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Show 134, REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. quent conference with you, yon expressed the desire that I would ('ad-minister the office on strictly business principles." There was thus laid upon me a duty of the highest possible character. The Indian. Office has been in a constant state of .flux, owing to frequent changes and short terms of the commissioners. Siuce 1832, a period of sixty years, there have been twenty-five commissioners, with an average term of service of less than two and one-half years. It is simply impos-sible that a great bureau like this should he most efficiently managed with such frequent changes in its controlling officer. A commissioner can little more than learn his duties iu two and a half years. For many years the office was under theban of publio opinion, and there was a widespread conviction that it was dominated by false ideas and was not ma11lage.d on business principles nor in such a way as to satisfy a high public sentiment, an opinion which was not wholly with-out foundation. One of our most distinguished public men said to me that while he was a member of Oongress, whenever he had any con-stituents clamoring for office for whom he could make provision llowhere else he always unloaded them on the Indian Office. He idded, how-ever, that he had afterwards come to feel how utterly indefensible such a procedure was. It is no mlcommon thing to have men urged upon me for positions who are utterly incompetent and whose only claim for wnsideration is their own personal necessities or the political services they have rendered. The opportunities and temptations for fraud and dishonesty have necessarily been many, and they have not all gone un-improved. Undoubtedly persons have attempted to find employment in the service from low or bad motives, and many have, failed to com-prehend the responsibility resting upon them to perform efficient, hon-est, and faithful work. Brommy three years' experience, however, I am fully convinced that the popular opinion regarding the demerits of the Indian service is greatly exaggerated. I have found very many persons who were actu-ated by the highest motives and who were possessed of large cap,pacit,y, and who have devoted themselves with great fidelity to the performa,nce of duty. I have striven very earnestly and have done everything in my power to improve the service and to fulfill the trust committed to . me by you and the President, and I do not think that I arrogate any-thing to myself when I say that I have been in a large degree success-ful, so far as I have had authority and the power to work. I think it can he cou6dently asserted without fear of contradiction that the Indian service is to-day, on the whole, &very upright one, and that there is little in it which is open to serious criticism. I have not been entirely satisfied, however, with the results thus far attained. I have met with unexpected obstacles and difficulties, some of which have paralyzed my most earnest eEort,s; others have hindered the accomplishment of my purposes, and others have made it very try-ing even to make an attempt at reform or improvement. Many t i e s |