The Daily Missoulian., 1914-04-27

L
affairs at Washington, seems to be
| most energetic paraen and to have
some ideas that are thoroughly prac-
ticable: His utterances i'll connection
with problems of the Indian service
have already attracted attention in
the west There isgno question but
what his last statement, a bulletin Is
sued to all reservation superinten-
dents, will meet With public approval.
The bulletin in fhll is AS follows:
ei Cato Sells, Bulletin. n.es5s.sit..sf
To aliNreseryatspn superintendents
/ greatly desire Ift5to be understood
throughout the service that tho pres-
administration Of Indian affairs is de-
termined that every Indian shall have
opportunity and encouragement to ac-
complish industrial betterments. sHs6
want you to know that the mag
nitude OF this undertaking is fully
realized, and that while ! do not think
1t can be accomplished in one SUM
mer nor that itscan be done without
hard work and some sacrifice on the
part of all ,of us, I am firmly Of the
opinion that it can be, should be, and
must be- dOnei s$ssd aslf eoa
/ am not tat all satisfied with the
agricultural, stock and Industrial con-
ditions generally existing throughout
the Indian country and | am deter
mined that nnceasing effort shall be
put forth to bring about radical and
speedy change. III Hf ts@s
Primarily the opportunity for ad-
vancement among Indians is largely
agricultural and stock raising. The
Indians own the land and with proper
ENCOURAGEMENT can so develop their
support 8s atfh fF A.I a.-rs.4 NJ aG+
The farming season is at hand Ev4
cry farmer should at once became ac-
lively engaged in advising and teaching
the Indians how to prepare the soil.
the kind ofaseed to select when and
how to plant, grow and harvest, and
the best use tor be made of his crop
when produced ss Sthp sNe
The Indians should be made to real
ize that the grazing lands Of the
United States are now almost entirely
his own and that he has readily
within his reach the possibility of be-
coming the cattle, horse and sheep
king of America.
All these things involve earnestness
of purpose and close cooperation be-
tween the Indian service employees and
the Indians. To insure the best re-
suits every man charged with such
responsibility as farmer or stockman
must devote his time--every day Of
his time--in heart to heart association
and hand to hand working in his par
ticular sphere. 1t must be "a long
pull, a strong pull and pull to-
gether,' as they say at sea.
l cannot refrain from calling atten-
ton to a situation that is very unsat-
isfactory. l have information from
dependable sources and from all sec
tlons of the country that farmers in
the Indian service devote most Of their
time to work associated with the busi-
ness end of the agencies; that our
farmers, with a few notable excep-
tions, are not in fact practical and
helpful as farmers; that they do not
go out among the Indians on their
farms as they should ana as here
after + earnestly desire them to do. It
is almost discouraging to contemplate
that after years of employment of men
who have been especially charged with
the work of advancing the farming in
terests of the Indians no more has
been accomplished.
Commencing Immediately ! wish
word to go down the line from the IN
dian office in Washington to the
agencies, and from the agency
throughout every reservation and on
to each allotment that every Indian
service farmer shall give his time to
actIal farming and that under no Cir
cumstances shall he continue as SO
generally has been done, making the
office work the first consideration and
the promoting of the farm work of the
| Indians secondary These things must
| be reversed
Congress, the taS-paying public ani
! the Indians have Il right to expect full
return for every dollar appropriated
and such permanent industrial ad-
vancement of the Indians each year
| as will Justify the maintenance of the
/ force of farmers and stockmen now
employed and give promise thai
eventually they may Ito longer be re-
qnired
4 Nor am | satisfied with the fact as
l am now convinced that the super
intendents, generally speaking, spene
| altogether too much time in the office
attending to duties which properly be