The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-12-06
PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE
Concluded from page 81

Concluded from page 81
the Yellowstone Park should be ex-
tended southwards. The Canyon of
the Colorado should be made ma
tional 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
n claim upon the nation such as no
other body of our citizens possess.
The pension bureau has never in its
history been managed in a more sat-
isfactory manner than is now the
case.
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 be-
fore. an appreciation of the necessity
of work. This changed attitude is in
part due to the policy recently pur-
sued of reducing the amount of sub
sistence to the Indians, and thus
forcing them, through sheer neces.
sity, to work for a livelihood. The
policy, though severe, is a useful one,
but II is to be exercised only with
judgment and with full understand
ing of the conditions which exist in
each community for which it is in
tended. On or near the Indian reser-
vations 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 out
side (Which is always preferable),
then il must be furnished by the
government. Practical instruction of
this kind would in a few years result
in the forming Of habits of regular
industry, which would render the In
dian a producer and would effect
great reduction 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 exception, it is never
theless the fact that the salaries
paid Indian agents are not large
enough to attract the best men to
that field of work To achieve salts
factory 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 1t
possible to secure men of such type
for these positions. Much better serv-
ice, however, might be obtained from
those now holding the places were
1t 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 con-
tent to draw his salary, giving in re-
turn the least possible equivalent in
effort and service, may, by proper
treatment, by suggestion and encour-
agement, or persistent urging, be
stimulated to greater effort and in
nuced to take more active personal
interest in his work.
jamestown Tricentennia1.
In 1907 there will be held at Hamp-
ton Roads the tricentennial celebra-
ton of the settlement at jamestown,
Va, with which the history of what
has now become the United States
really begins. 1 commend this to your
favorable consideration 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.
Postal Service.
In the postoffice department the
service has increased in efficiency, and
conditions as to revenue and expendi-
ture continue satisfactory. The in
crease of revenue during the year
was s9,35S,1S110, or 60 per cent,
the total receipts amounting to $14S,-
3s2.G2434. The expenditures were
3152,362,116.70. an increase of about
per cent over the previous year,
being thus $s,979,492.36 in excess Of
the current revenue. Included In
these expenditures was a total ap-
preparation of s12,956,63735 for the
continuation and extension of the
rural free-delivery service, which was
mn increase of s4,902.237.35 over the
amount expended for this purpose in
the PRECEDING fiscal year. Large as
this expenditure has been the benef-
cent 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 the LIST OF October.
1904. show that on that date there
were 27.13s rural routes established,