East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-12-15

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The ad-
vance copies OF the report OF the bu-
reau OF Indian affairs covering the
period from July 1, 1913 TO June 30.
1914. have been distributed to the
press. This covers practically the
first years incumbency Of Commits
sioner Cato Sells. II outlines what
he has accomplished in this one year
and indicates something OF what he
hopes to achieve during his admins
tratlon OF the office.
There appears through It the con-
trolling ambition OF Commissioner
Sells to promote the Industrial aotiyi-
ties OF the Indian population. and II
there should be selected a predomIn-
ant feature OF his administration, II
might be the promotion OF industry in
its various forms. without neglect.
however. 10 the other important re-
quirements OF education, health and
moral uplifting.
He says that he found the Indian
service dlsorganlzed and discouraged.
II on a sound economic and efficient
business basis, working in harmony
and with enthusiasm. with the view
OF promoting the best interests OF the
Indians With a thought OF obtain
ing a clear comprehension OF the
viewpoint OF the Indians. he has en-
deavored. he says. by personal inter-
Views and examinations OF corre-
spondence with the Indians. to ascer-
tain clearly their ideas with regard
TO the efforts being made in their
behalf. and 10 this end he has made
II a practice. in the case OF every
delegation and every individual In.
dian visiting Washington. to under
stand their wants and needs from
their point OF view and has given them
his personal attention wherever pos
slble.
Concerning Indian education. he
says that the year has been especially
marked by the large increase in the
number OF Indian pupils enrolled in
the public schools throughout the
country which has been encouraged
because II affords training OF the
greatest value and furnishes an op-
portunity TO begin the cooperation OF
the government with the state in the
education OF the Indian. Especial
stress Is laid on the necessity for the
vocational training OF Indian pupils.
With the purpose OF increasing the
efficiency OF teachers in the Indian
service. there were held during the
year six institutes or summer schools
in different sections OF the country
Oklahoma, South Dakota. California,
Wisconsin. Oregon, and New Mexi-
co. At these Institutes course OF in
structions were outlined, emphasizing
Industrial subjects.
With regard to health conditions,
the commissioner calls attention to-
the fact that at the close OF the fiscal
year 1913 there were fifty hospitals
with a combined capacity of 400 pa
tients, and six new hospitals under
construction. to care for a population
of three hundred thousand with a
high percentage OF tuberculosis and
trachoma Out Of $4,000 Indians on
reservations there were examined last
year 61,201, and IL was learned that
tuberculosis was present in 5000
cases and trachoma in 1900. II Is
estimated that there are $4,000 suf-
fering with tuberculosis and $4,000 af- !
flicted with trachoma. From the
$500 600 appropriated by the last con-
gress, there was made available $780,
600 for hospital purposes besides d.
rect appropriations for a sanitarium
in the Choctaw Nation, oklahoma,
and one at Red Lake or Leech Lake
and on the Fon du Lac reservation,
Minnesota. also on the Rosebud. Pine
Ridge and Cheyenne reservations in
South Dakota. Plans have been pre-
pared for the building OF seven small
hospitals at cost of from $4,000 to-
SIS 600 each, on the reservations
where the need OF medical attention
has been most keenly felt. The work
for the eradication Of trachoma has
been vigorously pushed during the
year The field has been divided in
TO five districts and an expert assign
ed to each.
There are approximately eighty saw
mills on Indian lands, the ownership
of which is divided equally between
the government and private individ-
uals. The most important OF slch
enterprises owned by the government
Is the Menominee Indian mill at Neo-
pit, Wisconsin, where during the year
there were manufactured S7,000,00O
feet OF lumber. Manufactured lumber
to the amount OF more than half a
million dollars Is on hand in the yards
at this mill. During the succeeding
fiscal year, the commission proposes
to give special attention to the com
pletion of an accurate inventory OF
the Indian timber on reservations. in
order that Its disposal and handling
may be intelllgently observed.
The report shows a market decrease
In the work OF allotting lands to In
dams: and It Is said that practically
all Indians on reservations containing
lands susceptible Of agricultural de-
velopment without irrigation have
been allotted that some large unal-
lotted reservations exist. particularly
in the southwest but without water
FOR irrigation purposes the advisable
ty Of allotting these lands in severaIty
IS not apparent. the reservations as
hey now stand being best adapted for
stock raising.
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