The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-07-10
Fastening to Acquire Citizenship
as Soon as Competent,
Says Cato Sells.
GREAT PROGRESS IN I YEARS
Not Only Numerically and in Wealth,
but Also in Education and In.
dustry-individuai Deposits
Show Bio increase.

MISUNDERSTANDING q criticism
on the legal status of the American
Indian as contained In resolutions re
Gently adopted by the Women's Civic
center Of San Diego. CAL. Cato Sells
commissioner Of Indian affairs. in q
lengthy letter sets forth the general
progress of the American Indians un-
der his administration. Mr.. Sells is
decidedly opposed to the withdrawal
of federal supervision over all Indians
at this time. The result of such step,
he points out, would be that q large
number of old or incompetent Indians
would soon be feeced of their prop
erfy and thrown upon the states as
Faupers and mendicants, and public
protest against neglected conditions
would surely follow. Confusion as
20 the legal status Of the Indian" says
Mr.. Sells, RESTS largely with those
who have not studied the subject. The
general allotment act Of 1887, provid-
Ing for the allotment Of lands in sew
crafty. with the amending provisions
of the Burke act of 1906. made the is
suance Qf fee-simple patent the pri-
mary legal requirement for citizenship
of Indians. but also provided for the
citizenship Of any Indian by his vol
:untary separation from tribal rela-
lions and the adoption of the habits
Of civilized. life. The later act Of
June Is. 1910. also provides for the
allotment of lands to Indians from
the public domain with the issuance
of fee patent as provided for In the
case OF reservation allotments.
Become Citizens.
Under my administration the In
dian bureau has made special effort
ito extend citizenship to the Indians
and prepare them for its duties and
responsibilities. In the declaration OF
policy issued April II. 1917, an
nounced that every Indian as soon as
found to be competent to transact his
own business affairs would be given
full control of his property and have
all his land and moneys turned over
to him. after which he would no long
er be ward of the government. In
furtherance Of this movement In
the superintendent Of the
various. reservations as follows: You
are requested to submit to this office
a list of all Indians of one-half or
less Indian blood. who are able-bodied |
and mentally competent, twenty-on.
years of age or over. together with a |
description Of the land allotted to said |
Indians, and the number of the allOt- |
ment. 1t is intended to issue patents |
In fee simple to such Indians
Under this broadened policy IL
dams, both mixed and full bloods, are |
being released from government SUI
pervision as rapidly as their condition |
warrants. Whenever an Indian Is |
found to be as competent as the av-
erage white man TO transact the usual /
rocations OF life. he Is given patent
fee. full control Of his lands and mon
eys, and made citizen of the United
States. About 225.OO0 allotments of
eand have been made to Indians, and
auring the last three years 1886 fee
simple patents have been issued, or
LOSE more than In the ten years pre-
seding."
. Mr.. Sells has gone further in this
direction and has taken the position
that the citizenship Of Indians should
not be based upon their ownership Of
lands, tribal or in severalty, in trust
or In fee. but upon the fact that they
are real Americans. Favorable report
has been made on bill introduced In
having for its purpose the
comforting of citizenship on all Indians
but retaining control Of the estates OF
Says Restriction 70 Wis.,.
Il an1 fully convinced Of the Wis |