| OCR Text |
Show power of tribes and bands. It fosters a spirit of personal responsi-bi1it. x. It makes the Indian himself the representative of the power and mqjesty of the Government of the United States. These latter features constitute its main strength for permanent good. It is true that the Indians need to be taught the supremacy of law, and the neces-sity for strict obedience thereto; it is also true that where the Indians themselves are the recognized agents for the enforcement of law, they will the more readily learn to be obedient to its requirements. The force is, at present, limited by law to one hundred officers and eight hundred privates. This limit should be extended so as to allow the appointment of one hundred and twenty officers and twelve hundred privates. There are requests now on file for an increase of force, at points where such increase is absolutely necessary. The requests can-not be granted without violating tiie above law. There are also nine-teen agencies without police, a majority of whom would be benefited by its introduction. A very important matter in connection with the police service is the amount of the muual appropriation therefor. The colnpensation of eight dollars per month for officers, and five dollars per month for privates, is properly characterized by some of the agents as simplj ridiculous. In some cases, members of the force spend fully that sum for traveling expenses in the discharge of their duties ; they also furnish their own ponies and feed them. The pay of commissioned officers should be not less than fifteen dollars per month, and privates should have at least ten dollars monthly. The best men of the tribes can be had, if the com-pencration is commensurate with the value and importance of the work. The appropriation should be such that rations can be furnished at non-ration agericies, and that uniforms, arms, and accouteYments, may be of the best quality as anlatter of mere economy. A large increase ill the annual appropriation is necessary to secure the best men, and to promote the highest interests of the service. Some selections from recent reports of agents will give intelligent in-formation: as to the value, reliability, and efficiency of this service. Agent McGillyeoddy, of Pine Ridgeageucy, Dakota, says: The foroe, to a man, are prompt to obey orders in making en arrest. It is imms- &rial to them whether the offender be a white man or an Indian, a, head obief or a young brave, the arrest is always made. The white men in this region recognize the fact that to resist an Indian polioeman would be to reaist a United Sticteaofficialindia-of his duty. The Indiana generally reoogniee the police authority, for fmm time immemorial there has existed among the Sioux and other tribes native soldier or-ganizations, aptem&timlly governed br laws and regulations. Some of the strongest opposition enoounzered in endeavoring to organize the police force in the spring of1879 wss from these native ~oldier organizetious, for they at once reoognised something in it strongly aotagauistio to their noeient customs, uamaly, a. foroe at the command of the nbite man oppoaed to their own. The police were threatened in varioos ways, but as time passed on we secured the requisite nnmher of members, aod among them of the head soldiers, so that to.day the United States Indian police have, to a great extent, supplanted the soldier bands and exercise their andent powera. |
