Page:LewisMeriam-TheProblemOfIndianAdministration.djvu/165

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Problem of Indian Administration

The Establishment of District Centers Within Reservations. In those jurisdictions where distances and road conditions make administration from a central agency office difficult, the policy of dividing the territory into districts should be generally followed, and large authority and responsibility should be vested in the district officers. This policy is already successfully applied in several jurisdictions. Indians should not have to make long trips to the central office of the agency and thus be kept sitting or standing around in idleness waiting to see the superintendent regarding minor matters of routine. The policy of having certain days on which scores of Indians flock to have audiences with the superintendent and other officers at the central agency,[1] and then wait around in crowds until decisions have been reached and action taken, is demoralizing to the Indians and is open to some of the objections which are advanced against Indian ceremonies, notably, taking the Indians away from their homes and farms. Coming to the agency with the whole family to camp for a few days, even if to see the superintendent, means just as much of a break in routine as does any other camping trip.

The superintendent of such a large agency should keep himself free for general supervision and leadership and should not permit a large part of his time to be taken up with routine requests relating to small matters. Several of the superintendents have abundantly demonstrated the practicability of such an organization, and they are as a rule the ones that are making the most substantial progress with their Indians.

The local or district men and women, if properly trained and equipped, will be working on a carefully planned, well considered program with respect to each of the families within their jurisdictions. This plan should be worked out by them in consultation with the superintendent, and after he has approved it they should be free to go ahead with it, including all such routine as is incident to the program, subject of course to general supervision from the superintendent.

  1. ↑ This should not be construed as a recommendation against the establishment of definite days and hours when the superintendent or other officers may be found at the office by Indians who really want to see him, or have matters of major importance to transact, or whose cases have been referred to him by the district officers.
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