Valdez daily prospector., 1912-01-22

I provide for the allotment of lands in severalty to Indians in Alaska and to extend the protection of the laws of the United States and of the Territory of Alaska over the Indians, and for other pur- poses, as follows:
 That every Indian of the whole or mixed blood born and rcsid- ing in the Territory of Alaska, over the age of twenty-onn years and the head of family, shall be, and is hereby, authorized and empowered to settle upon and ac- quire title t0 a homestead upon the surveyed or unsurvcycd pub lie lands, not mineral. in Alaska upon the same terms in every rr- spect as a white citizen of the United SialrS, subject lo the linn ltaiIonS prescribed in this Act.
 That no fee OF charge of any Kind or nature shall hn required l." br paid by any such Indian in entering, surveying, or obtaining patent for such lands in any land office of the United States, and it shall br the duty of all land of iiccrS in the district when any such such Indian shall enter any such homestead tO prepare all papers for such entry and file, record. and transmit the same I,, | IhOmcStpadpr.
 T'liai the governor of the Ter iritory of Alaska shall be, and he is hereby, authorized and required. under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may from time io time prescribe, to Suprrintrnd the settlement of Indians of the whole or mixed blood upon such lands as they may choose as a homestead in sad Territory, and to protect them and their rights thereto, and he may require the assistance of all officials of the United States, within their Jurisdiction and in their districts, without expense to the Indian, for that purpose; and he shall require the United States district attorneys, and it shall be their duty, to bring or defend: such actions or suits in all courts, land offices, departments or other Tribunals, without charge to the Indian homesteader, as may be necessary tO protect and defend such homesteader in his claim.
 That where the land SO set tied and entered upon by such Indian hOmeSteader is unSurvcy- ed land it. shall be the duty of tn" governor tO cause the same, to De surveyed, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary iof the Interior may from time to tim" prescribe. and at the cost and expense of the United States. ] "Thal when any Indian as aforesaid has settled and is rt- siding upon such homestead, and Inc same has been surveyed. and n" survey has been approved by he Secretary of the Interior, if shall bc Inc duty of the governor to certify the facts to the Sec rclary of the Interior, whcreup- on the Secretary of the Interior shall cause patent for said land to br issued to the homcsteadcr, which patent shall be of the legal effect and declare that the Unit cd States does and will mold the land thus patented for the per iOd of twenty-five years in trust for the sole use and benefit of the Indian to whom such allotment shall have been made, or, in case of his decease, of his heirs, ac- cOrding tO the laws of the Terri tory of Alaska, and that at the. respiration of said period the Unit cd States will convey the same by patent to said Indian, or his heirs, as aforesaid, in fee, discharged of said trust and free of alr charge or encumbrancc whatsoever: Pro vided, That the President of the United States may in any case, in his discretion, extend the per iod; and if any conveyance shall be made of the lands set apart and allotted as herein provided, or any contract made touching the same, before the expiration of the time above mentioned, such conveyance or contract shall bo absolutely null and void, and it shall be the duty of the governor, as soon as he shall have infop-