| OCR Text |
Show CXVIII REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. deprecating remarks of last year by quoting the following report from their agent: Much has been written and published the paat year about the profligacy of the Osages. Having known them for many years, and having o personal acquaintance with every member of the tribe, I believe they are as frugal as the average white man would be under similar circumstances, and t.hey are far more easily eontrolled and sublnit more cheerfully to the laws that govern thorn than any other commuoitg of my acqnaiuteuca. Could the Government but protect them successfolly from theevil consequent upontoo close oontsotwith degraded whites, their prosperitywonld greatly iocreasa. As I consider the payment of cash to Indians, except in return for service rendered or labor performed for themselves or their people, as of very little real benefit in a majority of cases, it is with pleasure that ' I give below a statement of moneys earned by Indians during the year \and paid to thep by the Government: Paid to regular Indian employPs a t agenoies ...................... Psid to irregular Indian employ6s at agencies ..................... Paid to Indianadditional farmers ................................. Paid to regular Indian employ6a at Indian schools ................ Paid to irrogulm Indian employ6s a t Indian ~chool.s. ............. Paid to Indian interpreters ....................................... Paid to Indian polioetuen ......................................... Paid to Indian judges of courts of Indian offenses ................. Paid to Indians for hauling supplies .............................. Paid to Indians for prodooe, hay, wood, and other supplies pur- chased from them, and for breaking land ....................... Paid to Indians for logs out and banked by them .................. SALARIES OF AQENTS. The present salaries of Iudian agents are not adequate to the services demanded of them. They are required to give bonds for the proper dis-charge of their duties. Their responsibilities are many, their work difficult, demanding their entire time for its performance. Low and insufficient pay for such work involves one of two results: If a capable agent does his duty with fidelity and efficiency and receives for it only the authorized salary, he suffers injustice at the hands of the Government, which ought to pay a fair equivalent for service rendered. If he attempts to supplement his meager salary he is tempted to neglect his work, or to resort to irregular, hurtful, or even illegal practices. No agent should be subjected to such a trial of his honor and integrity. Moreover in some instances the salaries are so low as to render it well nigh impossible to secure men of the requisite ability. I submit below a table showing areas of reserves and population of Indians assigned to the several agencies, with amounts of bonds and salaries of agents and amounts disbursed by them during the fiscal year ending June 30,1890. |
