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Show .by. purcliasing .the& stock for inadequate prices, this greatly: in- .c.reasing their own herds and so diminishing the ownership of the average Indian as to in many instances insure poverty. When privi-leged to do so,, they use grazing opportunities to a very large and :constantly increasing extent; and in some instances almost monop- 'alize a reservation without compensation to the tribe. This situation is so apparently unjust and harmful that I shall :urge legislation which will prevent the further carrying on of the nefarious practice of concentration of oprnership of stock among 4 'Indians through purchases for less than their value, and as an offset to the practice of monopolizing pasture privileges a charge is now 'made for Indian stock grazed in excess of 500 sheep and goats or 100 horses and cattle per family. Very few Indians have stock in excess of these numbers, and this regulation will affect only those who are capable of paying tlie tribe for grazing excess stock. FIELD IMPROVEMENTS. We are making a special and determined effort to reorganize and improve conditions in the Indian schools and on the reservations. It has 6een our purpose to so adjust superintendencies and the employee force as to insure the best results obtainable. To this end we have !placed service employees in poiitions with work where they have :demonstrated their capacity to make good. This has been done in the interest of the service and not otherwise. We have exerted our- . :selves to bring about a closer relation between the Washington office, .the field force, and the Indians. We have earnestly endeavored to .extend encouragement and sympathy to Indians throughout the en-tire coimtry, and. there is widespread evidence of appreciatioa .response. I have personally visited a number of .schools~and~reservationsdur- . k g the year, giving liberally of time to each. It is my experience :that personal-contact with field conditions is the best means of .secur- .ing reliable information, and it is my Intention to make numerous further visits as fast as other duties will permit. TONGUE RIVER RESERVATION. The following editorial from Clay, Robinson & Co.'s Chicago Give- ,Stock Report concerning the Tongue River Reservation indicates something of our efforts on numerous Indian reservations: Our sales of western range cattle at Chicago on ?donday of this week fn-eluded 17 carloads of flue steers from the Tongue River Indian Reservation. Lame Deer, Mont. , These Indian cattle were of notablg' good qunllty. One hundred and seventy-eight head were fed hay last winter. The balance, of same age and quality. had not been winter fed, but were in good condition. Four loads brought $8.95, A |