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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 23 It is the consensus of opinion of not only the Indians but of the people of eastern Oklahoma that the district agency idea is the most practical legislation enacted for the benefit of the Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes for many years. The amount saved to allottees by reason of the district agency work for the fiscal year is estimated at several hundred thousand dollars. The three district agents appointed outside of the Five Civilized Tribes under authority contained in the Indian appropriation act of March 3, 1909 (35 Stat. L., 781-804), have been assigned to dm-tricts provided for them in western Oklahoma. The duties per-formed by these agents among the Indians of their respective dis-tricts are simiiar in all respects to those performed by agents for the Five Civilized Tribes. In order that the work among the Five Civilized Tribes may not be crippled and .that the work of district agents among the Indians in western Oklahoma may be continued in accordance with the inten-tion of Congress, it would appear that an additional appropriation of $12,000 should be procured to make up the loss to the Five Civilized Tribes entailed in employing the three agents in the outside districts. INDIAN RUINS. Reports received from all the reservations of the Southwest in regard to the preservation of prehistoric ruins show that 'no depre-dations have been committed during the year. The Smithsonian Institution, through its scientists, is making a study of many of these ruins. Excavations are being carried on, and the habits and modes of life of the builders is being given the most painstaking investigation. ECONOMIES. Appropriations made for the Indim establishment during the last ten years are as follows: Appropriations fm Indian Service, &cal years 1901-1910. 1901 ............................................................... $9,493,035.47 1902 ............................................................... 9,973,012.06 1903 ............................................................... 10,119,574.60 1904 ...... :. ....................................................... 9,366,381.56 1905 ............................................................... 10,312,667.91 1906 ............................................................... 13,404,615.55 1907 ............................................................... 9,648,757.14 1908 ................. :. ............................................ 11,837,731.79 1909 ............................................................... '9,788,915.13 1910 ............................................................... 11,891,782.48 Approximate obligations on the part of the Government to the Indians amounting to $1,202,758 remain to be capitalized. When |
