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Show . . XXXVI REPORT OF THE COMXISSIONER OF INDIAN AFB'AIIlb. , . they have been rare and are not worthy of consideration .when com- . . pared with the great good acco~nplished among the Indians by the~e ' L bodies. These workers certainly deserve the most favorable considera-tion of the Department and merit every aid which it can legitimately extend to them in carrying on their laudable work. For the greater success of this missionary work-a prominent feature of which is now the industrial training of Indian youth-and for the necessities and couveuience of the workers land has been set apart upon most of the reservations, under authority of t h e ~ e ~ a r tme nfot ,r the temporary nse and occupancy of the denominations and societies engaged in such work. Except where special circumstances justified , , the assignment of a greater quantity, the tract assigned has not ex-ceeded 160 acres in extent. In some cases the privilege has been granted of using timber and stone from the reservations for the ereo tion of the required schools, churihes, and dwelling.houses. Among , ' the numerous churches and school-houses erected by such societies on the lands so assigned to them may be found many commodious aud costly edifices. Except wliere the ignorance and backwa,rdness of the Indians or other sufficient cause has justified a departure therefrom, it has been of late years the practice of this office to grant permission to occupy Indian land, use timber, etc., for the purposes indicated only with the consent of the Indians; in only a few instances have they declined to give such consent. The Department can convey no title to the lands thus assigned to the societies, but the fifth section of the general allotment act provides as follows for all those societies which were-in the occnpancy of lands for the purposes indicated on the 8th of February, 1887, the date of the approval of the act: And if any religious aooiety or other organization is now oooupying any of the pub-lie lands to which this aot is s;pplicabla, for religious or eduostional work among the Indians, the Seoreter~o f the Interior is hereby authoriaed to oontirm soch occupa-tion to suoh sooiety or orgmisation in qllantitg not exceeding 160 Bores in any oua tract, so lodg as the same shell he no oooupied, on such terms as he shall deem just; hut nothing herein contained shall change or alter any olaim of suoh society for religions or edooationalpurposes heretofore granted by law. The Department has not as yet formally confirmed the occupancy of any lands under the above provision. The agents making allotments have been instructed to submit schedules of the reservatiou land8 . . occupied by societies for the purposes stated at the date above men-tioned, which will he submitted to the Department for its action uutler said section. The lands occupied by societies since the date of said act should be by law placed in the same status as those occupied before the passage of the act,, and those working for the Christianization an11 education of theIndians shoultl bemade to feel secure in tbeoccupaucy of the laods set apn.rt, to t,hem. Their zeal and energy woul(1 thus be greatly strr~~gtheneadn, d they vould he eucoursgecl to make still greater ex- |