Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-05-17
DECLARATION OF POLICY OF
PRESENT ADMINISTRATION
ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE
PEOPLE

department will prove mighty good
reading as well as welcome news to
those of you who have kept watchful
eye on those at Washington who have
been clamoring for a renewal of the
treaty with the Nez Perce Indians for
another 25 years with the expiration of
the present one in the near future.
This matter has absorbed the atten-
tion of the Grangeville Commercial Club
and other organizations for many years,
as the renewal of the treaty would have
meant long period of nondevelopment
of the reservation lands under the leas-
ing system which is now in vogue, and
would most certainly have exhausted
the soil in perpetuity had the treaty
been renewed or extended
As the Nez Perce Indians have al
ways ranked highly as being the most
civilized of any of the Pacific coast
tribes, and have always shown their
capacity of taking care of themselves
and their interests, it is clear that Sec
Franklin X. Lane has included them in
his broad vision that the Indian will be-
| come a better citizen by being left to
| work out his own salvation in his own
way, for which the government tutelage
of the past has amply prepared him.
The matter is of that utmost Importance
to the welfare of the several counties
which include the boundaries of the
reservation, meaning as it does an in
crease Of taxable property, population,
| children, people to maintain and work
| the roads, build and attend the schools
| and civilize the vast scope OF magnifi-
cent agricultural country which is now
being bled to death by an insane sys.
tenn of leasing at fabulous prices. The
| thanks of this community are due to
Secretary Lane for his frank expression
of the future policy which the depart
| ment has in store for Indian develop
ment.
| The department IS letter is as follows:
Department of the Interior, Office of
Indian Affairs, Washington, April IL,
1917. During the past four years the
efforts of the administration of Indian
Affairs have been largely concentrated
on the following fundamental activities:
The betterment of health conditions of
Indians, the suppression of the liquor
traffic among them, the improvement of
their industrial conditions, the further
development of vocational training in
their schools, and the protection of the
Indians property. Rapid progress has
been made along'all these lines, and the
work thus reorganized and revitalized
will go on with increased energy. With
these activities and accomplishments
well under way, we are now ready I'd
take the next step in our administration
program.
The time has come for discontinuine
guardianship of all competent Indians
and giving even closer attention to the
incompetent that they may more speed
lily achieve competency.
Broadly speaking, policy of greater
liberalism will henceforth prevail in In
dian administration to the end that
every Indian, as soon as he has beer
determined to be as competent to trans
) act his own business as the average
white man, shall be given full contro
of his property and have all his land
) and moneys turned over to him, afte
which he will no longer be a ward t.
the Government.
/. Patents in fee: To all able
bodied adult Indian blood, there will
. be given as far as may be under tn
law full and complete control of all hi
property. Patents in fee shall be is
! sued to all adult Indians of one-half o
more Indian blood who may, after care
! full investigation, be found competent
provided, that where deemed advisabl
patents in fee shall be withheld for no
! to exceed 40 acres as home.
Indian students, when they ar
! twenty-one years of age, or over, VIII
: complete the full course of instruction
: in the Government schools, receiv
diplomas and have demonstrated CON
potency will be so declared.
2. Sale of lands: A liberal rulin
win be adopted in the matter of passin
upon applications for the sale Of il
herited Indian lands where the appl
. eants retain other lands and the prC
ceeds are to be used to improve tn
homesteads or for other equally goo
purposes. A more liberal ruling than hs
hitherto prevailed will hereafter be TO
lowed with regard to the applications O
noncompetent Indians for the sale o
+ their lands where they are old an
q feeble and need the proceeds for thei
Q support. ~
{ 8. Certificates of competency: TIL
i rules which are made to apply in tn
v granting of patents in fee and the sal
of lands will be made equally applicabl
n in the matter of issuing certificates c
l. competency.
: 4. Individual Indian moneys: Il
d dams will be given unrestricted contr
Q of all their individual Indian money
+ upon issuance of patents in fee or cert
l. ficates of competency. Strict limit
t tions will not be placed upon the u,
d of funds of the old, the INDECENT, an
N the invalid.
5. Pro rata shares-tfust funds: 4
J. speedily as possible their pro-rata shar
1t in tribal trust or other funds shall
D, paid to all Indians who have bee
/ declared competent, unless the leg
% status of such funds prevents. Whe
Vt practicable the pro rata shares of i
competent Indians will be withdraw