow advance Of the Indians Ii due to
the unsatisfactory character Of the
men appointed to take immediate
charge OF them, and to some extent
this u true. While the standard Of the
employees In the Indian service shows
great improvement over that OF bygone
years, and, while actual corruption or
fragrant dishonesty is now the rare ex.
ceptioIL 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 satfsfac-
tory results the official in charge Of an
Indian tribe should possess the high
qualifications which are required In
the manager Of a large business. but
only In exceptional cases Is it possible
to secure men Of such type for these
positions. Much better service. how
ever, might be obtained from those
now holding the places were it practi-
cable to get out Of them the best that
Il 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 serv-
ice, may by proper treatment, by sug-
gestion and encouragement or persist
ent urging be stimulated to greater ef-
fort and induced to take a more active
personal interest in his work:
Under existing conditions an Indian
agent in the distant west may be Who'll
ly out of touch with the office of the
Indian buyeau. He may very we'll feel
that no one takes a personal interest In
him or his efforts. Certain routine du-
ties in the way Of reports and accounts
are required of him, but there is no one
with whom he may intelligently con-
suit on matters vital to his work ex-
cept after long delay. Such man
would be greatly encouraged and aid
ed by personal contact with some one
whose interest in Indian affairs and
whose authority in the Indian bureau
were greater than his own, and such
contact would be certain to arouse
and constantly increase the interest he
takes in his work. -
The distance which separates the
agents-the workers in the feld-from
the Indian Office in Washington is a
chief obstacle to Indian progress.
Whatever shall more closely unite
these two branches of the Indian serv-
ice 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 bu.
reau was established. The appoint
ment of field assistant to the commits
sioner of Indian affairs would be Ger
tain to insure this good end. Such an
official If possessed Of the requisite en-.
ergy and deep interest in the work
would be most efficient factor In
bringing into closer relationship and a
more direct union Of effort the bureau
In Washington and its agents in the
field, and with the cooperation of its
branches thus secured the Indian bu:
reau would In measure fuller than eve,
before lift up the savage toward that
self help and self reliance which con-
stitute the man.
jamestown TricentenniaI.
In 1907 there will be held at Hamp-
ton Roads the tricentennial celebration
Of the settlement at jamestown, Va,
with which the history of what has
now become the United States really
begins. l commend this to your favor
able 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. -i'-.
Postal Service.
In the postoffce department the .serv-
ice has increased in efficiency, and con-
ditions as to revenue and expenditure
continue satisfactory. The increase q
revenue during the year was $685.
1S1.1O. or 60 per cent, the total re-
ceipts amounting to $143.3S2, 624.34.
The expenditures were $152, 3G2, 1870.
an Increase of about 8 per cent over
the previous year, being thus $500
1926 in excess of the current revenue.
Included In these expenditures was a
total appropriation Of SIP, 1856, 637 .35 for
the continuation and extension of the
rural free delivery service, which was
an increase of $4,902, 237.35 over tho
amount expended for this purpose in
the preceding fiscal year. Large as this
expenditure has been, the benefcent
results attained in extending the free
distribution Of mails to the residents of
rural districts have justified the wis
dom Of the outlay. Statistics brought
down to the LIST of October. 1904, show
that on that date there were 27,13S ru-