The Washington times., 1912-09-11
FRED H. ABBOTT IS
PICKED TO SUCCEED
INDIAN BUREAU HEAD
Commissioners Valentine Re,
signs to Become Progress
sive Worker.

Fred II. Abbott, assistant commits
stoner of Indian affairs. will probably
succeed Robert G. Valentine as commits
sioner, following the resignation of Mr.
Valentine from the Government service
There are many candidates for the
job, but so far as can be learned none
of them has received serious consider
alton from the President.
Assistant Commissioner Abbott is
ctrongly pro-Taft and is highly regard
cd by the President and his advisers.
1t is the general feeling in Administra-
tion circles that he viii be appointed
to the vacancy.
The effective date of Commissioner
Valentines resignation Is problematical
In his letter TO the Interior Department.
he set no date himself, but made the
resignation effective on acceptance. Sec
retary Fisher is at present In Hawaii
and will not return for several weeks.
The letter of resignation will be for
warded to President Taft. but it is not
likely that he will take any definite
action until he has had a chance tn
corfer with Secretary Fisher.
Allied With Progressives.
1t is probable, however. that the Presi-
dent will accept Mr.. Valentines resig-
nation and make Mr.. Abbott acting
commissioner of Indian affairs until
such time as a permanent head Of the
Indian Bureau is appointed
Commissioner Valentine left the Gov
ernment service to ally himself with
the Progressive party. statement to
accomp anied his resignation as sent to
the White House. In this statement Mr..
Valentine said:
My work in the Indian office during
the last seven years has been social
service work. Last winter l felt that
the progressive movement in the Re-
publican party was the beginning of a
new. day in the betterment of living
conditions throughout the country.
AT that time the movement seemed
to be about to rehumanize and revit-
alize the Republican party; and, so
surely so, that there was not need for
was essential and that he could be of
help to leave whatever other work he
was doing.
Party Needs Workers,
Now, however, the case is different.
The program of the Progressives has
been pushed aside by the national lead
ers of the Republican party. AS the
result of this denial of true progress,
the Progressive party has been born.
Whether defeated or victorious in the
coming election, it will serve its pur-
pose well.
Either way it will win. For 1t car
ries the leaven, the yeast, the true hope
OF the future. 1t can meet only a de-
ieat OF degrees; that Is, defeat in so far
as any of those who in real truth be-
lieve in 1t fail now to ft their action to
their belief and join its ranks as soon
AS they honorably can.
Since the formation of the Progress
sive party 1t has been known that
was heart and soul for it's cause, and
that / would vote for 1t. could not, of
course, take part in its work while at
the head of the Indian Office 1t was
known that l was anxious to leave
office, and, in fact, l should have done
so but for the obligation I felt not to
If l could properly stay until a salts
factory successor could be found and
his appointment assured.
with Secretary Fisher and First
Assistant Secretary Adams in charge
of the Interior Department, that part
of Indian affairs which passes through
the department is safe.
"In the Indian service, above most
other bureaus, the opportunities for
that the politician and the privilege
seeker will be increasingly active, and
vigilance against them must be equally
active"
Announcement of Mr.. Valentine s
resignation is expected to force the pub
lication of Secretary of the Interior
Fishers ruling as to whether teachers
in the Government Indian schools are
to be allowed to wear garb or insignia
peculiar to the religious sect to which
they belong. President Taft late last
winter revoked Valentines order, deny
ing Roman Catholic teachers on the
reservations the right to wear their
habits. and compelling them to assume
ordinary civilian dress.