Evening star., 1924-03-08
CHAPTER XIII.
The Cost Of the Indians

The Indian bureau OF the Interior
Department was established March IL.
1894. as a division OF the War De-
partment. In 1S49. on the organiza-
tion of the Department of the Inte-
rior, 1t was transferred from the War
to the Interior Department. Today
there'are 340.917 Indians in the United
States. This is an increase Of about
13,5O0 in ten years. So the Indian
race Is no longer a vanishing race.
This condition has been brought about
through the efforts Of the Indian bu-
reau to introduce into the homes Of
the Indians more sanitary methods Of
living and by furnishing increased
medical and hospital assistance afd
teaching the Indians the laws OF
health and sanitation.
There are, roughly, 10000 Indians
in Oklahoma, 43, 900 in Arizona. 81, 500
in New Mexico, 2l.400 in South Da
kota, 1890 in Minnesota, 10000 in
California and $4,000 in Montana.
OF the total number of Indians.
about two-thirds are still wards OF
the United States and under the su-
pervision Of the Indian bureau, while
one-third are no longer wards. The
this last one-third. Out of every
three Indians in the United States,
two at the present time are citizens.
Twelve thousand Indians served in
the world war
About 100000 Indians have already
received allOtments in land totaling
approximately 10000, 900 acres, valued
at about half billion dollars. There
remains to be allotted about 1875. 200
Indians, with unallotted lands of
a a mn ad a
time by the Indian bureau at $75,000.-
000. Today almost $4,000 Indians are
farming 100000 acres of land, as
against 10000 Indians cultivating
$4,000 acres ten years ago.
Used Irrigation 800 Years Ago.
The Indians of the southwest were
the first irrigationists in America.
1t is of record that they have been
years. Congress has appropriated
about S22,0o0,o0 for irrigation prof.
ects on Indian reservations, and there
are nearly 1000 900 acres Of land un-
der these projects capable of irriga-
ton, with over G05,000 acres under
constructed works and now irrigable.
Some OF the Indians are making re-
markable progress cultiVating these
irrigable lands.
About $4,000 Indians are more or
less affected with tuberculosis. and
about 10000 have trachoma. This is
a dreadful disease of the eyes. which
if not taken care of will result in
total blindness. The Indian death
rate, however. has dropped from
32.24 per thousand in 1873 to 22.33 per
thousand in 1920. In 1900 there were
five Indian hospitals and in 1922 there
were seventy-eight. over 10000 In
dians were medically treated in 1922.
The Indian bureau has associated with
it about $50 physicians, so nurses. 20
field matrons and ! dentists.
There are about $4,000 Indian fam
lilies living in permanent homes. This
is not. however. all of the Indian
population. There are still about
10000 families living in tents. tepees
and wigwams Congress has loaned
in recent years about s4.000.000 to the
Indians for building homes. equipping
their farms and buying stock. OF this
amount s2,400,000 has been paid back
by the Indians. Nearly 10000 Indians
have been aided by this fund.
Property Worth a Billion.
Today the Indians have in the
Treasury of the United States about
se5,ooo,ooo of trust funds. and also
have about $35. 900 more of indi-
vidual Indian funds on deposit under
bond in LOO banks scattered through
out the United States. These banks
nav from Az to 6 per cent annual in
terest. The total Indian property of
all kinds is valued at nearly $1,000
600 900, or an average of approxi-
mateiy $4,000 for each Indian in the
United States.
There are 200 Indian reservations,
with 1913 different tribes under ioo
;nris5 5ictions-schools and agencies.
Tbe Indian country covers an area
as W large as all of the New England
aT.tes and the state of New York
Combined. The Indians of this coun-
try speak So different languages.
Tha indians have good schools. The
,onnrt for 1923 shows 1858 Indian
children eligible for school attend