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Show declare that they were present with him and that he refused to touch the pen. In such a case the officers in charge of the business are greatly puzzled to know whom to believe. The Indian, who by no means lacks natural shrewdness, can not easily be convinced that a cross made by another man on a piece of paper, in even the drawing of which he has himself taken no part, is his act in any binding sense. But it is easy to see, in every gathering where Indians are called upon to impress their thumb prints opposite their written names, that they understand that here is something which commits them, and that there is no escape from the effect of a mark actually made by them and capable of com-parison with another mark similarly made at a later date. An emi-nent jurist once said of the oath administered in law courts to liti-gants and witnesses, that it is not designed so much to call the attention of the Deity to the act of his creature as it is to call the attention of the creature to the fact that there is a Deity who will judge him. So with the thumb print, the mere possibility of its use as a means of identification by officers of the Government in disputed cases is not more important, after all, than the reminder it conveys to the Indian that he is taking upon himself certain obligations which he can not lightly throw off. To Inspector McLaughlin belongs the credit of having made the first experiments with thumb-print signatures. He was selected for that purpose because of his knowledge of the Indian character and the assurance that he would impress the solemnity of such attesta-tions upon the Indians in a dignified way. Now that he has demon-strated the wisdom of the idea, I hope to have other inspecting officers extend its application till it becomes substantially universal, or till the percentage of Indians who can read and write becomes equal to the corresponding proportion among our white population. OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT WOR INDIANS. The employment bureau, in charge of Charles E. Dagenett, which was established in 1905 to assist Indians io procure work outside their reservations, has met with continued success. THE SOUTHWEST. Employment has been obtained for Indians on ranches, farms and railroads and at any other occupation for which they were quali-fied. Such steady employment as wage-earners and contact with the world outside of a reservation not only bring to the Indians money returns for their labor, but also develop self-reliance and a capacity for looking after their own individual and family interests.' It is Mr. Dagenett's wise policy to exercise no direct supervision over Indians who can manage their own affairs and find employment for |