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Show REPOET OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAlV AFFAIBS. 7 cultivated less than 600,000 acres of their vast area of agriculturd lands. It shall be my purpose to attempt to procure reimbursable appro-priations so as to advance to the Indians needed agricultural equip-ment in order that they may make beneficial use of their resources and become self-supporting and progressive citizens. These reim-bursable appropriations, if procured and properly used, will result in ultimately decreasing the gratuity appropriations for Indians. I fhd that there is need for additional legislation by Congress to meet the problems arising, such as legislation authorizing the mining on Executive-order reservations, legislation segregating tribal and trust funds in the United States Treasury, legislation authorizing the submission of claims of Indian tribes to the Court of Claims, and other additional legislation which will be prepared and ready for submission to the Congress at its regular session in December. The foregoing are a few of the many important problems confro& ing thii bureau. The following contains a r6sum6 of the work of the bureau during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1913: AGRICULTURAL WORK. agriculture has been given the first place in this report because it 'has received greater emphasis than any other activity of the Indian :Bureau during the last fqcal year. The results of the stress placed upon this subject are shown in a general awakening to the recognition of agriculture and stockraising as the main road for the Indiansns' advancement toward civilization. . - Realizing that each Indian is a problem, ,and the only hope of succeas is to go taeach-one and ;;;what he has,'"&hat'he needs, s-h.. ow hi how to make the best use of hi resources, special efforts have been made during the year to bring the workers in the Indian Service into closer touch with the Indian's life and his everyday problems. Reservations, in the sense in which they were formerly hown, arc gradually disappearing, and the Indians are taking their places ' on homesteads and allotments, and are finding themselves face to" face with. the all-important and serious problem of gaining a liveli-hood for themselves and families, some from the soil and others 'from live stock. The reservations are now largely divided into farm or stock dis-tricts, and a farmer or stockman is stationed in each. Approxi-mately 249 farmers and 13' assistants were employed at the various reservations during the year. They make their homes, to e, large extent, in such districts, thereby keeping in the closest possible ,touchwith the activities of the individual Indians, and advising and directing them in their operations. |