AZ vs. CA:16 California Exhibits, Vol. XVI; Nos. 2600-2644

page 10

120507 r.O'.i MUCH LAND DO COLORADO RIV£R INDIES N2ED In considering the legislation required, it is necessary first to determine how much of the land to be irrigated vill be required by the Colorado Mver Indians, recognizing that their interests are paramount to that of Indians fro.-n other reservations. The Tribal Council, after numerous meetings, both regular and special, formulated and forwarded to the Indian Office, a Land. Code, which has been aporoved by the Commissioner and is now before the Secretory for hie consideration. The Land Code provides an assignment of 40 acres of irrigated land to each family with the privilege of leasing from the tribe at a nominal rental an additional 40 acres, or so much thereof as desired, this privilege being contingent upon proper use of the first 40 acres. Still further acreage may be leased from the Tribe, .ut £0_kG£ lates., if the operation of the 80 acres is satrsfaccory and if the additional land is available. These quantities were arrived at as a result of much discussion and careful consideration of production figures of irrigated landB in that section of the country, and of average requirements for comfortable living of a family of average size. The Code also sets up rules of inheritance which will prevent the division of the 40-acre assignments, into fi'agments too small for practical use. It provides for cancellation of assignments for non-use and sets forth conditions under which assigned land may be leased; also, establishes rules to govern the use or leasing of unaseigned tribal land. Throughout the Land Code, use of the land is insisted upon as the basis for continued possession and non-use is made the sufficient cause for cancellation of the assignment, but ample provision is made to prevent the abuse of the power of cancellation. It 1b impracticable at this time to make a dependable estimate of the amount of land that will be required to put the Land Code into effeot. This will require a very careful "case study" of each of the 300 or more family t';rouD8 and it is planned to make such study as soon as possible, probably within the next two months. But from a general knowledge of the family setup and the population figures of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (Mojaves, Fort i-.ojaves, and Chemehuevis) it is roughly estimated that for some considerable time to come 12,500 acres probably would be all the land that could be cultivated by these Indians in assignments, and this figure of course would include the area now held under trust allotments. The need for land will increase as the coming generation comes of age and as the effect of the farming and livestock trend which is being encouraged and promoted among the Indians of the reservation, and in the reservation school, and as a result of a further development of agricultural training to be conducted in the enlarged "Colorado River Indian School" being planned for in the program of the Education Division for the Colorado Biver Reservation and the proposed "Colony". 10