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missionaries of many different sects and denominations, some broad, tolerant, and coöperative, and others not; whites anxious to help and protect the Indians but with an extreme divergence of views as to how it is to be done; whites anxious to despoil the Indians of their property without conscience as to the means to be employed; persons holding public office with views regarding Indians and their rights as widely variant as are those entertained by the different classes of whites. Scramble all these things together with many more not specifically mentioned and one gets a very much simplified picture of the job of the Indian Service, and of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
No Commissioner of Indian Affairs, however able and efficient, can possibly be master of all the fields of knowledge which must be brought to bear in the administration of the Indian Service. To a lesser extent this same statement may be made with respect to superintendents of agencies and schools. The jobs are too varied and diversified, the number of fields involved too great. It is not surprising therefore, frequently to encounter, in the field intelligent and observing Indians who attribute some of their failure to advance to the frequent changes in programs and policies resulting from a change in the office of superintendent. One superintendent advocates stock raising as the economic salvation of his Indians, and his Indians attempt to follow his leadership. His successor says stock raising is no good, that the Indians must raise corn, and again they attempt to take his advice. A third superintendent follows who says the Indians cannot get anywhere with corn, they must try sheep. It is small wonder the Indians become skeptical of their Moses.
Astute observers say that what has happened on some of the reservations because of changes in officials and policies is to a considerable extent true of the Indian Service as a whole, that it has had similar reversals of policy and program; and considerable evidence warrants such a conclusion. A previous administration rode hard the theory that the salvation of the Indian was to turn him loose from government supervision. Competency commissions went through the Indian country applying this theory wholesale, and many a poor Indian found himself a patent-in-fee Indian without the knowledge and ability to stand on his own feet, without government advice and assistance. The present administration wisely