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Show 20 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF IXDIAN AFFAIRS voirs are assessable for the water right in addition to the construc-tion, operation, and maintenance. By an act approved May 9, 1924, authorizing the deferring of payments of irrigation charges, regulations were approved by the department under which water users are granted two classes of relief on charges that accrued prior to March 2,1924. The first class deals with the operation and maintenance or water rental accruals prior to that date, and in all proper cases relief will be given granting ex-tension nR to March 1,1927, in which to pay these charges. Interest will be c arged on the deferred payments at the rate of 5 per cent per annum in lieu of any penalty or interest then in existence. In the event water users show that it is impossible for them to pay these charges by that date relief under section 2 of the act may be granted extending the accrued assessments over the remaining period yet to run on the construction charges. Under this legislation considerable relief and benefit are extended to the water users. CITIZENSHIP A very important enactment of legislation during the last session of Congress was that approved June 2, 1924, granting citizenship to Indians, as follows: Be it enacted by tke Senate and House of Representatives of the Un$ted States of America in Congress assembled. That all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to he citizens of the United States: Provided, That the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property. Under this act, all Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States, who had not theretofore been made citizens, te-came citizens on that date, without the necessi2t of any formality of ap lication, judicial hearing, issuance of certi cate,.or otherwise. [ince the act specifically provides that the granting of such citi-zenship shall not impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property, their property rights continue to be protected, and they are not thrown en masse npon the mercies, or subject to the prey, of unscrupulous persons. The release of the trust or restrictions upon Indian pro erty will continue to be deter-mined upon the merits of the indivi : ual cases. As native-born Indians are now citizens of the United States, they are entitled to suffrage under the same conditions as other residents of the States. They should, therefore, investigate the elec-tion laws of their States to enable them to register or otherwise comply with the requirements necessary to entitle them to vote. THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON INDIAN AFFAIRS Special recognition should be given in this report to the careful and constructive work done by the advisory council on Indian affairs assembled by you on December 12, 1923. This committee of public-spirited and representative citizens from all sections of the country, including members of the Indian race, entered npon its duties with helpful purpose and thorough inquiry. Its discussions upon many phases of Indian conditions and administration vere candid, sgmpa- |
