OCR Text |
Show XXX REPORT OF COMMIBBIONER OF INDIAN AFFbIR8. It is well known that the general public has long been impressed with the idea that much com~pt,ionp revailed in the employ6 service a t Indian agencies; that many agents having iu their own hands the power to employ or dismiss their assistants had snrrcunded themselves with such material as they could wmpletelr control through fear of discharge or by collusion wich them in dishonest practicea; that this condition of affairs rendered f m d easy and its detection by inspectors, special agents, and this o6ice almost impossible, and that thus the Government and the Indians were plundered wit,h impunity; and that worthless or worse employBs were retainedin office solely on the ground of their usefulneas to the agent or through his fear of the use they might make of their knowledge of his practices in case he incurred their displeasure. It was also claimed that many agents had placed their relatives, or relatives of their bondsmen, in office merely through cu-pidity or to fulfill promises made, and had kept them there without re-gard to their fitness for the positions or their endeavors to discharge their dutiea, and without'power to control them. After giving this matter careful consideration, and becoming oon-vinoed that there must be uome good grounds for so generally nnfavor-able anopiniorl in regard to it, I lete ermined to make anoh a change cia would effectui%llyre move all just cause for doubt as to the honesty and integrity of the service in this partiaolur. Indian agents and school saperiutendentn were therefore notified that the office would selwt and appointall clerks aa well as physicians and .&lditional far&&rs. It was believed that this course would meet the approval of all good agents, and of those who co~lsideredt he good name and. best ir~terestso f the service paramount to personel preferences, sinke it promised.t.hem com- 'petant assistants, and at the same time mlieved them of obligatiou either to their bondsmen or their relatives; and it was thought that thoroughly upright men would prefer to hare entirely dismterested proof always at hand that their official acts aere without stain. I am pleased to be able to report that most of the agenb were broad enough in their views, and had their ow11 and the best luterests of the service snfficientlf at heart, cordially tu support this move. The reports from varic~ls agencies satisfy me that this ruling that agency clerks shaN be selected by the Iudian Office is a wise one, and it has already bean found to tend so clircetly and plainly to the improvement of the service that I have no doubt as to its necessity for the good of the Indians and the administration of agency affairs generally. A few agents hare complained of this ehange, but they could rrdvance no good reason against it, and 1 have considered it necessary to make the rule general and to treat all alike. AN I find that but little attention has heretofore been paid by the office to the qnalifica,tions for their respective duties of lower-grade |