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Show lxxxiv. FIFTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF to these are added the demands of political partisans that agency and school positions shall be used as rewards of labor for a party or for a parl:y leader, thwe difficulties become insuperable, and because of them merit is too frequently compelled to stand aside while demerit crowds into the small as well as into the more important places. And this is the system under which the Indian service has been for many years sup-plied with employ6s. Wherefore it has become apparent to all can-did persons who take any interest in the administration of Indian affairs that all the places in the Indian branch of the ciril service should be filled by persons selected not only with reference to their ability to dis-charge, and their adaptability to, the duties of such places, but abso-lutely without reference to their partisan attiliations or to the effect their employment would hare upon the personal or partisan interests of any one. This position was maintaiued by me while I was Superintendent of Indian Schools in 18S5-'36. At the time of my entrance upon that offioe, in Nay, 1885, the practice was that Indian agents might, withont assigned reason, appoiut and, without reported cause, dismiss school and agency employ6s. I11 so far as this practice affected the schools it was abrogated by me; arid after Octooer, 1885, when agents submitted descriptive statements making changes in school employes they were instructed to state the reasons existing for any removal or resignation, and to give in detail information as to the qualifications, previous ex-perience, recommendations, etc., of the persons nominated by them for appointment. But it was found that, in many cases, agents took action first and explained afterward, the explanation often coming too late for the Indian Office to exercise any practical control of thematter. There fore, in January, 1886, a circular letter, from which the following is ex-tracted, was prepared by me, and wa,s issued by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to all Indian Agents: Hereafter, whenever it is deemed advisable by the agent to maks any changes in school employ6s, the proposed changes must be submitted to this oBioa in aduaeee, with s full statement of the causes which actuate the agent and the good exp6oted to be eocomplished. I n case of ploposed disahargea the reasoda must be stated in fi~lla, nd in o ~ a eof proposed appointmerit,s full partianlar~m ost he given as to the character and quoli-ficstioos of the peaons GO be noruinstad. This information muat be sentto this offioe preceding the time when the proposed ohauges are to take effect, and no discharge or nominiltion will beapproved nnleaa aoch previous action has been taken and the approval of this affioe has been obtained. Supplementing this order the following instructions were given by me: No changes should be made on political grounds. Qui~lifioatiana for the work to be done, and not affiliation with a political party, must govern in tho employment of aohool employ6s. The good results of this action soon became apparent in the careful-ness of agents in reporting upon the select.ion and dismissal of school employ6s; but tha& these rules and instructions did not correct the |