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Show XLIV REPORT OF COIMESIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. The Great Sionx Reservation, inclnding Crow Creek, contains an area of 21,593,128 acres; the area of the separate reservations provided for in the bill is estimated at 12,845,521 acres, a reduction of 8,747,606 sctres. This reduced area allows very nearly 500 acree for each Indian. The Indians can never make nse of the immense traot of land belonging to them, while the proceeds of the sale of nearly nine million acres wonld create a fund which, judiciously and honestly managea, would forever supply them with the means of edncation and self-support. The Sioux are an intelligent people, and the younger element; among them is rapidly becoming reconciled to a civilized and indnstrions mode of life. Their advancement is retarded by the older c%iefs, who are opposed to any progress that will lessen their own importance. They also desire to live in idleness on their annuities, rather than to receive them as aids to industry and self-support. If these Indians can be brought to aocept the provisions of the Dawes bill, with an ample ellow-ance of land in severalty to each Indian, with a large fund for ednce-tional pnrposes, and for the purchase of cattle and agricultnral imple-ments, I see no reason why they should not rapidly advance and olti-mately become as contented and prosperous as the white communities aronnd them. I earnestly hope that this bill will become a law and that the Indians will cheerfully accept its provisions. SEXIEYOLE INDIANS IN ELOBIDA. On the 1st of April, 1886, Frank B. Hagan, csq., of Pine Level, Fla., was appointed a special agent of the Department for the purpose of making further efforts to locate these Indians upon homesteads, as wntemplated by the Indian appropriation act approved. Jnly 4, 1884 (23 Stats., 95). He accepted the appointment on the 27th of June, 1866, but reported that it wonld be impracticable to visit the Indians before October, that portion of the State occupied by them being cov-ered with water, and inaccessible before that time. INTRUDERS AND DISPUTED OITIZENSHIP IN INDIAN TEERITORY. For many years, in fact most of the time since the removal to and set.tlement of the five civilized tibea in the Indian Territory, there has been among them a wnstant source of disturbance by reaaon of un-settled disputes as to who are justly entitled to be called eitizens of the various tribes. Many adventnrous wMe men have entered tho Terri-tory and in time have married Indian women and raised families, while others without such a justification or plea claim citizenship based on long residence and other considerations, so that thousands of persons of white and some of colored blood claim citizenship, which is stoutly disputed by the Indian authorities. ' |