OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF TIIE COMMISSIONER OF INDTAN AFFAIRS. XVII practices and customs which are to them a religion, and which, if neg. lected, they believe will result in disaster and death, the impart,iality with which the police have performed the duties devolving upon them is creditable in the highest degree. I t matters not who the offcr~deri s, whether chief of the tribe or a yonog warrior, Indian orwhite maa,friend or foe, stranger or one '<to the manor born," when ordered to make an arrest these is no flinching from dutj, and it is truly marvelous that so little friction has occurred in the performance of their duties. One of the best evidences of their etticiency and adhere~ice to duty is shown in the fact that out of a force of nearly 800 men only 80 have been dis-charged from tlie force during the year for all causes combined. I cannot consciention~ly perform my duty nor do justice to this mer itorious bo&y of men without again calling attention totheir meager salarx, and urging that a more liberal compen~ation be paid to them. This office requires that they shall be men of unquestioned energy, courage, and self-command ; be in vigorous bodily health ; be good horsemen and good sllots with rifle and pistol. They innst be well ac-quainted with the topography of the reservation, and must so inform themselves as to the appearance of the cattle, wagons, and other prop-erty belongiugon thereservation as to beable to identify them wherever found; must constantly patrol the districts assigned; must give imme-diate notice of t,he arrival of strangerson the reservation; must obtain ' all possible information in regard to timber, cattle, and horse-thieres, squatters, and liquor-sellers in the vicinity, and must vigilantly watch the movements of all suspicious characters and their associates, and re-port the same ; must report all marriages, deaths, and cases of severe sickness or accident; and must perform all the regular duties assigned, and be ready for special service at any time. They are compelled to furuish and feed their own horses, many of them keeping several, and are often ou a trail at hard riding for days at a time, all for the low salary of $8 per month for otticers and $5 per month for privates. Of the 784 men in service the past year only 64 were single men ; all the others had families averaging five members. During the year 128 resigned on account of "inadeqnate salary,"and it is surprising that any accept or retain the position. Congress, at its last session, recognized the necessity of greater oompensation by au-thorizing one agent to pay $15 per mouth. T earnestly recommend that the rate of oompensation per month be fixed as follows : Officers, $15; sergeants, $12; privates, $10. GENERAL STATISTICS. The following tables show: (1) The distribution of population; (2) the objects and purposes of the expenditures from appropriations for the fiscal years ended June 30,1882, 1883, and 1884. 4266 IND-II |