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Show X REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. plan is still urged and believed to be for the best interests of all con-cerned. But the consolidation of agencies (so called) made at the last session of Congress has uot been producLive of the good results hoped for by those who advocated the measure. The Indians and all the property and machinery of an agency have been left .just where they were and as they were, except that the person in charge is not called an agent, nor can he receive or disburse money. The one man, who is the agent for all of the points attempted to be consolidated, is alone responsible for all the property, and must necessarily travel from one to another; this inrolves much expense of time and money; and inasmuch as all.the ac-coonts have to be examined and reviewed at the point where the aqent is located, it requires aclditional clerical force, and 1 hare foupc. ; ,me difficulty, even at this early period of the fiscal year, in finding funds for the payment of the agent's trareliug expenses and the addponal clerical force required. -4s a rule it is safe to say that any attempt at consolidation that does not consolidate the Indians by placing them on the same reservation must result in failure to accomplish any good and be almost certain to give much trouble. The last Indian appropriation act simply legislated agents out of office on June 30,1882, made no provisionsfor their salaries or expenses until such consolidation should be completed, and provided no funds by which the Indians could be brought together. A special appropriationshould be made to enable this office to carry into effect the provisions of sec-tion G of the act above referred to? or a sufficient sum for the purpose should be added to the a~propriatiolfio r contingencies of the Indiau service. lSSUES OF RATIONS. In accordance with suggestions made by some members of the Com-mittee on Appropriations at the last session of Congress, I decided at the commencement of the present fiscal year to hare the supplies pur-chased for Indians under existing appropriations divided into fiftytwo parts, and instructed agents to issue one fifty-second part each week, so that the amoiint a,ppropriated for should last to the end of the fiscal year. The following is the text of the instructions issued : In purohesinq these supplies the funds appropriated by Congress fur the fiscal year 1883 have been exhausted, reserving only sufficient for the purchase of annuity and other goods estimated for by you, pay of ernplog6s, and suoh incidental expenditures as may arise during the year. You are therefore directed to divide the shove-named supplies by the number of weeks (S), and issue only one fifty-second part of tlle same per veek. Under no circumstances will yon he n l l o w e ~ ionw ur any deticieuog, snd you will be held responsible foc the execution cf this order. This has caused much dissatisfaction among many of the tribes, and a threatened outbreak in some instances; but the system will be ad-hered to, unless Congress orders otherMse. |