The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-08-14
LEASING ALLOTTED LANDS.
suggestions for Important Changes
by Acting Secretary Ryan.
cnecial to the Ardmoreite.

by Acting secretary Ryan.
Special to the Ardmoreite.
Washington, Aug. 3.-Acting
Secretary Ryan of the interior de
partment has addressed a commu-
nication to the Indian office, sug-
costing an important change or
modification of the general policy
in regard to the leasing of allotted
Indian lands. which suggestion has
been accepted by the Indian office
and copies sent to all the Indian
agents throughout the country.
The letter is as follows:
Il am pressed with the necessity
for a change or modification of
policy regarding the leasing Of In
dian allotments.
Leases are usually made from
one to three years-mostly for the
longer term-generally for money
consideration alone. This | con-
slider as injurious to the best inter-
ests of the Indians owners, and
suggest that in the future allotted
lands shall be leased with view
of their permanent improvement,
80 that the allottee, when capable
of taking charge of and working
his land, shall have something
more than the bare land, which he
would only have under the present
system of leasing.
Therefore, | suggest that future
leases shall provide for some speci-
fic improvements, such as clearing
the land, the breaking of new
land, the erection of fences, barns
aud other necessary improvements,
the character and value of which
shall be specifically stated in lease,
and provisions also made therein
for keeping the same in first class
condition and repair.
l regard these substantial bene
fits as much more essential to the
interests of the allottee, and for
the future good and value of his
property, than the temporary or
present good all money payment
for rent would do him.
In leasing the Indian allot-
ments under your control, in the
future, you will see that the con-
sideration named provides for
some specific improvements of a
permanent nature, the same to be
placed on the premises by the
lessee and to be left there and be-
come the property of the Indian al
the expiration of the lease. A
proviso to that effect should bt
attached to the lease, setting forth
the character and value of the i'm
provements to be made, and pro
viding for the keeping Of all i'm
provements on the premises IN
frst-class condition and repair.
The land should be visited
prior to the drawing of the lease
and it should be ascertained wha
improvements they are most il
need Of Where your other duties
prevent You from personally at
tending such matters, the agen
farmer or some other trusted
agency employee, should be charged
with the same. After the con
tract has been drawn, and ap
proved by the office and the de
partment, you should see that thu
conditions are fulfilled by tn
lessee within the time limit an
that they are of the character an
quality specified. )"
For som time past the depart
ment has / | considering the ad
visibility of adopting some ne'
plan, which would compel the In
dians to apply portion OF tn
money received from the leasing 9
the grazing and agricultural land
to permanent improvements o
their individual allOtments. Unit
recently this problem has given tn
department considerable annoy
ance. AS soon as the Indian
drew their money from the rent
their lands. it soon went in dlss
patton and riotous living. Undt
the above plan proposed, IL
agents will be compelled to appl
a certain portion of the revenue
to the construction of permaneI
improvements on the land. th'
increasing its value from year
In a