Evening journal., 1900-11-12
Ration Gradually Reduced in
Past Few Years
SOME TRIBES HAVE INCOMES
But as Long as These Funds Exist
They Will be The Prey Of
Designing People

Washington, Nov 12.-The total ex-
ponditures by the government on ac-
count of the Indian service from March
4. 1888, up TO and including July 30,
1900. has been $685., 5,35S,217. according
TO the annual report Of Commissioner
of Indian Affairs William A. Jones.
The expenditures for the fiscal year
ended last July amounted to $l0175,-
107 OF this amount at least $780,
600 was devoted TO the cause of Indian
education. The Indian population of
the United States is about 267500. Of
which 1920 receive a daily ration.
The ration issued and It's value very
according to the tribe. Nearly two
nfths Of the number receiving rationa
belong 90 the great Sioux Nation. The
ration has been gradually reduced in
the past few years, In accordance with
the policy OF the Indian bureau. IL the
Indians claim for full rations as
right is conceded the commissioner
predicts that the time when they viii
be self supporting lies in the very dis
/ tant future, II 1t comes at ALL Mnum-
! Der of the Indians also are assisted by
occasional issues and at several agen-
cies the old and INDECENT are provided
for. These aggregate about 1880 AL
together there are $3.50 Indians re-
ceiving subsistence in some degree, ex-
elusive of Indian children ia board
ing schools
The commissioner urges that the in
| discriminate issue OF rations should
stop at once. Tho old and helpless, he
says. should be provided for, but ra-
tiona should be issued to the able
bodied only for labor while those who
have been educated in Indian schools
should depend entirely on their own
resources Annuities distributed last
year aggregated Sl,501543, the per
capita ranging from S295 down to 90
cents. The report says that large
| money payments 10 the Indians "are
! demoralizing In the extreme. They
| degrade tho Indians and corrupt the
whites; they induce pauperism and
scandal and crime; they nulliiy all the
good effect OF years OF labor. IN
scupulous people induce the Indian TO
80 into debt and then, when the debt
has accumulated and the Indians
credit is gone. pressure IS brought to
bear by the creditors upon the govern
mont TO pay the Indian so that he can
pay his honest CD debts. The state OF
affairs growing out OF this around
some of the agencies is o scandal and a
disgrace" The commissioner pro-
ceeds
There is now IN the treasury to the
credit of Indian tribes s33. .317 $500,
drawing interest at the rate Of and
5 per cont. the annual interest amount-
ing TO S1.64G,lS5.96. Besides this, sew
eral Of the tribes have large incomes
from leasing and other sources. II is
O safe prediction that so long as these
funds exist they viii be the prey of de-
signing people.
"The ultimate disposition Of the In
dian trust funds is q subject for the
most serious consideration. In some
cases they are small and in others very
. large. With respect to the former they
can, as a rule, be paid out to the In
dams with little, if any, evil oonse-
quences. With respect TO the latter
their proper disposition is more diff
cult. IL is admitted that great wealth
is "a source of weakness to any Indian
tribe and productive of much evil"
Two remedies have been suggested.
. First, the gradual extinction Of these
funds. setting aside sufficient sum 20
maintain the reservation schools a
definite period of years, say 2l, and
then dividing the balance per capita
| and paying each member of the tribe
at certain ages their share. Second,
as a corollary TO this, division Of the
land belonging to the tribe per capita.
The remedy proposed would almost in
variably Immediately relegate the In
/ dians to poverty, though the remote
result might be for them TO work TO
save themselves from actual want.
p The general leasing of their allotments
S by the Indians to white men is de-
b. nounced.