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Show COMM~SSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 29 ago as to fully justify the undertaking. Our personal inspections ' and reports show the tribal herds and individually owned cattle, horses, and sheep to be rapialy improving- in breed, increasing in number, and showing a gratifying profit on' the investment. Where the clirhaterequires, vigilant efforts are being made to insure ample feed to prevent winter loss. Therb is now every indication that' the Indian-owned stock will, soon become a. substantial 'factor in the world's supply. THE COMPeTENCY COMMISSION. The competency commission appointed by you has entered on its duties. The personnel of the commission, consisting of Maj. James McLaughlin, an inspector of the department, and Mr. F. A. Thackery, superintendent of the Pima School, each of whom has had large and varied intimacy with the Indians, is $guarantee that its purpose will be carried out with a sincere determination to make its findings de-pendable. In connection with the superintendent of the reservation on which its sittings are being held, it will ,carefully consider the qualifications of each Indian who may apply for a severance of tribal relations, or who, in its judgment, has arrived at the degree of busi-ness competency that he should assume the duties of citizenship. I am hopeful, from the wide experience of the members of the commis-sion, that permanent good not only to the individual but. to the tribe as well will result from its labors. ALLOTMENTS. During the past year but one special allotting agent has been'em-ployed, on the Gila River Reservation, Aria., where a large area of irrigable land was available for allotment. A 6omparatively limited number of allotments have been made on various reservations by the respective superintendents in charge, but as a general rule adiv-ity along this line has been much lessened. I ALLOTMENT 08 PORT SILL APACHES. Of the survivors and descendants of Geronimo's Band of Apaches, formerly held as prisoners of war at Fort Sill, Okla., 187 removed to the Mescdero Reservation, N. Mex., and 84 stayed in Oklahoma, where suitable tracts of from 80 to 160 acres have been purchased for 69 of them. This leaves 15 yet to be provided for when additional funds have been procured for this purpose. LANDLESS INDIANS IN CALIFORNIA., Reports indicate that there are about 19,000 Indians in California located in 55 of the 59 counties in that State. Of this number ap- |