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Show I REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XXV selections, but agents were notified that they would behclcl responsible . for the success or failure of each man employed, and were instructed that in ease any appbintee should prove unfit for the position or fail to : do his duty the facts shoulil be reported at once. By this course mis- , . takes were soon rectified anit ti good class of employ6s secured. About forts were thnsemployed during such portion of the s0asou as they could profitably work, and the resalt generally was very satisfactory. The same au~ou~wl ta s appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30,1886, and soon after I assumed charge of the Bureau I directed all the agents at the agencies where these ,'additional, farmers7' had ' . beeu stationed to submit, in writing, what practical results hall been achiwcd, aud what they ha11 to show for the rnouey expended for such employds. In every in~tance the replies were most gratifying, nearly every agent commending thc experiment, u r g i ~ ~thge retention of those already employed, and asking that more be furnished if the appropriatio~w~o uld admit of it. I u many inxtauces the agents repre-sented that the Indians were clamorous for more allot,meots of land , (alluded to more fully elsewhere in my report), being not only willing ' but eagcr to comlne1;ce farming. if they coulcl be allowed the help of ~ ~ P FfaCrm ers. Accordingly I placed in the field all the force that could be allowed ~111dethr e appropriation, wld wnfidptly expect that the result nil1 fully confirm the wisdom of Congress in providing for this class of emplog6a. In view of the good results obtained, ancl the urgent requestsof both Indians ancl agents fur a greater number of these farmars, I have asked that t,he ajq~ropriation beincreased to $40,000 for the next fiscal year, and even a larger appqopriatio~f~o r this purpose could be profitably used with payingresnlts. I submit herewilh extracts from a few of the .rel,lies rewired to my inquiries. From Agent Dyer,Cheyer~uea nd ~ r a p a b oA gency, India11 Territory: I have thehonor to reply to yours of the 14th <natant, and state that any reduction in thenumber of "addiiiunalfarmera" wonld be catalto the boat interest8 of the serv-ice. We have just nlsda t i e greateat atart with these people that was ever made Last year there was about 475 aeres under oultivatiou,includinp fmms of half-breeds. Thin year we have added to this uot lesa.than 800 acres; these farma begin st the agency end a1.e soncberedfur 75 miles "11 the river buttoma. I t rapuiros t \ ~ uor three men in this viciuity to look after and iustruot thaIndisos, who are nothing more than children with the ntraugth of me"; and there should be one luau np this river 12mile8, another 25 miles, i third rut Cantonment, and s. fourth on the Sor~th Cans-disu River. With 6,000 Iudiaua tobe instrootodin farming as tlleae mostbe, wemuat havetuauy employ6s if you wish to push them and sacura the best resolts. * " " They must be inrtruoted in farming and we must get them into honsas; .they all life in tepees now, butmany ere talking of houses, aud if I am able to help them get out logs, saw lumber, and assist in puttiugup houses, the ohange in a few years will bamsrveloos. * * * I claim that these people canbe made self-supporting in s, few yesm if my plan is firmly held to. I beg of you not to in any way reduce my force, hat rather give me |
