El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-15
TUBERCUL0SISIS
KILLING INDIANS
Children of Indians in Okla
homa Richest Average
Children in Country.

Washington, D. C., Dec. 15.-The
advance copies of the report Of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs covering the
period from July I, 1913, to June 80,
1914 were today distributed to the
press. This covers practically the
first years incumbency of commits
siOner Cato Sells
He says that he found the Inolan
Service disorganiZed and discouraged
and that he has endeavOred to place
it on a sound economic and efficient
business basis.
Concerning indian education, he says
that the year had been especially
marked by the large increase IN me
number of indian pupils enrolled in the
public schools throughout the cOun-
try. which has been encouraged be-
cause it affords training Of the great
est value and furnishes an opportun-
ity to begin the cooperation of the
cation of the indian. Especial stress
is laid on the necessity for the YOca-
tionaI training of indian pupils.
Indians Die of Tuberculosis.
With regard to health conditions,
the commissioner calls attention to the
fact that at the close of the fiscal
year 1918 there were fifty hospitals
with a combined capacity of 400 pa
tients, and six new hospitals under
construction, to care for a population
of 3O0 600 with a high percentage of
tuberculosis and trachOma- Out of
Isl, 900 indians on reservations, there
were examined last year 61,2O1, and
it was learned that tuberculosis was
present in 5000 cases and trachoma in
1900. 1t is estimated that there are
$4,000 suffering with tuberculosis and
80, 900 afflicted with trachoma.
Exploiting the Indian.
Since his assumption of office, the
commissioner says that he has been
impressed with the idea that many of
the natural resources of indian reser-
vatiOns which have been exploited to
the profit of the white man, might
better be developed for the financial
benefit of the indians. He finds this
particularly true of the grazing lands,
believing that there is no more lucra-
tive industrial opportunity open to the
indians having grazing lands than to
discontinue the grazing leasing and
place have them engage in the stock
raising business themselves. With this
end in view, he instituted a plan for
creating tribal herd on those reserva-
tons having large areas Of grazing
lands, and also during the year eX-
pended nearly 100000 in the pur-
chase Of well bred male animals for
the improvement of livestock belonging
to the indians.
Water Rights and Timber.
ne commissioner linus lldL one u
his tasks will be the conserving of in
dian water rights from reservation ir-
rigatiOn projects, where they conflict
with the state and individual apprO-
priation by whites.
One of the biggest resources of the
indians lies in his forests. The COM
missioner promises to wisely admins
ter this vast resource, the keynote Of
which viii be the industrial develop
ment of the indian through the judi
cious sale and manufacture of timber.
There are approximately so saw mills
on indian lands, the ownership of
which is divided equally between the
government and private individuals.
The report shows a marked 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 devel-
opment without irrigation have been
allotted.
Rich Children.
One of the biggest things accom-
plished by commissioner Sells is what
might Nbe termed a reorganization of
procedure relative to the prObating of
the estates of minor indians in Okla
hOma- He says in his report that the
minor children of the Five Civilized
Tribes are perhaps the richest average
children in the United States, which
condition results from the fact that
in allotting the Oklahoma indians the
children were given the same number
Of acres Of land as their parents and
share equally in tribal funds.