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Show 52 REPORT OF TEE COMMISSIONER or INDUX AFFAI~. gested that legislative action be delayed until the o5ce could make further investigation of existing conditions. The Sac and Fox of the Mississippi tribe of Indians in Iowa numbers 352 persons. The status of these Indians is peculiar in that they own their lands. They are the survivors and progeny of that part of the tribe which refused to move to the Indian Territory from Kansas, and in 1857 returned to its original home in Iowa. * With their own money they purchased about 80 acres of land. The deed to this land was made in the name of the governor of Iowa as trustee in order that they might more effectually protect their hold-ings. Other purchases of land were subsequently made by them with their own funds and the title taken either by the governor of Iowa or the Indian agent of the United States as trustee. They now own about 3,000 acres, which is held by them in common. In 1896 the State of Iowa, by act of the legislature, ceded to the United States jurisdiction over these Indians and their lands. By the act of June 10,1896 (29 Stat., 331), Congress accepted the juris-diction, and the legal title and trusteeship of the lands was trans-ferred from the governor of the State and United States Indian agent to the Secretary of the Interior. The Iowa branch of the Sac and Fox of the Mississippi tribe bas a proportionate interest in the $1,000,000 capitallzed by the act of March 3,1909 (35 Stat., 781). This branch of the tribe is entitled also to a proportionate share in the $20,000 capitalized by the Indian appropriation act approved April 4,1910. This sum is the commuta-tion of the perpetual annuity of the Sac and Fox of the Mississippi tribe under the treaty of November 3, 1804 (7 Stat., 84). In addi-tion there remains in the Treasury to the credit of this branch of the tribe a balance of $9,603.93 from the fund known as the "Sac and Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa fund? arising under the provi-sion of the act of June 10,1896, already mentioned. The first step toward settling the affairs of these Indians should urnquestionably be the allotment of their lands. But there are serious di5culties in the way. Although the legal title of the lands is in the Secretary of the Interior as trustee, the Iands were bought by the Indians with their own funds and belong to them. For that reason I do not believe it would be right to make any change in the present tatu us of the lands without first gaining the consent of the Indians. Their attitude upon the question of allotment has been one of per-sistent opposition, and at the present time there is no likelihood of obtaining their consent to the breaking up' of tribal ownership. Their tract of land is not large, and if prorated among the members of the tribe would give to each man only about 10 acres. Such a small holding would not be adequate for the support of these igno-rant and nonprogressive Indians. I 1 I |
