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Show REPORT OF THE CO~SMIBSIONER OF INDIAN A F F A ~ . 3 The amount given above as being for the support of schools rcprc-sents only the expenditures from funds appropriated gratuitously by Congress for that purpose. This does not, however, represent the full amount expended for Indian schools. A large number of schools are supported out of hnds belonging to the Indians, and it is esti-mated that of the sums reported above, as expended under the head of fulfilling treaty stipulations and interest on trust funds, $600,000 was used for school purposes; so that it may safely be said that at least $3,330,000 were devoted to the cause of Indian education. Inquiry is sometimes madeof the Wce as to how much the Indians have cost the Government since ite beginning. To such inquirers it will probably be of interest to know that, according to the Treas-ury compilation, the total expenditure on acoount of the Indian service from March 4, 1789, up to and including June 30, 1900, was $368,358,217.17, TRANSPORTATION OF SUPPLIES: For many years prior to the last fiscal year-in fact, since 1g77- Indian goods and supplies were transported by contract under the act of March 3,1877 (19 Stat., 291), which provided that thereafter contracts for transportation involving an expenditare of more than $2,000 should be advertised and let to the lowest responsible bidder. The practice was, at the annual lettings which took place in thespring of each year, to invite bids for the transportation of Indian goods, from the places where they were bought and delivered, to their several points of destination, and to award contracts to the lowest bidders, as the law required. In every case the successful bidders were individ-uals who contracted under heavy bond to transport whatever goods might be turned over to them at a flat rate. In no instance did rail-roads or other common carriers compete for the business. The transportation of Indian goods and supplies was the subject of much discussion, both oral and written, for years, and elaboratereports were made thereon from time to time. Many acquainted with the sys-tem in vogue thought it the best, while other well-informed persons thought the Government could do better by shipping in the ordinary commercial way than by contract as it had been doing. In order that the matter might be tested, if such course were deemed advisable, Congress was asked to give the Department the option of shipping under contract or in open market. That body responded by inserting the following clause in the deficiency act of July 7, 1898: That from snd after the paasage of this act Indian goods and supplies shall be transported under contract as provided in the act of March 3, 1877, or in onen mar-ket by common camem, as the Secretary of the Interior in his discretion shall deter-mine (30 Stats., 676). At the annual letting of contracts in Chicago in April, 1899, bids for transportation were received as usual; but after consultation with the |