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Show OOMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIBS. 51. tion, which was constructed at an estimated wst of $862,260.78, about 82,112 acres of land being. under ditch. Up to December 1, ,1914,' the Indians had brought under cultivation 6,147 acres and -lessees had cultivated 8,113 acres, or a total of 13,260 acres,. thus leaving 63,852 acres of land actually under ditch but not cultivated. Under the State laws this land must be brought under cultivation and: beneficial use made of the water by July, 1919, under penalty of, forfeiture of the water rights. After a careful investigation the conclusion was reached that the' best solution of the difficulty was by leasing to white settlers on such terms as to accomplish the desired results. On March 24, 1915, a. domprehensive plan was announced involving the leasing of this l a d forfive years and such liberal terms a s t o invite white tenants. While detailed figures are not yet at. hand, preliminary reports show- that. this plan has produced the most gratieing results, and that approxi-. mately 20,000 acres of the lends under this jurisdiction have-been leased or otherwise placed under cultivation, and the water rights] thereby saved. ' Continuance of work approaching the progress now being made.: will insure full protection to the water rights of the Uintah Reserva-. tion Utes, and it is our purpose.to make every possible effort to accom-1 - ~ plish the best results. obtainable. As an indication of what we aw doing and hope to do in an indw-, trial way for all of the Utes, the following editorial from the Ignaoio (Colo.) .Chieftain is here reproduced : UTES ASE PBOBBESSINO. It seems that at last the Indian is coming to understand the truth of the say-ing; " By the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread," and are taking hold of their farm work this season with a vim and energy that is astonishing to the white brethren who have known the red man mainly for his laziness. It is in-deed surprising to one to get out for a dny and cover as much of the valley as possible to see just what they hnve accomplished in the brief time since sprlng opened. To get the Indians on a self-supporting footlng is the end toward wNeh the over-ent officials and employees in the service are now working. Heretofore, either because of lax and inefficient admlnistratlon of affairs or the lack of neces-sary incentive, bnt few of them have made more thnn a desultory, half-hearted attempt at fnrming, and a scattering few have gone into stock rising on a small scale, and as to nctually earning a living on an allotment, those who nttnined this state of civilization could be counted on the fl?gers of one hand. The allotted Indian land comprises nearly all of the best farming land in the Pine River Valley. and for this to lie in waste has been shnmeful. So the change is surely a welcome one. More thnn 700 ncrea of new land hnve been cleared and put into various erops, nearly double the acreage farmed previously; 1,500 acres have been fenced and 400 awes more will be fenced this summer and fall ; several new houses have heen built and many other improvements are under way. |