The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-16

lem of great de1tcacy for the gov
eminent to handle. In the first place,
it makes 1t necessary that the Indians
should be protected from unscrupu-
lous whites who would like to exploit
them. In the second place. it makes
it unnecessary that the Indian should
In any way exert himself.
Rich Oil Lands.
The Five Civilized Tribes of Okla
homa are likewise rich In lands. Each
year their wells produce $10.000.000|
worth of oil. Already the indian
lands of Oklahoma have yielded
$3.50, 100000 worth of oil and new
wells are being brought in with re-
markable regularity. When it Is at
tempted to place value on proper
ties that are thus productive the hg-
ures soon become staggering.
Altogether the property OF the
American Indian is estimated as hay-
ing a value of about billion and a
quarter dollars. This wealth is in
the possession of race. the life his
tory of which has given it strange
and Inadequate training in the hand
ling of property. Because of the pc
culiar viewpoint possessed by the In
dian the government finds itself sad
died with a peculiar responsibility.
The Indian, 1t should be remem-
bered, Is instinctfvely a nomad. Be-
fore the coming of the white men he
wandered from place to place, fish
ing from the streams, hunting the
wild creatures of the woods and the
plains. 1t is easy to conceive that
men moving about in this way would
have little desire to accumulate prop
erty. Each article that was not nee
essary to their daily existence became
a burden. It was the part of wisdom.
not to accumulate but to give away.
Indian agents on many of the reser-
yations have great difficulty In pre-
venting their charges from giving to
any casual visitor presents of consid-
cradle value. This tendency 1s re-
suit of the training of the centuries,
the instinct to remain stripped of
any unnecessary impediments that
would interfere with the activity of
the huntsman or the ability of the
tribe to move from one camp to an
other The psychology Of the past
generations has come down to time
when entirely new conditions pre-
vail. and the mind of the aborigine
may not Immediately adjust itself.
Big Sum I'm Trust.
So. when a piece of land Is sold.
the money that is received for 1t may
not be Immediately turned over to-
the Indian to whom 1t belongs. The
Indian Office today has sos. 100000
that 1t has realized from the safes
of Indian lands and which 1t is hold
Ing in trust for the individuals to-
whom 1t belongs.
Before this money Is given to O
tribe or an individual special study
of the situation is made. An Indian.
for instance, may have $4,000 to
his credit from the sale OF land. He
wants to get hold of the money. The
agent on the reservation on which
he lives is asked to make report on
the capacity Of this Indian to inteIli-
have settled on farm allotted to
him. # he wants money with which
farminr tools his request 10 given
careful consideration. He is given
certain amounts and the agent OBJ.
serves the use he makes OF them. II
he uses the money In practical way
he may be given more. II he devel-
OBS into an ambitious farmer or cat
gradually dealt nut to him and he
may be supervised In building up the