East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-07-23
COMPETENCY COMMISSION.
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weaken any of its wards by undue
protection. and not in any sense by
codling, it should go slow in turning
them loose.
Sale of Indian Lands.
Most closely allied to the true de-
termination of competency are the va
rious questions connected with the sale
of lands not needed as land by Indians.
Briefly, my views are that the land
of any given Indians falls into two
parts-what he needs as land for the
purpose of raising crops and that of
his land which is simply valuable to
him as property. This property part
l am in favor of selling at the earliest
possible date to bona-fide settlers. In
this way, we shall open thousands of
acres of valuable agricultural land
to fullest development and bring in
the white citizen; and by thus putting
large quantities of agricultural land
on the tax-rolls, bring in better school
facilities and all other social advan-
tages. incidentally one of the great
advantages of this course will be
largely putting an end to the leasing
of Indian lands. From the point of
view of the states I find general
agreement to my proposition that the
lessee is not as desirable a citizen as
the actual settler; and from the point
of view of the Indian, the lessee is
almost an unmixed evil. The best
interests of the Indian on the land
he needs as lands are subserved by
having an actual settler next to him
and his welfare is seriously threatened
at its course by his being in the po-
sition Of a landlord, receiving rents
for which he has done no real work
himself. \ very large part of the So
called idleness and laziness of Indians
IS due to this easy money which comes
from leasing. BY selling this land at
a fair price and by turning the money
received once for all over to the In
dian, if he is competent enough, or
handling it for his benefit, we are at
once serving the best interests of the
state and the Indian"
viii BE Three Glasses.
AS it is understood here at present
the Indians on the Umatilla reserva-
ton will be divided into three classes.
There are already $50 or $50 Indians
who have ben given title to their
land and turned loose. These will not
be taken into consideration by the
commission. The first of three divi-
sions to be made will be those who are
believed to be entirely competent
These will be given patent to their
land and permitted to sell it or keep
it as they see fit, without any restric-
tions whatever being attached.
The second class will be those who
will be permitted to lease their land
without any government regulation
other than that the land will still be
held in trust by the government.
The third class will contain those
Indians who are believed to be en-
tirely incompetent. The government
will not only hold their land in trust
but it will also superintend the leas-
ing of it as at present.
It is estimated that six months or
longer will be required to settle the
problems which the commission has
before it.
Major Swartzlander was placed on
the board for the reason indl as lne
government representative here he
is fully informed concerning the par
ticular problems at hand. DR.. Nc
Chesney was appointed because his
many years in the service and his
dealings with the affairs on many diff
ferent reservations has given him a
fund of practical experience which
will be invaluable to the commission
in arriving at its decisions. DR.. E. j..
Sommerville was appointed by the
comm iss,oner of Indian affairs on the
recommendation of Congressman Ell
lis. He is to represent the best in
terests of the state as a, fair and i'm
partial citizen. His long residence in
Pendleton and the vicinity of the res
erVat.on make him well qualified for
the position.