Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-03
REPORT ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
Commissioner Valentine Renews
Work of the Bureau.
LEGISLATION THAT IS NEEDED
No Authority Exists for Leasing
for Mining Purposes Mining
Lnnds-Indians In Civil
Service.
(From a staff correspondent.l

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2--(Speciai Corre-
spondence, )-Robert G.. Valentine, commits
sioner of Indian affairs, who succeeded
Francis E., Leupp, Saturday made public
his annual report relative to the conduct
of the. affairs of the bureau since he was
commissioned, June 10, 1902 AS the ad-
ministration of this particular branch OF
the service changed hands in the last
month of the fiscal year, the events
recorded in Mr.. Valentines report fail
almost entirely within Mr.. Leupp's term
Mr. Valentine frankly says he has prac-
tlcally thus far in many matters endeav-
ored merely to follow the initiative in
augurated by his predecessor and patron.
Commissioner Valentine in his introduce
tory remarks in his report, says
''As to the lines of policy which the
bureau viii follow, l prefer TO let the
coming year speak for itself; but here
would record the debt which / feel 1 owe
to Commissioner Leupp IN his having
turned over to me service to which he
has contributed undying qualities through
his love of truth, his fearlessness in work
ing for the end as he saw it. his un-
bounded energy in handling details, and
his intense personal loyalty both to the
office staff and to the field force. These
qualities in him have quiekened the serv-
ice in way which viii contribute daily
to the success any successor might achieve.
Extent of the Service.
The Indian service is primarily educa-
tional. 1t Is great outdoor-indoor school,
with the emphasis on the outdoor. The
students in this school are 300,00O individ-
uals, ranging in age from babes at the
breast to old men and women of the tribes,
and with a range Of characteristics which
is indicated by no one fact perhaps better
than that these 100000 individuals speak
about $50 fairly distinct dialects. The
plant which composes the physical proper
ties of this school consists of an area
of land nearly twice the size of the state
of New York, or larger than the state OF
Missouri scattered through twenty-six
states, in areas ranging from a few hun
dred acres to some as large as the small
Ter states of the union. The funds to carry
on and to be cared for in connection with
this plant amount to approximately $S5 000-
00C, of which $62, ,0O0, 900 belong to the tribes
SIS, 900 600 belong to individual Indians; and
approximately $40 100000 are contributed by
appropriations annually. The value Of the
physical plant, including lands, buildings
reclamation works, and forests Is hun
dreds OF millions. The teachers in this
school, of which the commissioner is the
principal teacher, form a force Of over
5000 employees, covering all the grades
and classes of work which go to make q
human being a useful citizen of the United
States. Whether in the sChoolroom or II
its great crowds of children. Taking care
the issuance of a patent fee or in the use
of individual or tribal funds the one test
to be brought to the business aspect OF
the case is: VIII doing this and the way
of doing it educate the child or the wo
man or the man for citizenship?
Legislation that Is Needed.
In speaking Of legislation needed by the
Indian bureau, Commissioner Valentine has
these suggestion to make to congress-:
There is no authority under existing Law
I for leasing for mining purposes the triba
/ lands of reservations that have been es-