Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-24

the laws covering the land question. The
Indian office maintains a law department,
where all cases of litigation are taken up
End investigated, and record of each
is filed. The leasing, of land by the In
dams has become quite a serious matter
of late years, until last year it was
considered. for the well-doing of the
owners. necessary to reduce the number
allowed. An Indian would lease his al
lotment for the sum of $500 or 5000 year
ly rental. This was just enough to sup
port him In idleness, leaving him unlm
tied time and opportunity to loaf, drink
and gamble. AS the governments inten-
ton toward the Indian is to make him a
self-supporting. industrious citizen, and
this sort of existence is in exact opposi-
ton to that contamination. the leasing
privileges were curtalled. There were
S.O39 leases approved in 1907, but in 1903
only 1920 were allowed, and in the fiscal
year ending in 1909 the number was re-
duced to 5,25S. or about one-third that Of
two years previous.
BY this it is hoped to induce the Indian
to cultivate and work his own land, or
part of it, at any rate, for he may lease
part to procure implements and supplies
with which to improve the balance Some
of the Indian women have made wonder
full progress as landholders. releasing
their allotments before the twenty five
years are half gone. Frequently these
women are married to white or colored
men, who are both eligible to procure
allotment privileges. Not long ago there
was brought to the notice of the Indian
Office the case Of woman who was half
Indian and half negro, who married a
Chinaman. The case had something to do
with the husband not being allowed to
come into the United States. owing to
his celestial origin. In the case Of in
competent 1ndians-meaning those who
show no disposition to improve the land
allotment made them-there are regula-
lions for selling their lands, and they
are usually so conveyed upon petition of
the owner. There are special laws COW
ering the sale of Inherited lands, there
being In this case clause protecting
the interests of minor heirs, making such
conveyance subject to the approval of
the Secretary of the Interior Before such
sale can be consummated there must be
an agreement that the proceeds from the
sale shall be deposited in one or more
national banks to be designated by the
commissioner of Indian affairs, to the
credit and subject to the check for
amounts agreed upon in monthly pay
ments Of the heirs.
These are only a few of the many
phases Of the land question handled by
the commissioner Of Indian affairs
AH OO6H the fdHu OlV1SlOn Oh the once.
Every day there is some new complica-
ton arising which must be dealt with in
q just manner, yet polite, for the In
dams are rather perverse and lack the
power of reasoning things.
"a
The mighty problem OF educating the
Indian seems to have been successfully
solved in this Office, for the points in
volved are all clearly adjusted. and the
work carried forward with order and
satisfaction. Schools, both reservation
and non-reservatiOn. are established
over all the United States. most Of them
being west of the Mississippi These
boarding and day schools
are provided with competent teachers.
Over them is the superintendent of
schools. the new appellation for the
Indian agent. There is one of
these superintendent on each reserva-
ton, and his decision is absolute This
is. Of course, within the rules laid dowa
for his guidance by the commissioner
of Indian affairs here in Washington.
Many Indians, having graduated and
shown an aptitude for work. are given
preference In positions in and around
the schools, and it has been proved that
they make excellent and painstaking
teachers. At Fort Berthold, N. D.. there
is a Sioux Indian named Charles w.
Hoffman. holding the position OF SUI
perintendent, while another. Peter
Paquette. holds a like position at
Navajo, New Mexico The supervisor