The Detroit times., 1910-10-18

given away for services rendered. and
100000 practically given away TO
$4,000 homesteaders. Hesides this
thirty complete town sites were sold.
100 coal mines. 1000 gold mine
claims, and 5000 tracts of timber land
This indicates that Uncle Sam does q
thriving zeal estate business.
Although the Indians are rapidly be-
Ing absorbed In the encompassing cur
rents OF superior civilization, there
still remain enough incompetent ones
to require the continuation OF q ma
tional guardianship. This guardian
ship Is delegated to the commissioner
CT Indian AFFAIRS. who has charge Of
their lands, moneys. schools, supplies
and general welfare. In the early
history Of the bureau OF Indian az
fairs the Indian country was divided
into large districts, which were In
charge OF superintendent. These dis
tricts, In turn, were subdivided into
reservations. and each reservation had
It's own Indian agent. All OF this has
been changed and the superintendent
no longer exist, while the agents are
passing. The affairs Of small groups
OF Indians are now placed In the
hands OF bonded day school teachers
or farmers, who report directly to the
commissioner OF Indian AFFAIRS.
Under the present conditions the
commissioner Is authorised to sell an
individuals holding In tribal lands.
where he thinks the money would do
the Indian more good than the land:
or he may transfer to any competent
Indian, the complete management Of
his individual estate. A rule has been
established that all Indian signatures
shall be made by the impression In
wax OF the right thumb of the signer.
The bureau OF education directs the
national educational interests of the
country Its reports are published
annually In two volumes. which are
valuable as q statistical encyclopedia
OF educational progress. They also
contain summary OF all the latest
ideas In the educational world, Of all
recent legislation, and Of everything
OF value In aiding the teachers Of
the United States to keep abreast Of
world movements In educational
circles.
The geological survey was origin
ally intended TO survey the public
domain and TO ascertain the character
OF Its mineral deposits. but II has so
broadened the scope OF its work "a
10 become one Of the most important
bureaus In the entire government SER
vice. Many OF Its duties have been
assigned TO the new bureau OF mines
under the law passed last winter Be
tween the two they have charge OF
the work OF surveying the country,
making the official maps. of the ma
ton, investigating the wafer resources
OF the country. studying all questions
relating to the safety of miners and
the economical handling OF mine ma
terials, testing building materials, and
many things OF equal Importance to
every citizen. The process Of making
the Official maps Of the country 10 full
OF interest. One Of these maps 10 q
and when the work Is finished II will
have cost the nation three million dol
lars. In addition to this topographic
map there Is one being made Of the
geologic formation Of the country. II
will be many years before these two
maps are worked out In complete de-
tail. The whole country already has
been surveyed In q general way. but
these maps bring II down 10 q minute
ness seldom undertaken by any gov
eminent.
The reclamation service, another
branch of the interior department. has
charge OF the irrigation Of the semi
arid regions OF the United States and
the drainage OF the swamp lands Of the
country. Its labors promise to have
an increasing Importance as the years
go by. As these lands, when properly
irrigated OF drained, are the most pro-
ductive In the United States. the In
creasing population Of the country will
make 1t essential that this work be
carried forward with great rapidity.
The government reclaims the land and
then sells It to those who expect TO
farm Il, at a rate sufficient to pay al
expenses OF reclamation. In the irrf.
gated country the big water projects
are turned over to the users OF the
water, who mutually share the ex-
pense OF the upkeep. The reclamation
service Is spending many millions OF
dollars a year. and Is handling almost
az much material as Is being taken
out OF the Panama canal during the
IN mo ttrna