OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XVII sighted. It cannot be expected that contractors will wait years for money due and honestly earned without attempting to get even with the government by charging increased rates of t,ransportation ; and for this reason it is urged that, sufficient means be furnished this office to liqu~idatet hese debts. This would 'certainly be true ecouomy. The right of this office to incur this indebtedness above the amount appropriated cannot be questioned. Congress appropriates a certain amonnt of money to be used in the purchase of clothing aild s~~pplies, mostly due the Indians under treaty stipulation. Of what avail are these goods and supplies to the Indians, if snfficie~~f t~ ~ n darse not ap-propriated to pa.yfor transport.ing them to the different agencies, where they are required9 The attention of Congress has repea.tedly been called to the insuffi-cient amonnt appropriated ymrly for transporting the goods and snp-plies, and it is earnestly hoped that the efforts of this office in obtaining means to pay the old indebtedness incurred, as well as in securing suf-ficient fnnds for the present and nest fiscal year, will have better snc-cess than heretofore. INDIAN POLICE. ~ h ocrga nization of a United States Indim police foroe is no longer an experiment. The system is now in operat.ion at forty-nine agencies; the total force employed being eighty-four co~nmissiouedo ffieers, and seven hundred and eighty-six non-commissioned officers a11d privates. In answer to circular letter from this office, dated Angust 19, 1881, speiial reports have been received from nearly all agencies as to the value, reliability, and efficiency of this service. Thesereports are mli-formly gratifying in their testimony as to the zeal, courage, and fidelity of the members of the force, and their almost invaluable service to the agents. The Indian police arc fully recognize(1 as an important agency in the civilization of their brethren. The immediate work of this force is to preserve order, prolxil~iitl le-gal traffic in liquor, and arrest offenders. In the line of these duties, t.hey act as guards a.t ration issues and annuity payments ; take charge of and protect,, a& all times, government property; restore lost or stolen property to its rightful omners; drive out timber thieves and other trespassers; retorn trnant pupils to sehool; make arrests for disor-derly conduct and other offenses, and especially protect the reserva-t. ions from the traffic in liquor, which, in the language of one of the agents, is "the root and cause of nine-tenths of all crimes committed." These varied and important duties are performed with a fidelity and thoronghness that is fiil1.y appreciated by this office, and its agents. The indirect resiilts and ultimate influence of this system are even more importsnt than its direct advantages. Well trained ant1 disei. plined, the police force is a perpet,ual educator. It is a porrer entirely independent of the chiefs. It weakens, and will finally destroy, the IND-I1 |