The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-12-06

y ANASAJ +NoSA W IhC pCOplC VI
the west than has been the case hith
erto.
Third. Within comparatively shor1
time the reserves will become self sup
porting. This is important, because
continually and rapidly increasing APP
preparations will be necessary for the
proper care of this exceedingly impor.
tant interest of the nation, and they
can and should be offset by returns
from the national forests. Under sim
liar circumstances the forest posses
sions of other great nations form an
important source Of revenue to their
governments.
Every administrative officer concern
ed is convinced of the necessity for
the proposed consolidation Of forest
work in the department of agriculture,
and myself have urged it more than
once in former messages. Again l COM
mend it to the early and favorable con-
sideration Of the congress. The inter-
ests of the nation at large and of the
west in particular have suffered great
" because of the delay.
Public Lands.
call the attention of the congress
again to the report and recommends
ton Of the commission on the public
lands forwarded by me to the second
session Of the present congress. The
commission has prosecuted it's inyesti-
cations actively during the past sea-
son, and second report is now in an
advanced stage Of preparation.
Game Preserves.
In connection with the work of the
forest reserves desire again to urge
upon the congress the Importance of
authorizing the president to set aside
certain portions of these reserves, or 9th
er public lands, as game refugees for the
preservation of the bison, the wapiti
and other large beasts once so album
dant 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 success
full efforts at preserving the large crea-
lures therein, and at very little ex-
pense portions Of the public domain in
other regions which are wholly insult
ed to agricultural settlement could be
similarly utilized. We owe it to fu-
ture generations to keep alive the no.
BILE and beautiful creatures which by
their presence add such distinctive
character to the American wilderness.
The limits of the Yellowstone park
should be extended southwark. The
Canyon Of the Colorado should be made
q 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 a
claim upon the nation such as no other
body Of our citizens possess. The pen
sion bureau has never in it's history
been managed In more satisfactory
manner than is now the case.
Indians.
The progress Of the Indians toward
civilization, though not rapid, is per-
haps oil 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 ap-
probation of the necessity Of work
This changed attitude is in part due to
the policy recently pursued Of reduc-
ing the amount of subsistence to the
Indians and thus forcing them through
sheer necessity to work for a iveli-
hood. The policy, though severe, is a
useful one, but 1t is to be exercised
only with judgment and with a full
understanding Of the conditions which
exist in each community for which it
IL intended. On or near the Indian res
eryations 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 always preferable, then it
must be furnished by the government.
Practical instruction Of this kind
would In few years result in the
forming Of habits of regular industry,
which would render the Indian q pro-
ducer and would effect a great reduc-
ton in the cost of his maintenance
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
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-
ception, 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 satisfac-
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 ge. 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 serv-
ice, may by proper treatment, by sug-
gestion and encouragement or persist
ent urging be stimulated to greater eff
fort and induced to take a more active
interest in his work.