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Show COMMISSIONE~ OF INDIAN AFBAIRS. 17 tions of snperintendents with the Indians in their jurisdictions and the success of superintendents and their employees in assisting In-dians toward a wise use of their allotments and money in industrial development. Repeated experiences have demonstrated that superin-tendents can practice irregularities which a distant office force can not detect, and can so color reports of industrial conditions that the o5ce is for a time misled. Both experience and the dictates of sound administration require frequent examination of agency affairs by a representative of the office who is not personally interested in the management of the agency or in the affairs of the surrounding com-munity. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the assistant com-missioners annually spend in the field such time as the exigencies of public business and of congressional demands permit, but they can not make detailed examinations at upward of 60 agencies. If agency affairs are placed under a responsible supervision, ad-ministrative economies can at once be installed; for example, leases of allotments for agricultural purposes can be made directly by the superintendent, instead of through the office and the department; thus a vast deal of routine labor would be saved on the reservations and in Washington. If superintendents' actions were subject to fre-quent examination on the ground, superintendents could be required to make most of the allotments, displacing the special allotting agents and enabling the office each year to save considerable sums of money. Furthermore, it would be possible to examine closely into the necessity and value of the positions now maintained at agencies. There can be little doubt that very considerable economy and greatly increased efficiency could be secured by reducing the number of posi-tions in the field and paying increased salaries in return for more valuable services in the remaining places; but no reduction is possi-ble without great and possibly irreparable harm unless the situation at each agency is considered very critically. Examiners making accurate reports to the office could also furnish such concrete data lhat it might he possible to obtain from Congress appropriations for repair of buildings which would make some adequate provision against depreciation. Depreciation now progresses from year to year, to the ultimate cost of the United States. And, finally, under con-petent supervision the business of agencies could be so systematized that effort now spent in unprofitable routine could he turned to such needed activities as the determination of heirs entitled to the estates of deceased Indians. No better example could be set for Indians than through clear-cut and prompt action upon each piece of busi-ness they bring to the attention of the superintendent in charge. In the purchase of supplies this office annually spends over $3,000,000. A large part of the purchases are made through five 65989-18--3 |
