Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-30
COMMISSIONER SELLS
TELLS or ADVANCEMENT
Predicts Indians Will in Few Years Be
Among Heaviest Stockmsn Of coun-
try-Heavy Shipments Already Being
Marketed With Profit - Grazing
Lands Utilized.

day before The commissioner spent
most of day on horseback rluiis
among the cattle in the pens OF the
stockyards discussing the cattle anu
prices with his commission man anu
the buyer. Commissioner Sells saiu.
Two years, ago last June, with runus
derived from the sale of part OF their
lands we purchased for the crow IN IN
dams 1000 two-year- old heifers, 2'ooo
vearling steers and $50 bulls Since
then these cattle have been handleo
under my direction and the Immediate
SUPERVISION Of Reservation Superin-
tendent Estep and Superintendent OF
Livestock Willcutt assisted by lndian
stockmen and lineriders.
Two hundred and fifty-six head
have heretofore been sold, but TINS
sale was the first big shipment when
ffty-one carloads of Crow Indian cat
tie reached the Omaha and Cnlcaso
s.ockyards and sold for s97.993.42.
All Of these steers were range
raised and grass-fed not pound OF
corn or feed other than grass and nay
ever having been fed to any OF them.
Including the increase of the herd. the
proIit OF the Crow Indians on me or
iginal purchase in twenty-seVeh
months, after paying all expenses. mas
been s350,000. The first year
after the purchase of these cattle the
Indians cut and stacked 5000 tons OF
hay to winter their herd, and last WIN
ter cut and stacked nearly 1000 tons.
The winter loss during each OF these
two years has been about per cent
which is considerably less than the
loss usually sustained by white cattle
men during the winters of the North
west.
Heretofore. our conduct OF the stock
business among the Indians has con-
sisted largely Of upbreeding and the
development Of herds. Everywhere
the Indians have taken great interest
in their stock. both as to tribal herds
and those individually owned. and the
increase in number and value has been
such as to insure a business mans
profit. We have sold wool and mutton
and some horses, but we are only now
commencing TO widely and substantial
" realize on their cattle.
Other Sales to Follow.
These sales from the Crow reserva-
ton are the beginning OF large sales
is a demonstration OF the wisdom OF
the policy of utilizing the grazing
lands of the reservations for the bene-
fit Of the Indians and positive indica- :.
ton Of the responsive disposition OF
the Indians when given opportunity
with sympathetic encouragement to do
things for themselves.
about three and half years ago
inaugurated. and have since agrees
sively pursued. a policy of farm and
stockraising betterments among the
Indians. the immediate purpose being
to make them producers rather than
altogether consumers. Shortly after
becoming commissioner Of Indian al
fairs discovered that the agricultural
and grazing lands on Indian reserya-
tions were not being utilized as they
should have been: that the large part
>of their grazing lands was leased to
white men for minimum rental. and
likewise much Of the agricultural land;
that the Indians were not making
proper Industrial progress and that
their income from the leased lands was
much less than should have been de-
rived either when rented or cultivated
by themselves: all of which meant lack
Of progress and large appropriations
by Congress, neither. of which was in
any sense satisfactory, and all de-
handing radical change. To remedy
this condition. the Indian office has
made vigorous and. unceasing cam
paign with gratifying results. For ex-
ample, three years ago one reservation
in the Northwest had $500 acres under
pillow; last year there was in cultiva-
ton by Indians on this reservation
5000 acres. The advancement is not
so great everywhere as there. but 1t is
exemplary Of the progress being made
by the Indians as farmers on practical
ly all the reservations.
ut can not be expected that all m
dams shall advance from plainsfnen to
Intensive farmers in one generation,
but that they are now making tremen-
dous progress Is apparent thruout7 the
entire country, many OF them being
among the best and most prosperous
farmers in the vicinity Of their resi-
dence. frequently comparing favorably
with their white neighbors. AS stock--
men they have been even more sue
cessful. The Indian is a natural herds
man. He loves horses and readily
adapts himself to raising cattle and
sheep. During the last three years the
INDIAN bureau has purchased with
funds OF the Indians (not dollar Of
the amount invested being gratuity)
more than 100000 worth Of cattle,
horses, and sheep for tribal herds and
Individual Indians. most Of the pur-
chases being for breeding purposes; at
the same time an Industrious effort
has been made to dispose Of inferior
male animals. Accompanying these
activities there has been a correspond
ing reduction in the leased acreage
fThe carrying capacity for reservation
pastures has been re-estimated, rent
ais increased to a fair price and round
ups and counts carefully made to de-
termine where lessees failed to pay for
the full number of stock grazed under
their PERMITS. For example, on the
San Carlos reservation in Arizona,
charges TO grazing permittees were adj.
vanced SO that the Indians on this res;
ervatinn now receive $4,000 annually
more than at an, time heretofore, and
on this same reservation .cattlemen
have been required to pay $4,000 ex-
cess grazing fees. The new leases
Snver the -ouuf ,Iuon which this excess