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Show IV REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. mitted to him tbe eonduct of the agency l)usines~p roper, the erection and care of I)l~ildiugst,b e superviaion of t8rmiug and mech;t~~icoapl er. atioas, tile purrllnse ilnd care of stuck, tlie prol,rr receipt ant1 distribu-tion of supplies, tile lunlinge!netlt ot' school$, the keeping uf ncenrate and comnlicated tinancia1 aecouuts. and the f~i rui shiur ion~l; )r~nationn ud advice aH a basis of action by thik office, but upon-bis skill, tact, and ability to influence and control his Indians, success in the administra-tion of Indian affairs wholly depends. No man, who is not possessed of talents of a high order and great variety, can be completely suc-cessful as an Indian agent. A distinguished milit'ary officer, after lO1lg experience with Indians, states that to successfially manage one of thc most important Indian agencies requires as high an order of capaclty as. to command anarmy. Tbe ,e. r eat want of the Indian service has alwars been tho~o.u. eb" l r competr1,t ;Igeuts. The I'resi~lrltt has son,oht to SPe11re 1,ropel. pertions for these im11ort;rut <~Iti~b:ejs i nviting t l l s~r reral rrli,oio~o~rsg anizolions, through thtir c.onstit11te11:~ t~tlioririrtso, nowinute to h im meu for whose ability, chnructer, at111c o~l(ll~tcltte y are williug to rol~clr. 1 believe the charches have emlea\.ored to nerform this dr~tyf aithft~lls,:) lid to a lair degree bare succeeded; but tbcy experience great diacuity in i~~ducing persons possessed of the requisite qualifications to accept these posl-tions. When it is considered tbat these men must take their families far into the wilderness, cut themscl\,es oE from civilization with its cornforts and attractions, deprive their cl~ildreno f the advautagcs of etlucation, lire lives of anxlety and toil, give bonds for great sums of money, be held respousible in some inst.ances for the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars agear, and subject themselves to ever-ready snspicion, detraction, and calumuy, for a compensation less than tbat paid to a third-class clerk in Washingtou, or to a village postmas-ter, it is not strange that able, upright, thoroughly competent meu hes-itate, and decline to accept the position of an Iudian agent, or if they accept, resigu tbe position after a short trial. In my judgment the welfare of the public service imperatirely requires that the compeusa-tion offered an Indian aeent should be somevhat in nronortio~t~o the capacity required in the office, and to the responsibilit$ and labor of the duties to be performed. I resr~ectfnllv recommend tbat this subiect be brought to the attention of Conkress, &d tbat that body be requested to alGroyriatc not less than $30.000, to be distributed as additional compensation to Iudian lagents having the nlost impo~tanta nd difficult agencies; the salary of no agent to amount to more than $3,000. While fully aware of the great reluctance of Congress to increase salaries, I belleve the increase suggested is most urgently needed, arRl would result in a large saving to the Treasury, and be of iucalonlable benefit to the Indians and to the service. INADEQUATE AND DELAYED APPROPRIATIONS. Daring the past year the office bas been seriously embarrassed .by inadequate and delayed appropriations. In January last the agents at Spotted Tail and Red Cloud reported tbat their supplies of beef and flour would be exhausted by March 1. This information was tranumit-ted to Congress, with the recommendation that tbe emergency be met by special appropriation. No appropriation being made, the attentiou of Congress was again urgently called to the subjcct in Executive mes-sage of February 28. On the 6th of April a deficiency bill appropri- |