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Show COMMISSOHEB INDIAN AFF~IBS. 67 Six inspectors to act as the immediate and eon5dential representatives of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, subject to such evidences of qualitieations as the Civil Senice Commission may prescribe after consultation with Ule Com-missioner of Indian Affairs. The organization of this branch of Indian work will have a mate-rial and far-reaching effect on the service, and through it there will be developed the keenest spirit of hearty cooperation between those in charge of field nctivities and the office. Its work will be to weed out the incompetents, discover the malfeasance of individuals, remedy the defects of the functional operations of all those charged with supervision nnd direction of the Indians, and to formulate a correct basis of estimating the true value of the Government's agents. In the selection of the men composing this corps I shall be guided solely by the work to be accomplished and the adaptation of the man to do what is required. Strong men of integrity and prnctical idens, with constructive tendencies, can and mill develop the best service from our employees, and they will furnish the infor-mation on which the administrative part of the ofice can predicate intelligent action. During the brief period of my incumbency I have often felt the need of these men. With accurate knowledge of the situation at any given point in the Indian country, the application of an ndequnte remedy becomes simple. Without tKis clear understanding, action taken here is largely experimental. As supplementary to this inspection force, the special agents and supervisors form a secondary aid to bringing the field and its activi-ties into closer relationship with all branches. COOPERATION. I have felt that no one thing is of greater importance in the administration of matters concerning the Indians thnn to bring about the closest relationship and understanding between all departments of the Indian Service. I have felt especially the necessity for the closest understanding and cooperation between the office and the field. With this end in view I have concentrated the headquarters of as many of the field o5cers in Washington as could profitably be estab-lished here, so that for a part of the year they would be available for conference, thus bringing about a closer understanding on their pnrt of my policies and furnishing me with valuable information concern-ing conditions throughout the field. In addition to this, where practicable, I have called together repre-sentatives of the supervisory force and those field men employed in the several distinctive branches of work for consultation. A gen-eral conference of men engaged in liquor work was held in Denver, Colo., the &st of the gear. This conference is referred to elsewhere. |