The Parker post., 1917-05-05

! ClOn 10 Cne incompetent CnaC Cney
may more speedily achieve COM
potency.
Broadly speaking, policy of
greater liberalism will henceforth
prevail in Indian administration to
the end that every Indian, as soon as
he has determined to be as competent
to transact his own business as the
average white man, shall be given
full control of his property and have
all his lands and moneys turned over
to him, after which he will no longer
be ward of the government.
Pursuant to this policy the fol-
lowing rules shall be observed:
q. Patents in fee: To all able
bodied adult Indians of less than one
half Indian blood there will be given
as far as may be under the law, full
and complete control of all their
property. Patents in fee shall be
issued to all adult Indians of one
half or more Indian blood who may,
after careful investigation, be found
competent, provided, that where
deemed advisable patents in fee shall
be withheld for not to exceed 40
acres as home
Indian students, when they are
Fl years of age or over, who COM
plete the full course of instruction
in the government schools, receive
diplomas, and have demonstrated
competency will be so declared.
SO. Sale of lands: A liberal rul-
ing will be adopted in the matter
OF passing upon applications for the
sale of inherited Indian lands where
the applicants retain other lands and
the proceeds are to be used
to improve the homesteads or
for other equally good purposes A
more liberal ruling than has hither-
to prevailed will hereafter be follow
ed with regard to the applications
of nOncOmpetent Indians for the sale
of their lands where they are old
and feeble and need the proceeds for
their support.
"3. Certificates of incompetency:
The rules which are made to apply
in the granting of patents in fee and
the sale of lands will be made equally
applicable in the matter of issuing
certificates of competency.
-. Individual Indian moneys:
Indians will be given unrestricted
control of all their individual Indian
moneys upon issuance of patents in
fee or certificates of competency.
Strict limitations will not be placed
upon the use of funds of the old, the
INDECENT, and the invalid.
"5. Pro rata share-Trust funds:
AS speedily as possible their pro rata
shares in tribal trust or other funds
shall be paid to all Indians who have
been declared competent, unless the
legal status of such funds prevents.
Where practicable the pro rata
shares of incompetent Indians will
be withdrawn from the treasury and
placed in banks to their individual
credit.
"6. Elimination of ineligible
pupils from the government Indian
schools: In many of our boarding
schools Indian children are being
educated at government expense
whose parents are amply able to pay
for their education and have public
school facilities at or near their
homes. Such children shall not here
after be enrolled in government In
dian schools supported by gratuity
appropriations, except ON payment of
actual per capita cost and transpor-
tation.
"These rules are hereby made eff
fective, and all Indian bureau ad-
ministrative officers at Washington
and in the field will be governed ac-
cordingly.
This is new and far-reaching
declaration of policy. 1t means the
dawn of new era in Indian admin
istration. 1t means that the compe-
tent Indian will no longer be treated
as half ward and half citizen. 1t
means reduced appropriations by the
government and more self-respect
and independence for the Indian 1t
means the ultimate absorption of the
Indian race into the body polite of
the nation. 1t means, in short, the
beginning of the end of the Indian
problem.
I'm carrying out this policy, I
cherish the hope that all real friends
of the Indian race will lend their aid
and hearty cooperation
CATO SELLS, Commissioner.
Approved: