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Show 42 COMMISSIONEE OF INDIAN AFFAIM. leges as the whites, including the right to be cared for as indigenta, if their condition warrants. Recent court decisions in the State of California have emphasized these rights in the Indians and have made the work much easier for this bureau. SIOUX ALLOTMENT B'ENEFlTS. The majority of the Indians of the various Sioux Reservations, entitled to allotment benefits provided by the act of March 2, 1889 (25 Stat., 888-894), with the subsequent amendments thereto, have received issues ot implements, stock, or the cash value thereof. A very satisfactory standard of implements has been supplied, attested by the fact that no complaint or request for any changes have been made on any reservation. A high grade of stock has been purchased for isaue, and by careful supervision the loss in such stock has been reduced to a minimum. Excellent results have been obtained in stock breeding with the animals issued on Sioux benefit applications. Practically all applications now being submitted are made by the younger generation of Sioux Indians, for the most part just out of school, who derive the maximum benefit of the issues made in estab-lishing themselves on their allotments as farmem or stock breeders. TRIBAL TRUST FUNDS. Rapid progress has been made in prorating tribal trust funda in order to assist the Indians to embraoe the varied opportunities offered them at this time. An important step forward was made in securing the legislation contained in the Indian appropriation bill, approved May 18, 1916 (39 Stat., 123-Us), which permits the with-drawal of shares of noncompetent, able-bodied Indians for expendi-ture under supervision for their benefit. This law makes it possible to establish noncompetents on their auotments and purchase the equipment and supplies necessary to start them toward self-support. Thousands of Indians are being encouraged to greater effort through the benefits afforded by this new law. Under the new policy, much greater liberality is being exercised in prorating the shares of trust funds on deposit in the United States Treasury to the credit of the various tribes, so far as consistent with present legislation on the subject. INDIVIDUAL INDIAN MONEY. The problem of handling the moneys belonging to individual Indians so as to yield them the greatest possible advantage consist-ent with the preservation and development of their self-respect is pressing as vigorously for attention as at any time in the past. This task, of necessity, must be disposed of slowly because of its great proportions and because it relates to each individual rather than a race or even a tribe. |