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Show COMMISSIONER OF WDIAX AFFAIRS. a 27 A large k~&ent in the sue- of our eampafgn for health betterment h;ls come from an effective attack upon the liquor trafllc among Indiana Liquor . ~ .has, beyond question, been the Indian's greatest foe. - I t destroys h ~ she alth, lowers his morals, and makes him an easy prey of the unmpulons. Tbe . - present Congress approved our antiliquor campaign by increasing the appropria-tion for this work $50,000. This Congregs also construed the word "liquor," as wrltteu in the Federal statutes, to include beer, and enacted a law making the possession of liquor in Indian country prima fada evidence of intent to intm. d y e and sell. With these added weapons, we will be even more s u c ~ i uiln our flght with the liquor demon. While, the advancement of the Indlan has been prlmarlly the results of the efforts of the,Indian Bureau, there have been many other elements of helpful-nesw, notable among them being the missionary work of the church- of the ,country, including praetieally every denomination. I have been actlve in a pmfessiohal and business way throughout my F. I thought I understood devotion to duty, and have always been a hard worker, - but I would be less than frank if I failed to say to my old-time friends that . nntll entering the Indian Service I had no such conception of 'either as-this new experience has developed. I have now come to appreciate the satisfac~ou one enjoys in the personal sacritice involved in dolng things for the-other fellow. I am a living example that it is impossible to kill a man with hard work; My greatest present ambition is to so adminlster this great responalbllity. as to in<ite the rqert 04 our entire dtirenship, and to secure the mnlidenee of the red race. . . , AGRICULTURE AND STOCK-RAISING ACTIVITIES. , . The Indians have made continued progress during the year in' - farming and stock raising. Final reports are not yet- available, but it is apparent that the total culti~atada rea is mu& greahr than last year, when a large increase was made over all previous years, with consequent encouraging advancament toward self-support. Whiie .: getting the Indians 6rmly established in farming, it has cus-tomary to furnish them large quantities of seed in return for-labor, to be paid for in,cash on the reimbursable plan, or returned 'in kind - ' at harvest. Special attention has been directed toward educating the Indians to select and save their own seed. A conspicuous example is at Sisseton, where only $7,500 worth of seed was furnished the India--& 1916, as compared with $11,500 for 1914. The importance of seed selection and its testing has beenemphasized. a n y cases of noteworthy activity and industry by the Indians in farming and stock raising have came to my notice during the year. During the year 19'15-16 the number of stock on various reserva- ~-~ tions,in addition to the natural increase, was increased by the pur-chase of the following animals: Blackfeet, 30 bulls; Cheyenne River, 80 bulls, 1,360 heifers, 49 cows, 12 mares; Cofville, 300 heifers; Crow, 140 bulls; Crow Creek, 15 bulls, 11 heifers, 25 cows, 29 mares; Flat, - . 'head, 3 bulk, 175 heifers and cows; Fort Belknap, 80 bulls; Fort all, 30 bulls, 200 heifers; Fort Peck, 6 bulls, 20 heifers, 19 mares; Kaibab, 10 bulls, 200 heifers; Klamath, 80 b a s ; Lower Brule, 10 |