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Show 4 COM,XISBIONER OF INDIAN AFPAIRS. Ptirsuant to this policy, the following rules shall be obeerved: 1. Patents infee.-To all able-bodied adult Indiana of leas than one-half Indian b i d , there will be given as f&r as may be under the law full and complete conk01 of all their property. Patents in fee shall be issued to all adult Indians of one-half or more Indian blood who mey, after careful investigation, be found competent, provided, that where deemed adviaable patents in fee shall be withheld for not to exceed 40 acres as a home. Indian students, when they are 21 years of age, or over, who complete the full course of instmctio? in the Government schools, receive diplomas and have demon-strated competency will be so declared. 2. Sale of lands.-A liberal ruling will be adouted in the matter of usssin"e uu.on applications for the sale of inherited Indian lands where the applicants retain other lands and the proceeds are to be used to improve the homesteads or for other etruallr good purposes~ 11 mare liberal ruling than has hitherto prevailed will hereafter 1); followed with regard to the spplications of nancampetent Indiana for the sale of their lands where they are old and feeble and need the proceeds for their support. 3. Certificates of competency.-The rttles which are made to apply in the granting of patents in fee and the sale of lands will be made equally applirahle in the matter of issuing certifirstetes of competency. 4. Individual Indian moneus.-Indians will be riven unrestricted control of all their individual Indian murkrye npon iseunnceof paterrrs io ire orcertifiratcsofct,mpetr~.cy Slrict limitations will not be r,lared unon thv ure oi iur8#l+ of the old. the inrlicmr. m d the invalid. 6. Pro-rata shares-1rustjunds.-As speedily aa pomibletheir pro rats. sharesin tribal trust or other Cunds shall be paid to all Indians who have been declared competpnt; unlese the legal status of such funds prevents. Where practicable the pro rata shares of incompetent Indiana will be withdrawn rmm the Treasury and placed in banks to their individusl credit. 6. Eliminntion of' ineliqible ptrpilsjrom the Gouen7nent 1n.dian schools.-In many of our boarding schools Inditlnchildren are being educated at Government expense whose parents are amply sble to pay for their education and have public mhool facilities at or near their homes. Such children shall not hereafter be enrolled in Government Indian schools supported by gratuity appropriations, except on payment of nctual per capita cost and transportation. These rules are hereby made effective, and all Indian Ellrean adnlinistrative offi-cers at Wmhingtan and in the field will be governed accordingly. This is a new and far-reaching declaration of policy. It means the dawn of R new era in Indian administration. I t means t h t the competent Indian will no longer be treated $a half ward and half citizen. I t means reduced appropriations by the Government and more self-respect and independence for the Indim. I t means the ultimate absorption of the Indian race into the body politic of the Nation. I t means, in short, the beginning of the end of the Indian problem. In carrying. out this policy, I cherieh the hope that all real friends of the Indian race will lend their aid and hearty cooperation. CATO SELLS, Conzmissio>ter. .4pproved : FRANKI~KIN. L ANE, Secretary. The cardinal principle of this declaration revolves around this cell-tral thought-that an Indian who is as competent as an ordinary white man to transact the ordinary affairs of life should be given untram-meled control of his property and assured his personal rights in esery |
