Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-03
INDIANS IN LABOR MARKET
Effort to Induce Red Man to Seek Perfume
is Partial Success
COMMISSIONER LEUpP EXPLAINS PLAN
Los Love for Home and Unwilling
ness to stay with Task 60 the
End Are the Greatest
StumbIinE-BIOcxs.


commissioner has ideas Of his own, unique
in the government of the red man, looking
toward making him a self-supporting and
self-respecting citizen. One chapter of the
report relates to efforts to place Indian
labor outside Of the respective reservations,
Mr.. Leupp believing the young Indian
should go fortn into the world, under of
course, certain governmental restrictions,
to seek labor and fortune just the same as
his white brother of the same age
The feature Of Indian civilization upon
which this office has laid its. greatest stress
during the year just past has been It's
policy of inducing the young and able
bodied Indians who have no profitable
work at home to leave their reservations
and go out into the world to make a liv-
Ing as white men do, says Commissioner
Leupp. Continuing, Mr.. Leupp says:
Sometimes they go only a little way,
put even that is better than going not
at all; and in a few instances they go a
long distance, conduct themselves credit
aDiy and come back with money in their
pockets, some of which they save, and
most Of which, when spent goes for more
sensible purchases than undsciplined In
dians are apt to make.
In my last annual report 1 spoke Of an
| undertaking upon which the Office had iusr
entered in the southwest, the maintenance
OF an employment bureau for finding
Indians who want work and finding the
work for the Indians who want it. This
bureau has been in the care of Charles T.
Dagenett, in whose veins is strain of
indian blood, and whose efforts are there
iore sympathetic as well as practical The
results of the first years experiment have
been most encouraging. During the last
season some GOO Indians, including both
adults and schoolboys, have found employ
ment in the open labor market as railroad
construction laborers, irrigation ditch dig
gers, beet farmers and in other occupa-
! tions
Indian Farmers Prosper.
1T would have been possible to put out
/ larger number of laborers If the Indians
Of the southwest had not been enjoying
period of unusual prosperity during the
last eighteen months. There has been
great deal of rain, their crops have done
well, their live stock has pruspered, and
| prices have been good on these accounts
| many Indians found II better worth their
| while-or thought they did-to stay at home
than go employment hunting at a distance.
| So strong is the Indians housekeeping in
| stinct that they will accept work for lower
wages and under unfavorable conditions in
| q neighborhood to which they are accus-
toned rather than go into an unfamiliar
region and do better according to our
standards 1t is also necessary to educate
them in the need of staying with their
task till it is finished A month is about
as long as under ordinary conditions they
feel satisfied in absenting themselves from
home. On works where the transportation
| l- aV1f q
on the government dam at Yuma, Ariz.,
and on some of the railroad work for the
Santa Fe system, they are employed with
the understanding that they must stay at
least thirty days in order to obtain free
TRANSPORTATION to their homes, unless there
are some circumstances justifying modi-
/ fcation of the rule. BY degrees, Of course,
they will come to realize that their course
| in such matters must not be governed by
whims, and some are already learning TINS
Another point on which they need edu-
cation is the Importance of regular ana
often prolonged hours Of labor. AT home
they are accustomed to work Wheh IheS
feel like II and rest whenever they feel ike
It. usually devoting only the most favor
able part Of the day to their tasks; and as
their work away from home requires that
thew shall begin and end each days labor
at the sound Of a whistle, and adapt them
selves to the hours which are most con-
venient for their employers rather than
themselves, they have been willing only
to follow this unaccustomed practice ior
a certain period and then take vacation
II must be said for them, however, that
for such time as they do stay under con
tract without cessation they are the
steadiest and thost conscientious workers
known in their part of the country. Their
employers universally give them credit foi
this and put up with many Of their oddi'
ties because Of the excellent spirit they
show in carrying out their agreements
Indians Work in Gangs.
! .sAlthough every encouragement is given
TO those Indians who are willing TO so oul
on their own responsibility and fnd worn
as individuals on farms or elsewhere. the
largest measure of effort put forth by the
government has been in the employment
OF groups of Indians in gangs separate
from laborers Of other races. When In.
dams are sent out thus to build railroad
embankment or dig a canal, It is important
for the interests of both employers anc
employed that a trustworthy overseeI
should be placed in charge Of each gang
This plan has been followed by Mr. Dage'
nett wherever the number Of the ganl
would warrant the outlay. In almost al
Instances the employers have been Willing
to meet the expense Of the overseer's sal
airy for the sake Of getting the labor needeC
and having It we'll organized and KEEP
steadily In action; and Dagenett has wisely
chosen for his leutenants men who have
already proved their efficiency In handling
Indians by service under the government
As a rule, also, tn employers have beer
willing to convey their Indian laboreri
back and forth free, or have procured from
their carrying companies certain conces
sions In the cost Of transportation. Wher
ever It has been practicable Mr.. Dagenet
has set up a commissary establishment a
which the Indians could be provided will
wholesome food of kinds to their l.kinl
and at a merely nominal increase owe
cost prices; he has aimed to supply tn
camps OF the young men who know Eng
iish with interesting reading for their oc
, casional leisure hours; and II any Of tn
Indians have fallen III they have been spe
cially cared for and, II It seemed eXpe
dient, returned 20 their homes.
zone respect in which this sort OF employ
ment differs from anything OF the sor
thus Tar undertaken under either public o
, private auspices on the reservations Is tn
feature which especially commends to favo