The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-01-05
LEASING or RESERVATION LAND
The Superintendent Of the Fort Hall
Reservation Gives Citizen lnfor-
\ nation 10 Regard to Leasing In
dian Allotments.
Fort Hall Indian Agency,
Ross Fork, Idaho, Dec. 81, 1910.

December %, 1910, enclosing a clipp-
ing from the Pocatello Tribune and
asking me certain questions in regard
to the leasing of lands allotted to- the.
Indians on the Fort Hall reservation.
Taking up your questions in their
order I answer them as follows:
FIRST-In leasing 100 or 32O acres
Of good land, as near Pocatello as is
what would probably be the
yearly rental per year? +
In the first place do not think
the Secretary Of the Interior will per-
NIT any one person to- lease more |
than 100 acres of the irrigible land,
and doubt if he will let any one
man lease more than 80 acres. Leaset
may be made on a crop-rental basis
or a cash rental at the option of the
Indian, and as one tract of land may
be and frequently is worth more than
another, it is manifestly impossible to
name cash yearly acre rate. At tie
outset of the leasing business there
will be few short term Improve
ment leases on raw land made on
favorable terms. The lessee will be
required to clear such land of sage
brush and break it up, build reces-
sary laterals to get water on the
land and possibly fence it.
SECOND-What would be the great
est number Of years for which
lease could now be secured?
The Act Of Congress, approved ca
June 25, 1910. names five years as
the longest term for which lease
can be made. The Department us
ually approves leases for terms of
three years and no overlapping leases
will be approved until within per-
iod OF. seven months before the expira
tion Of an existing lease; that IS If
a three year lease is to expire March
l, 1912, no renewal or subsequent on
will be made on the land before Aug
ust 1, 1911.
AS the producing value Of these
lands is not we'll established at this
time, I do not believe that amy five
year leases will be approved at the
beginning of the leasing work. Lease
for one year are net infrequent on
lands in cultivation.
.THIRD-Could l secure say 20
wear lease with an option on buying
at expiration of that time, at price
now stated?
No, the longest possible term undo
the law is five years. No option or
any kind is or can be given. 1t Is
the policy OF the Department, how
ever, to give preference to- the old
lessee when new lease is made on
f tract of land, where he has lived W
to the terms of the old lease. Under
this policy, lessees are usually able
tc hold single tract as long as they
care to- lease farm.
FOURTH-What would be the
charge per acre for water?
s This is matter that can not be
stated with accuracy at this time
and l think will depend somewhat on
the kind of lease made, i. e. whether
Z on the grain rent or cash basis. The
water rights are appertenant to the
land and the maintenance charges
will of course have to be paid.
FIFrH-What taxes would there
be?
The land is free frlm any kind O.
taxes as long as the United States
holds the title in trust for the In
dians. When title passes from the
limited States we will have no fur
ther right to supervise the leasing
or in any manner control the land.
In addition to the above given il
answer to your questions, l have t
say the Department does not alloy
an able-bodied adult Indian less tha
fifty years of age to lease all OF nj
land nor any of it if he is in
nosition to farm it to reasonably got
advantage. 1t must be borne in min
that the primary object OF allottin
lands to individual Indians here an
providing such lands with an elabo
ete and expensive irrigation systel
IA to make self-supporting India
farmers. and not to provide them WI
,anys TO lease to whites. The Depa
ment does not admit that 'Indiar
are proverially poor farmers, b'
even if they were, they could nevt
be made :. into farmers by allowir
them to lease all their land. tt
Department desires to locate amor
the Indians practical working farr
ers who are temperate and law-api
ing and who will be AN example Il