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Show IV REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. ing the year, as well as the increase over the amount given in last year's report. But for the severe draught which has prevailed in the Indian Territory and among the Navajos during the past season the increme in crops would have been much larger, especially in thecorn crop, which is considerably below that of last year. Xvmbrrofanoa bmkao by l u d i i e ........................................... 21,z:tt 22,319 Smbm OCZ<.CA 110km ..................................... 2 >a1 2,372 Numb*rofarr.srol!lv~md r insl~am, .................................... 15: J:S 1% Old Ynml~rrof hueLela rhrar ralnrd 11 IwIian* 32i F37 20%' I . I scmml . r roihu*~~e~act rnmbr~n+ ~ninoa:.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::. nr.3 ye.- - 9.1.312 Nurul ,~or f b~~aheul.,r a J L h~ ~ r l r~tirr.r l 31v Indians ......................... I . 4 I-? DL7 I i I . I l l I ........................ 59,. CdD 3 1 5 . j ~ . h~~~~atl t,nlrc rh n . rnl I.? lncliuvs ........................................... 42 I',< 36 Y l i V > ~ I . L ~I~!t.lLt(nI ' R p~))-lnli...,.a. ...................................... Iri I t 271 <13U 355.0110 5915.4 1 4W.d 0 2,#Il>,d,O !,&> L,, 210 I 1 211 I 0 39,; 7 , :,!I, ""0 Xuml'r Iondlrry roc l i d :1,1 Il<',:!> A PATENT BOB LIWD. Ime~ more intelligent and best &spoaed Indians are now earnestiy asking fora title in severalty to their lands as a preliminary to sup porting themselves from the products of the soil. The number of per-sons wha can be employed in stock-raiising is small, since comparatively little labor is required and a few men can herd and take care of a thoa-sand head of cattle; but the cuouEtivat,ion of the soil will give employment to the whole Indian ram. The only sure way to mske Indians tiElers of the soil, under the beet mditions to promote their welfare, is to give emb head of a family one hui~dred and sixty wres of land, and to each unmarried adult eighty acres, and to issue patents for the same, making the allotments inalienable and free from taxation for twenty-five yew. A bill to carry out this beneficialobject was submitted to the extm session of the Forty-sixth Congress [H. & 3541, It was carefully pre-pared by the department to meet all the wants of the situation, and was similar to a hill which had been introduced into the Forty-fifth Congress and had been favorably reported on by wmmittees in both Houses, but which had failed to receive action. The speedy passage of such a bill would be a greater boon to Indian civilization than any other that could be bestow&. As will be seen throughout this report,. the wiliingness of the Indian to work has already been demonstrat&. Give him the land and the opportunity, and the result is a foregone con-olusion. But solong as he has noindividual title to theland he is asked to cultivate, the fear that it will some day be taken from him will oper-ate as a serious hindrance to his progress. With the Indian as well as %liew hitemanindustry and thrift have their root in ownership of thesoil. |