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Problem of Indian Administration

who have been continuously employed since the organization of the survey, compiling existing statistical material and other data from the files of the Indian Office.

In every instance the persons appointed were selected by the Institute for Government Research upon its own motion without suggestion either from the Indian Office or the Department of the Interior. In no case was any objection raised by any officers of the Department to any of the names submitted by the Institute. ^[1]

The Area Covered. The selection of the special staff was of course the first administrative problem that confronted the Institute. The second was how effectively to cover the Indian country and to prepare a report within the time limit of approximately one year from the beginning of the field work.

↑ The question of whether several years of service in the Indian Office and on an Indian reservation should be considered as a barrier to appointment was discussed informally with one officer of the Indian Service. It was agreed that such a selection would be inadvisable. If a person who had been long in the Service made findings favorable to it, he would be open to the charge of undue friendliness and if he made adverse reports, he might be alleged to be actuated by personal motives. A member of the board of trustees of one of the Indian associations took the same view, and felt it would be unwise even to select as executive field clerk one who had been employed in the Department, despite the fact that such a previous knowledge of the reservations and transportation arrangements would be invaluable to the survey. The Institute made it a rule not to select employees or former employees of the Indian Service; but Dr. F. A. McKenzie’s year as teacher at the Wind River School in Wyoming in 1903–04, when he was gathering material for his doctor’s thesis, was not regarded as a barrier. Similarly, in seeking a lawyer the Institute took the position that it would be unwise to select a person who had been actively engaged in Indian cases either before the courts, the Department, or Congress. Although such a lawyer would have brought valuable knowledge of Indian law and procedure, he would be open to a charge of bias. It seemed preferable to turn to the law schools for recommendations. Mr. Ray A. Brown was suggested independently, by both Dean Pound and Professor Frankfurter of the Harvard Law School.

Henry Roe Cloud was mentioned among the outstanding representative Indians by all who were consulted on this appointment. His name was used from the very beginning of the informal conferences with the government officials as the type of Indian the Institute would seek as Indian adviser, if it should be decided, as it ultimately was, to have a single Indian adviser for the entire work of the survey.

The Institute was extremely fortunate in being able to secure the services of Mr. Cloud and is under deep obligation to the Board of Trustees of the American Indian Institute for releasing him for the year from his duties at his school.

[1] The question of whether several years of service in the Indian Office and on an Indian reservation should be considered as a barrier to appointment was discussed informally with one officer of the Indian Service. It was agreed that such a selection would be inadvisable. If a person who had been long in the Service made findings favorable to it, he would be open to the charge of undue friendliness and if he made adverse reports, he might be alleged to be actuated by personal motives. A member of the board of trustees of one of the Indian associations took the same view, and felt it would be unwise even to select as executive field clerk one who had been employed in the Department, despite the fact that such a previous knowledge of the reservations and transportation arrangements would be invaluable to the survey. The Institute made it a rule not to select employees or former employees of the Indian Service; but Dr. F. A. McKenzie’s year as teacher at the Wind River School in Wyoming in 1903–04, when he was gathering material for his doctor’s thesis, was not regarded as a barrier. Similarly, in seeking a lawyer the Institute took the position that it would be unwise to select a person who had been actively engaged in Indian cases either before the courts, the Department, or Congress. Although such a lawyer would have brought valuable knowledge of Indian law and procedure, he would be open to a charge of bias. It seemed preferable to turn to the law schools for recommendations. Mr. Ray A. Brown was suggested independently, by both Dean Pound and Professor Frankfurter of the Harvard Law School.

Henry Roe Cloud was mentioned among the outstanding representative Indians by all who were consulted on this appointment. His name was used from the very beginning of the informal conferences with the government officials as the type of Indian the Institute would seek as Indian adviser, if it should be decided, as it ultimately was, to have a single Indian adviser for the entire work of the survey.

The Institute was extremely fortunate in being able to secure the services of Mr. Cloud and is under deep obligation to the Board of Trustees of the American Indian Institute for releasing him for the year from his duties at his school.

[1]