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Show 58 REPORT OF THE CO~IRSIONER OB INDIAN AFRAIBB. No attempt is matle to limit the number of traders among them, and 50 firms are now licensed to carry on as many kinds of business there as a community of 2,000 people usually requires. Some of them, however, failing to seeany opening for aprofitable business, have mde no use of their licenses. It is a question whether a similar policy might not be carried out to advantage on other reservations, leaving Indian trade without restrictions except as to the character of the trader and his com-pliance with Office regulations. The number of traders would then regulate itself through the natural laws of supply and demand which govern elsewhere. ALLOTMENTS AND PATENTS. The progress in allotment work aince the last annual report is as follows: ALWTMENTS ON RESERVATIONS. During the year patents have been issued and delivered to the fol-lowing Indians: Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache, in Oklahoma .................. 2,957 Omaha, in Nebraska. ......................................... 19 Sioux, Lower Brulb Reservation, in South Dakota. ............. 1 Sioux, Rosebud Reservation, in South Dakota .................. 3,104 Wichita and affiliated banda, in Oklahoma ..................... 956 Winnebago, in Nebraska. ..................................... 268 Allotments have been approved by this Office and the Department, as follows: Chippewa of Lake Superior, on the Bad River Reservation, Wis.. 352 Schedules of the following allotments have been received in this office, but have not been finally acted upon: Sioux of the Cheyenne River Reservation, S. Dak .............. 359 Sioux of the Rosebud Resewation, S. Dak ..................... 350 The only alloting agents now in the field engaged upon reservation work are William A. Winder (Rosebud), John H. Knight (Cheyenne River), and John K. Rankin (Crow). The condition of the work in the field is as follows: Cheyenne River Reservation, (I. Dak.--Special Allotting Agent John H. Knight reported August 25 that he had then made 860 allotmenta, being 346 for the year ending on that date. Rosebud Reservation, 8. D&.Special Allotting Agent Winder reported July 31, 1902, that the field work could probably be com-pleted by the 30th of September, if those who refuse to take allot-ments are allowed to remain in their present status, and no changes in allotments are permitted. September 1 he reported that he had made 4,698 allotments, which would leave some 300 to be allotted. |