Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1871.djvu/7

Rh or neglect to avail themselves of the educational facilities offered. This principle was adopted with the Pawnees in the third article of the treaty of 1857, and with good results.

The encouragement of agriculture might also be effectually secured by the payment of premiums for the best cultivated farm above a certain established standard of excellence.

The latter plan would not probably be productive of its legitimate results while the present system of holding their lands in common prevails, and could only be successfully carried out after the lands were divided.

These changes would entail additional and delicate duties upon agents, and would require increased vigilance in their performance Under existing laws the salaries of those officers are too small. They should be men who have no desire to speculate upon their offices, and, therefore, should have no income beyond their legal compensation. It is a singular fact, and one, perhaps, not entirely creditable to the Government, that some of the religious denominations which have been requested to name persons for appointment as agents have been compelled, in order to secure good men, to contribute to the support of said agents while in Government employ, on account of the insufficiency of the legal compensation to their support. This is utterly inadequate to their support and every consideration of justice and economy will justify a liberal increase.

To insure a faithful performance of their duties by agents, and to secure uniformity in enforcing the Government policy throughout the various agencies, I would suggest that authority be conferred upon the Secretary of the Interior to appoint inspectors, when necessity requires, whose duty it shall be to visit the several tribes and agencies at stated intervals, and report concerning the fidelity and capacity of the agents and the condition of the tribes under their charge; to enforce uniformity of management, and to suggest such measures of reform as may seem best calculated to promote the general policy of the Government.

I deem it to be my duty, also, to urge an increase of the salary of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The present rate of compensation is entirely inadequate to the position. Its duties require the services of a man of intelligence, capacity, and integrity, and he should be so compensated as to secure such services. Five thousand dollars per annum would be a small salary for the services of a proper man in that important place, and, in view of the great influence he would wield in carrying out the present policy, it would be economy to increase the salary to at least the sum named.

The Indian population now under the jurisdiction of the United States, according to the most reliable data to be obtained, is about 321,000. This number includes 75,000, the estimated Indian population of Alaska, and 3,663, scattered throughout the States of Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, and Texas, not maintaining tribal relations.