OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF TEE COW8SIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIBS. 57 , The office was convinced, however, from Mr. Casson's reports that the itllotments to Indians in both the Eedding and Susanville land dis-tricts, about 1,400 in all, should be thoroughly and carefully investi-gated and overhauled. He was accordingly instructed to examine personally emh individual allotment, to ascertain its fitness as a home for the allottee, and, if suitable, to have the corners definitely located and marked and pointed out to the Indian. He was authorized to employ two surveyols, two assistants, and two teams. The following paragraphs are quoted from office letter of April 19, 1901, to Mr. Casson in relation to this work: From your reports, as wellas reports from time to time obtained from special agents of the General h d O 5ce and from other sources, it is clear that agreat many if not the most of these allotments in the field were superficially and injudiciously made, and it is the (leaire of the ofice that the evils resulting therefrom should be corrected by you so far as practicable at this time. This is desirable not only so as to set at rest the question of the validity of the Indian's allotment and his security therein, but also that the office and the Department may not be involved in further expense in investigating specific cases upon the charges of white men or others in the yea.rs tocome. * * * At the same time this work is being done the Indians should he given to under-stand that they must rely on their own efforts for their future support, and they should be encouraged to your utmost to settle upon their allotments and establish homes for themselves. In your work among these people the good yon may beable to acwmpliah will consist as much in your friendly assistance, good advice, and encouragement along proper lines as in the fact of locating and defining their lands. The mere fact of giving an Indian an allotment doea not change either his character or his m~~n~d-i~t~io~n~. He should be nersuaded. if noasihle. to see that' the allotment will ~ ~ be the means of bettering his condition. '~oi c com~i i sthhe ends suggested will of course reauire ~atienceandD erseverance on the mrt of the allotting azent. * * * ~~~ . A - - However, in making future allotments to Indians, the office desires to impress uuon vonthe necessity of kee.ni n.y c onstantly in mind the fact that the allotment is ikended a~ a present home for the adult lndian and as afuture home for theminor, and that the same must therefore be suitable for the purpose. It is deemed to he next to useless to allot arid lands to Indians, lands upon which there is ao water or upon which no water can be placed, as from their very condition it is obvious that such lands will be utterly unfit and unsuitable as homes far the Indians. It is realized that there is but little vacant land left on the public domain except-ing such as may be classed as grazing land. It would seem, however, to be almost absolutely necessary that each allotment should embrace at least a few acres of till-able land upon which the Indian may raise some garden truck as a necessary requisite to his subsistence. Very few of this class of Indians have the means wherewith to stock a grazing farm. In making new allotments the greatest rare should also be exercised that the lands allotted are not more valuable for timber than for agricultural or gmzing pur-poses. The General Laud Office is investigating all such allotments for the purpose of ascertaining the cha~actero f the lands, md if found to be more valuable for the timber thereon it will only result in the cancellation of the allotments. You will therefore see the necessity of making a personal examination of the lands allotted in every case before the application is filed. Next in importance is the matter of settlement in the m e of adults. Of course it is ahsolntely nee-ry that the Indian should be shown the corners of his allot ment, and you should he fully satisfied that settlement will be made, if it baa not |