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Show X X X V ~ ~ ~ FIFTY-SEVENTH AXNUAL REPORT OF Special Agent Wall was assigned to duty on the reservations attached to the La Pointe Agency, Wiscousi~io, n the 9th of December, 1887, but was prevented from doing any work in the field on account of the deep snow. He made 173 allotments on Fond.du Lac Reserve, as before stated, and resigned early in the spring. The last Indian appropriation act, dated June 29, 1888, provided only $10,000- To complete the [sllotrnent] work abeady undertaken, " * including the necessary clerical work incident thereto in the field and in the Office of Indian Bf-fairs, and the delivery to the Indians entitled t,hereundar of the trt~st patoots au-thorized. An appropriation of $30,000 was made for the undertaking and com-pletion of new allotment work, and $10,000 for surveyin& and allotting lands to Indians '6 in accordarlce with treaty stipulation." After appropriations for the present fiscal year had become available, Special Age,ntu Howard and Fletcher resumed their work on the Crow and Winnebngo Reservations respectively, and Special Agent Coulleliy was assigned to the Fond do Lac Reserve. The field-work on the Eond dn Lac lieserve is now practically completed. and it is hoped that the allotments oil the Wiur~ebago Reservation will be finished, so far as work in the field is concorr~etlw, ithin a 8hort period, while on the Crow Reserve at least two seasons will be req~iirad. This office has recommended that allot~nents be made at 8.n early date to the Kez Per& Indians, who are believed to be fully prepared and qualified to take t.heir lands in severalty. Edward Collius aud J. H. Miutltoru have been oppoiuteil special agents to allot lauds, and have been assigned to duty i n accordance with the directions of the President, the forrnor at the Grantle Ronde and the latter at the Warm Springs Agency, Oregon. On the Sissetou Reservatiorl oitly have allotlnents been practically completed. On only the Crow, Winnebago, and Fond dn Lac Reserves has interrupted fieldwork been resunled. It should be resumed upon the others, but cou not be so long as only $10,000 is allowed for the completion of allotments begiirl i~rior to the passage of the act above quoted. . Progress of allot~nent work elsewhere hay been slow, owing to the tirue required to make surveys preliminary to allotting, and the late date at which the appropriation bill passed. Considerable opposition to the allotment policy has been developed liom two sources. Those who believe in the wisdom of tribal owner-, ship, and in tile policy of continuing the Indian in his aboriginal cus-ton~ sh, abits, and indepeudt.uce, oppose i t because i t will eveutually dis-solve his tribal relations and cause his absorption into the body politic. On tho other hand, thoge who expected that the severalty act would im-mediately open to public settlement long-coveter1 Indian lauds; oppose i-t because they have learned that these expectatio~~wsil l not be realized. |