OCR Text |
Show 72 WIUMISSIO~TEIBN DIAN AFFAIRS. made in the Indian bill for hospitals in the Chippewa country in Minnesota, and $50,000 appropriated therefor out of the Chippewa Indian funds. The health conditions of the Indians have been found to be deplorable, and little effective work has heretofore been done to correct this condition. The appropriation in question will be a long step forward in solving this important problem. The appropriation for educational purposes for the Indians is con-siderably increased, and special provision is made for the education of deaf, dumb, and blind Indian children who have not been hereto-fore provided for. There is also a specific appropriation for educa-tional purposes among the Papsgo and Navajo Indians. These In-dians have heretofore been neglected and several thousand Papago and Navajo Indian children are without school facilities. Upon-the recommendation of this office large reimbursable appro-priations have been provided in the Indian appropriation act for industrial work among Indians. These reimbursable appropriations amount to $725,000. The Indians have heretofore been allotted land, but they have not been provided with tools and general farming equipment. This appropriation will enable the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to improve stock conditions and place herds of cattle on a number of Indian reservations. It is expected that this appr* priation will aid very materially in promoting the industrial ac-tivities of the Indians of the country and go far toward developing them into self-supporting and progressive citizens. The current Indian appropriation act carries a proviso which re-quires that detailed information regarding each Indian irrigation project be furnished Congress at its next session. There is also a provision of law in the Indian appropriation act which will authorize the office to equalize the irrigation construction charges and appor-tion said charges according to the benefits received. This is new legislation, which was obtained on the recommendation of this office. The Indian irrigation projects have heretofore been appropriated for and constructed largely without adequate detailed information, and it is expected at the next session of Congress that the Indian Office will furnish a complete statement regarding each of these projects, so that Congress may have a thorough understanding of conditions on each of the reservations where irrigation projects are being constructed. It is also expected that the information obtained from these reports will result in procuring administrative and legis-lative action which will protect more securely the water rights of the Indians of the country. There is included in the Indian bill an appropriation to cover salaries and expenses of probate attorneys who are engaged in working out probate reforms for the more certain protection of the property of Indian children in Oklahoma, which work is being done |