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Show . ~- COMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIR$. ' 41 everything practicable is done to guard them against demoralizing influences and to conserve their wages. UTE JUDGMENT FUND. The sum of $300,000 was available for expenditure during the year from the principal of the $3,000,000 Ute judgment fund awarded by the Court of Claims in 1911, plus one year's interest, the most of which was segregated into individual shares and deposited in hanks to the credit of the Indians for expenditure, under super-vision, for permanent industrial purposes. The use of this money is gradually bringing about a material improvement in the industrial - and economic situation of these formerly backward Indians and some of them have become entirely self-supporting. The leasing plap inaugurated last year at Uintah with the view of getting water on the land in order to save the rights thereto, which expire in 1919, has been continued with good results, approximately 25,000 acres being put under cultivation during this year. The acreage cultivated by the Indians themselves was also largely in-creased, although definite figures are not now at hand. The water supply for irrigation on the reservation decreases each year during July and August, and this has resulted in serious damage to the crops of the Indians and lessees. As various white settlers were taking water from the river above the Indian project it was our contention that under the doctrine of reserved water rights the . Indians' lmd is entitled to sufficient water to- properly irrigate the crops produced, and to settle the question suit was recently instituted in the Federltl court and a temporary injunction granted restraining all parties from taking water from the river to the injury of the Indians and their white lessees. Upon final hearing the injunction was made permanent. , IRRIGATION. The irrigation work of the Indian Bureau is one of the most important of the industrial activities, as irrigation farming is the only means by which nearly 100,000 of the Indians may be able to attain self-supporting, useful citizenship. Included wikhin this number are, with few exceptions, those with the least resources aqd those most backward in adopting our civilization, so that efforts to advance the irrigation work should and do bring the most pro-nounced progress. More than 100 irrigation projects for the benefit of the Indian farmer are in different stages of completion. These vary in size - from a comparatively few acres to several which will include more than 100.000 acres each when fully developed. The total area which |