The Parker post., 1915-09-04
INDIAN OFFICE OFFICIALS PRO-
POSE TO ALLOT THOUSANDS o
TAKING LAND FROM MOHAVES.

There is much dissatisfaction
among the Indians of the Colorado
River reservation over the administers
ton of their affairs by the Indian de-
partment. For several weeks prior
to the visit here last week Of Cato
Sells, commissioner of Indian affairs,
the leaders Of the tribe held numer-
Gus conferences which resulted in a
decision to make a vigorous protest
to the commissioner against the pol
icy OF the government in number
of important matters pertaining to
the irrigation project. and the pro-
posed disposition of large part of
the surplus lands of the reservation
to ether tribes Of Indians.
A meeting with Commissioner Sells
was arranged for Friday aftarnoon,
out as he was delayed in returning
from a trip to the southern portion
CT the reservation to view the con-
tested boundary line, he was unable
to keep his appointment with the
Indians. He left the following morn
ing and the leaders of the tribe were
unable to secure the much-coveted
pow-wow with the big chief from
| Washington.
According to the leaders Of the
tribe they are at present indebted
TO the government approximately
100000 of which amount $4,000 is
for the construction of the pumping
plant and irrigation bitches, the bal
ance being for houses, farm machin-
cry, horses, wagons and numerous
other paraphernalia, which Uncle
Sam is constantly presenting them
With and charging up to their various
accounts. Under the present system
the more learned members Of the
tribe have figured out that they can
never hope to get out of debt this
side of the happy hunting ground.
Since it has become known to them
that the government is contemplating
the Importation of several thousand
Indians from other reservations they
are protesting against Uncle Sam rob
bing them of their lands in this man
ner Under an act of congress max
ing an appropriation for the construc-
tion Of the pumping plant, the sums
expended for the purpose are reim-
burseable from the sale of the surplus
lands, but the local Indians have
come to the conclusion that if every
tribe along the Colorado river is
brought here and given land there
won't be any surplus; the money de-
rived from the sale of which, accord
ing to their understanding of the mat
ter, is to be used for their benefit,
and later, when they attain citizen
ship, to be apportioned among the
members of the tribe.
The more learned Indians hare
figured out that if $500 foreign In
dians are brought here and given
ten acres each that they will by this
process lose $4,000 acres of land,
which could be sold to white settlers
at the rate of $40 per acre, meaning
a less to the tribal fund of $3.50, 900.
1t has been further ascertained by
the Indians that inasmuch as the
present irrigation system has cost
approximately $75 per acre (this is
based on the maximum capacity of
the plant, viz, 1000 acres), it will
require an expenditure of $1,875,00
to reclaim an additional $4,000 acres
for the Indians which Uncle Sam is
contemplating bringing to this reser-
walton. AS there have been over 10,-
900 acres already allotted, there will
remain about $4,000 acres of surplus
Ians to sell. This will bring I'M
$650,0oo, which amount would not pay
for the reclamation of the land which
the government proposes to give to-
the foreign Indians.
This is the reason why the Mohave
Indians claim that the government
is doing some high financing to their
great detrment and loss. They see
their inheritance slipping away from
them, and if Commissioner Sells had
kept his engagement for a pow-wow
he would have heard vigorous pro-
test against the methods being used
by Uncle Sam to rob them of their
brthrgiht.
There is less than 1000 acres of
land under cultivation by the Indians,
and the maintenance cost runs be-
tween Sc and 81 per acre, all of