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Show 160 REPORT OF THE OOMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFBES. WAGE ILESERVATION. The act of June 28,1906 (34 Stat. L., 539), provides for an equal division of the lands and funds of the Osage Indians of Oklahoma among the members of the tribe. The roll pf the tribe as it existed on January 1, 1906, is to be taken, after. proper correction, as the basis of the division. Each 1ndian has a right to make three selections of 160 acres each and to designate which of these selections shall constitute his "home-stead." The remaining lands, except certain school sites and smaller reserves, are to be divided among the Indians by a commission con-sisting of one member of the Osage tribe, selected by its council, and two persons selected by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The Osage council has selected Black Dog, and thig Office has named Supervisor Charles E. McChesney and Charles 0. Shepard to serve on the commission. The commission will also supervise the selections by the Indians and settle any differences that may arise. ! The "homesteads " are inalienable and nontaxable until otherwise provided by act of Congress. The other two selections of each member of the tribe, together with his share of the remaining lands, are to be known as surplus lands; " these are to become taxable after three years and to be inalienable for twenty-five years, except that, on the petition of any adult member of the tribe, the Secretary of the Interior is authorid, in his discretion, to issue such.member a " certificate of competency," authorizing him to sell any of his lands except his homestead. The lands thus .releqsed become taxable on the issue of the ckrtificate. Their oil, gas, coal, and other minerals are reserved to the tribe for a period of twenty-five years from April 8, 1906, and leases for the mining and production of minerals may be made by the Indians thru their tribal council, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior and under such regulations as.he may prescribe. The roy-alties to be paid under mineral leases are to be fixt by the President ' of the United States, but valid mineral leases in force at the date of the passage of the act remain unaffected. No mining or prospecting for mineral is to be made on any homestead tract without the written consent of the Secretary of the Interior. All the funds of the tribe of every character and all funds found to be due the Indians on claims against the United States are to be segregated as soon as practicable after January 1,1907, and placed to the credit of the individual members of the tribe on a.pro rata basis; interest on these credits, as now authorized by law, is to be paid to the Indians quarterly. In my last annual report I referred to the act of March 3, 1905 (33 Stat. L., 1061), creating a town-site commission and authorizing , |