The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-09-26
our v[tkll WASHINGTON letter
THE INDIANS TO BE TAUGHT A
LESSON In FRU0ALITY.
Commissioner of Indian Affolrs Jones
Recommends Some Importane Chan@@s
in the System of Leasing AGricui.
turaI Lands for Money Rent.
Special to the Ardmoreite.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 24.-In
his annual report to the Secretary
OF the Interior Commissioner of
Indian Affairs William A. Jones will
recommend an Important change in
the system of leasing Indian agricul-
tural lands, which, it is believed,
will operate greatly to the benefit OF
the Indians. For years past all
Indian agricultural lands have been
rented to white people for an annual
cash consideration. The prices per
acre received by the Indians have
ranged from % cents to $3.50 per
annum. Bottom lands in the reser-
vation which will produce 40 bushels
of wheat per acre are now being
rented for $3.50 per acre, and the
lessees are not only reaping hand
some profits, but are exhausting the
substance of the soil by continued
crops of wheat and corn yearly.
Aside from the financial aide of the
question, it has been found that this
system encouraged idleness among
the Indians, who, after receiving
their pro rata share of the proceeds,
devote their time to dissipation until
their money is gone, and are left
practically penniless until the next
payment is due.
At the suggestion of Commissioner
Jones, shortly after he assumed con-
troll of the office, the policy of l5as-
ing Indian reservation agricultural
lands to farmers upon the share sys-
tenn was inaugurated at one or two
of the agencies. At the Kickapoo
agency, in Oklahoma Territory, the
system was put in operation. Leases
were made to farmers who agreed to
raise the crops and give to the In
dians two-1fths CT the produce, the
farmers taking three-fifths. The In
dians were compelled to gather the
crops after they matured. This fur
nished them employment and en-
couraged thrift among the members
of the tribe, who carefully watched
the lessees to see that they were not
cheated out of any of their share OF
the grain and other produce. The
plan was at once found to be so sat
isfactory that it has been continued
in operation on the Kickapoo reser-
walton, where a majority of the
leases are now made on the share
system and not for a money consid.
Grafton.
Commissioner Jones believes that
II this same system is put into
operation on all the reservations, IL
will encourage thrift and industry
among the Indians, and at the same
time teach them, by actual expert
ence, frugality.
One of the principal reasons fol
this change is the incessant compli-
cations arising from the present sys'
tenn. During the last year probably
80, 900 individual allotment leases or
the various Indian reservations have
been approved by the department
The lands leased have been among
the richest agricultural lands in the
various states and territories, il
which the reservations are located
In nearly every case there has beer
scramble among men in those sec
tions to secure the coveted prizes
This has invariably resulted in
charges of bribery and corruption
being submitted against the parties
interested and, in some cases
against the agents. In some in
stances, these charges haye beer
found we'll sustained, and the de-
partment has taken summary action