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Show 28 COMMISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIFS. in part by means of the telegrams and letters mentioned above, through the visits of supervisory o5cials especially detailed for this work, and the meetings of employeesand Indians called pursuant to my instructions, at which the greatest enthusiasm was shown, and the second by the immediate emergency purchase of thousands of dollars' worth of additional implements, seeds, etc., beyond estimates previously made tb meet the normal demands of the service. As one example typical of many other reservations, the superintendelit at Shoshone had estimated for 15,000 pounds of seed wheat but actually issued to Indians 69,000 pounds, aU of which was produced on the school farm. As a further step in this direction, I detailed several of the most experienced field men to visit a number of the reservatious where the need seemed most urgent, to miat in the organization and prosecution of the campaign. The response was gratifying on the part of both Indians and em-ployees indicating a patriotic realization of the situation and a determination to do everything possible to contribute to the success , of the campaign. Detailed figures received from most of the reservatious and schools indicate that the acreage of Indian land cultivated this season ia from 25 to 50 per cent greater than ever before, and on some of the reservations 100 per cent greater, showing that the Indian will be a substantial factor in increasbg the country's food supply during the present emergency. However, as intimated in my letter of Miy 12, 1917, the opportunity is at hand in this situation for a great and permanent impetus to Indian progress, which will set the race ahead ' many years along industrial lines, if the high standard of activity and accomplishment established this year is maintained. This will materially hasten the final solution of the Indian problem, in keeping with the new declaration of policy in Indian &airs, for the obvioua reason that the Indians gradually achieve self-support and become independent by means of their increased industrial activity and the better business judgment employed in handling and disposing of their surplus products. Reports thus far received show that the Indians on 73 reserva-tions are cultivating this season 472,156 acres of land, as compared \. with 358,796 acres last year, which represents an increaae of 113,360 8 acres or 31.6 per cent. Practically every reservation showed an I . Increase, the highest being '100 per cent. r This result shows hitherto untapped supplies of energy and capa-city, indicative of the possibilities of the race and its partial readi-ness, at least for the responsibilities of modem civilization. These need only to be fully developed by the gradual processes of educa-tion and industrial acbivity, to accomplish the ha1 solution of the- |