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Show 1 1 'Z XX RXPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. . In accordance with your directions, special instructions hiwe been . issued to the agents at Yanktou, Lower Brul6, and Warm Springs to urge upon the Indians nnder their charge the importance of talrir~gth eir lands in severalty, as allowed by their respective treaties, and to press the work of allotting lands with the ut,most vigor. Similar instructions will be given other agents. as soon as the condition of the surveys will permit such work to be done. . . The general allotment bill agaiu passed the Senate at the last session, and was favorably reported in the House of Representatives. As there seems to beno substantial opposition to thisbill, it is hoped that it will be-come a law during the coming winter. Its passage will relieve this o5ce of much embarrassment and enable it to lnage greater progress in the importwt work of assisting the Indians to become individual owners of the soil by an indefeasible title. Nine hundred and fiftyfive patents have been delivered to tht;Omahas during the past year. Reports differ as to the degree of progress at-' tained by the Omahas since they have received allotments and nnder-taken to manage their own affairs,. and it must be expected that some members of the tribe, not so progressive nor so well disposed as others, will take'advantage of the newly acquired freedom from ageucy re-straint to enjoy and improve the iucreased opportnnit.~th us afforded them for shiftlessness or mischief-making. All transition periods have their peculiar difficulties and disconragem~uts. But on the whole the success of the Omahas is such as to impress favorably frieuds of the Indiaos and believers in their civilization, and to afford to Indians every-where the highest encouragement to adopt the same policy. The efforts of a few white friends, among whom Ohe name of Miss Alice Vletoher, of Boston, might reeeive special mention without injustice to or dero-gation of the others, have furnished practical demonstr;at~on ofthe Lei% poSition and'ability of the Indian to support and govern himself. There is something inspiring to the soul and heal* of man when he realizes that he is not a slave, or a ward, oora dependent, and <bat the rcspon-sibilities of manhood are thrown upon him and he will be judged accord-ing to the way in which he meets and discharges them. Itrust the true friends of Indian progress everywhere will unite their voices in this be-half, nnd will press with zeal, determination, and all practicable dispatch the allotment system among Indian tribes. Aocording to the intention expressed in my last report, speci81 atten-tion has been paid during the year just past to the encouragement of agricultural pursuits by Indians. A majority of the grown-up In-dians on reservations, through want of early training and by reaaon of repugnance to any kind of manual labor, which their traditions and customs lead them to look upon as degrading, are very poor material out of whioh to make fanners. Even those who are most willing to |