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Show .. . .. . . ~ , . ~, . , : ' . , 56 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. ISSUES OF SUBSISTENOE TO INDIIMS. In the issue of subaistcnce to Indians it is provided by section 4, of act of March 3, 1876 (18 ' Stats., 449) : That hereafter, for the purpose of properly distributing the supplies appropri~tted for the Indian service, it is hereby made the duty of each agent in charge of Indians and hsvingaupplias to distribnte, to make out, at the oomrnenoement of eaoh fiscal year, roll8 of the Indiam entitled to supplies at the agenay, with the namee of the Indians, and of the heads of families or lodges, with the number in each family or lodge, and to give ant supplies Lo the heads of familiesandnot to the heads of tribes or hands, and not to give out supplies for a greater length of time than one week in advance. This provision was modified by section 2, act of March 3, 1877 [I9 Stat., 2931, as follows: " ~1.~v id~d, 'hozoeuTehr ,a t the &ommissioner of Indian Affsirs may in his discretion issue supplie~ for a, greater period than one week to suoh Indians as are peaceably located upon their reservations and engaged in agrioulture. Upon the enactment of these provisions of law this office at once took such steps as Were necessary to effect, if posgible, a faithful appli-cation of the regulations t11us prescribed at all ration agencies. It has, however, been found impracticable in several cases, and believed to be unwise in others, to endeavor to enforce a strict compliance with these legal requirements, nor is it believed, in view of the changed condition of many of the Indiana sincethe passage of said laws, that the purpose Congress had in view requires the general enforcement of so much of the regulations as forbids the issue of subsistence in quantities to chiefs and headmen of tribes if such issues arc made upon rolls prepared at the commencement of each fiscal year showing the names of the Indians and the heads of families or lodges, with the number in each family or lodge entitled to supplies. The facts and circumstances are such that at six of the largest agencies issues are still made to t.he chiefs or heads of band8,who receipt for the supplies in bulk, and afterward divide them among the heads of families. The accounting officers of the Treasury in the settlement of the accounts of agents who issue ~ubsistencein quantities hesitate to allow them credit therefor, on the ground that sueh issues aremade contrary to the regulations of the laws cited above. This office, on May 23 last, submitted the matter to the Treasury De-partment, with the reasonsand explanations showing why it is impraoti-cable andalso undesirableto strictly comply withthe laws on the subject, with the hope that a liberal construction of chc spirit of the law would permit such issues to be continued. Not that t'here was any desire on the part.of this office to evade a strict compliance with Paw, but for the reason that the best interests of the service and the prosperity and aavanoement of the Indians seemed to demand that exception be made in some cases. That Department, however, after fully reviewing the correspondence and defining its duty in the premises, replied to the |
