Show 4 I INDIAN AGENTS The other day e I etary Teller gave notice that while he would continue to appoint as Indian agents met recommended by the several religious denominations the parsons recommende must be business busi-ness men and tave qualifications other than piety He said nothing against any agent but suggested that broken down clergymen had not proven successful as Indian agents His frankness and truthfulness truthful-ness have subjected the secretary to considerable criticism and some peculiar censure at the hands of religious orgalizations But Mr Teller is eminently correct Giving the average minister credit for i honesty he has ordinarily but that single qualiGcation for the suiCiSfcfal Indian agent IAn I-An acqu tintanca with the I Bible an 1 being trained in theology I are de iddly go id things but they I do not fit a man for dealing with I and managing Inlians apportioning bacon and sugar and keeping journals jour-nals and ledgers Indeed the truly pious person is usually a very bad business man He is just such a person as the merchant or contractor contrac-tor would noi employ to manage his I affairs Government ought to be as intelligent and careful as the private pri-vate citizen in the conduct of its I business Secretary Teller seems to have conceived this idea in connection con-nection with the management of the Indian bureau and while he wants religious men for agents he desires that his agents will know something besides piety If he shall succeed in reforming the system sys-tem of dealing with and by the Indians In-dians he can afford to accept the criticism to which he is being subjected sub-jected by people who are more pious than practical I |