The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-05-28
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-individua Deposits
Show Big Increase.


Neutrality-suspicious. a 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
lengthy letter sets forth the general
progress of the American Indians I'M
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 large
number of old or Incompetent Indians
would soon be fleeced of their prop
erty and thrown upon the states as
paupers and mendicants, and public
protest against neglected conditions
would surely follow. Confusion as
to 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 1905, made the IS
suance of 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-
tons and the adoption of the habits
of civilized life. The later act of
June 25, 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
to 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
structed the superintendent Of the
various reservations ais follc e You
are requested to submit to this office
a list of all Indians of one-half or
less sIndian blood, who are able-bodied
and mentally competent, twenty-one
years of age or over, together with
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 In
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 rs Competent as the av.
erage white man to transact the usual
vocations 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
land have been made to Indians, and
during the last three years 1886 fee
simple patents have been issued, or
l. 82 more than in the ten years pre-
.ceding"
\ Mr.. Sells has gone further in this
affection and has taken the position
that the citizenship of Indians should
not be based upon their ownership of
lands, tribal or in severaity, in trust
or in fee, but upon the fact that they
are real Americans. Favorable report
has been made on a bill introduced in
congress having for its purpose the
comforting of citizenship on all Indians
but retaining control of the estates of
incompetents.
Says Restriction Is Wise.
81 am fully convinced of the wis