OCR Text |
Show I REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 69 or of a person deemed incompetent to petition for himself, on petition of a penon designated by the Secretary of the Interior. The immediate benefits to be derived from these new provisions are (1) that they enable a minor to sell his interest without going through the tedious process of having a guardian appointed by a court--thus saving costs and preventing a possible cloud on the title, such as would bccur if there were irregularities in the appointment of the guardian or a failure to secure a decree from the proper court au- , thorizing the guardian to convey the minor's interest; and (2) that since a direct patent in fee simple will be more satisfactory to any purchaser than an approved deed, the lands offered for sale will com-mand higher prices. The heirs of a deceased allottee are determined according to the laws of the several States and Territories where the lauds are situated. Many intricate questions of heirship have arisen and will continue to arise; and in the solution of these and other problems of law in-volved in the disposal of Indian lands, the burden of the initiative, from the peculiar circumstances liable to attend each case, falls chiefly upon the Office of Indian Affairs. The table below goes back to March 4, 190.3, becauso that was the date on which inherited land sales began, and brings the fignres down to June 30,1908. Sales of inlrerited lands since Mnvch 4, 1908. A detailed statement follows of sales of inherited Indian lands which have been made during the last fiscal year. Id Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Washingten . the average price per acre is higher than that obtained during the year preceding; but it is less in Minnesota, Montana, Oregon and Wisconsin. The average price per acre at all reservations for the last fiscal year is $14.27, which is $2.53 greater than that obtained for! the fiscal year ended Jlme 30,1907. |