OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AJ?FAIFS. 9 lands were made, for the reason that the proceeds were placed directly in the hands of the Indian heirs, usually persons who for the first time had in their possession considerable sums of money. As was to be expected, they very shortly were precisely in the economic con-dition they had occupied before their lands were sold, and if anything were worse off through the debauchery which attended the loss of their money. To remedy this situation of affairs the Secretary in 1904 required as a condition precedent to his approval of petitions for sale an agreement that the proceeds should be administered for the benefit of the Indians, with a stipulation that each Indian creditor might receive a monthly allowance of $10 in cash. To this supervision persons who find advantage in dealing with Indians made much objection, and have never ceased their antagonism. The principle adopted by the Secretary has, however, been maintained, although the incidental provision for a monthly allowance, which most Indians used as an excuse for a miserable life of indolence, was abrogated in 1909, and all disbursements of these funds were made questions of the condition and necessities of the individual Indians. In the first two years of the operation of the act permitting the sale of inherited lands the proceeds of sales amounted to $3,450,000. Then ~rovisionw as made for supervision of these funds, but supenn-tendents made deposits in Government depositories without security other than the security extended to individual depositors. Since 1905 depositories of these funds have been required to give bond for the protection of the full amount of these deposits. In 1911 deposits of individual Indians' money in banks earned $272,948 in interest for the Indians. Together with other moneys accruing to individual Indians rather than tribes, such as rentals for allotments, proceeds of timber sold from allotments, and royalties from oil and gas produced on allot-ments, these funds are designated as individual Indian moneys. Notwithstanding the fact that a large area of allotments has been patented in fee simple and thus proceeds from their sale and lease go directly to individual owners, the amount of individual Indian moneys on deposit in banks has steadily increased; but the deposits have increased in the face of increased liberality of disbursement where Indians have sources from which their funds can be replen-ished, and it is not necessary to husband scanty deposits of old and disabled Indians that they may be kept from want. On July 1, 1908, $3,992,300 had accumu)ated; during the following 12 months $8,991,300 were received; during the year $6,468,000 were disbursed. On July 1,1909, there was a balance on hand of $6,622,600; receipts during the following year were $10,584,600; $7,656,900 were dis-bursed. On July 1,1910, there was a balance on hand of $9,550,400; during the year $7,881,800 were received; disbursements mere |