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Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 65 Indian depositor, when approved by the superintendent in charge of the reservation, has been continued throughout the year. 1. Minors.-Every endeavor has been made, where parents may not have bad ample wisdom but are doing pretty well and taking good care of their children, to conserve the principal, if this could be done without jeopardizing the health of the children or denying the best possible education, in order that the minors might, on attaining their majority, have funds with which to engage in farming or other profitable enterprise. Thoroughgoing justifications were re-quired before the superintendents received authority from this office to approve checks against a minor's account. The main object borne in mind was to be satisfied that the minor received benefit from an expenditure of his funds. The importance of this point of view was brought to the minds of the superintendents by a circular letter issued on October 23,1911. 2. Adult Indians able to do a day's work.-During the past year the office has made a renewed effort to allow the Indians in this class their funds in sufficient amounts without restriction, where a satisfac-tory showing of competency was made, in order to give them practical experience. On the Colville Reservation alone, out of disbursements for the fiscal year 1912, amounting to approximately $350,000, over $100,000 in amounts large enough to give them actual experience was authorized to be paid unrestricted. The amount so authorized did not include regular monthly payments. The superintendent reports that of the amount allowed the Indians for their unrestricted use probably 50 per cent was .used in the improvement of their lands; 25 per cent was probably used for subsistence, and the remain-der was so expended as to yield little or no return. Punds belonging to able-bodied Indians manifestly incompetent were expended, so far as possible, in making permanent improve-ments upon their allotments and in the purchase of horses and imple-ments, under the supervision of a local field officer. On the Rosebud Reservation during the past fiscal year, out of an expenditure of in-dividual Indian funds exceeding a half million of dollars, more than $180,000 was authorized for the purchase of horses and the construction of buildings. The amount so authorized does not in-clude such articles as household furniture, harness, and farming implements, digging of wells, etc., which represent a large figure of ' the disbursements. The superintendent of Omaha and Winnebago Agencies stated in his letter of May 25,1912, that then there were over a dozen full sets of farm buildings under construction on those reser-vations; that at least a dozen more would be started shortly there-after, and that probably 30 Indians had planned to sell land and use the proceeds for the same purpose. The improvements constructed 65989--13-5 |
