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Show R E P O R T OF THE COM~IISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. DEPARTMENOTF D HE INTERIOR, ORFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, TVushinqton, October 10, 1882. SIR: In compliance with the law requiring the Colnmissioner of In-dian Affairs to make an annual report of the condition of aEairs c,on-nected with his bnreau, I have the honor to submit herewith IIIY report for the year 1882. Evidently this law contemplates that the report thus required should show not only operations of the past year and the present condition of aEairs, but also make such suggestions and rec-ommendations, based u~ponth e year's experience, as would be beneficial to the service. The operations and res~iltso f the last year in the different agencies, which will be more fully described and explained under their appro-priate heads, will, I think, compare favorably with any one of the pre-ceding years. Laud has been opened to cultivation; houses for Indian residences have been built; schools opened and operated; and in Inany cases, and in ~a r ionws ay&t .he cause of civilization generally advanced; and I might, with this genera1 statement of facts, proceed to give a separate chapter of each reservation and agency; and follow these with the tabulated statements required by section 468 of the Revised Statutes. But such a report would not, in my opinion, be discharging my whole duty, nor would it be snch a report as the framers of $he law contem-plated. When the ri11es and regulations under the law governing the operations of the Indian Department become perfect, and the machinery less multiform and complicated, such a report 1nig11t aituswer the pur-pose; but until snch is the case, a report shonld not only state n4iat has bee11 done, but also wbat .changes would be adrantageous to the service. DELAI- IN SETTLEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. Too much macl~ineryi s often worse than too liltlo, and, in my jndg-ment, there is now too much rnaohinery in use in the settlement of ac-counts connected with this boreau. I say this with a frill Bnowledge gained by an experience of many years of the absolnte uecessity of proper checks and balances in the manner of keepiog and. settling ac- (3) |
