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Show 18 REPORT OF THE OOM~~ISSIONERO r INDIAN AFFbIR8 highways have been constructed or approved across Indian reserva-tions for 100 per cent Federal aid wrthout expense to the Indian Service, involv~nga n estimated expenditure of $1,708,184. Since the passage of this act there has been constructed to date a total of 5d4.37 miles of standard road at a cost of $5,200,429. LAW AND ORDER INDIAo~N~~ ~s~s . -Legi s latisio unrg ently needed to remedy the situation relative to the maintenance of law and order withln Indian 1 reservations. Because of a law passed in 1854--section 3, act of March 27, 1854 (10 Stat. L. 270), and amended February 18,1875 (18 Stat. L. 320; sec. 2146 U. S. R. S.)-Indians within reservations are not as a general rule subject to the State or Federal laws governing 7 \ offenses committed. Sections 328 and 329 of the United States Criminal Code of 1910 provide for prosecution of Indians for only eight offenses, viz, mur-der, manslaughter, rape, assault with intent to kill, assault with a dangerous wea on arson, burgla~y,a nd larceny. For other o8endes. includine rtssault with intent to commit rane. assault with intent td commit godily ham, robbery, maphem, bre&: ing and entering a house in the daytime, malicious mischief, adul-tery, unlawful cohabitation, fornication, seduction, carnal knowledge, statutory rape, bigamy, incest, lewdness, desertion of wife and family, wife beatmg or other cruelty, etc., the only corrective or punitive action that can be taken is through the reservation courts of Indian offenses. For many years the igents, superintendents, teachers, matrons, farmers, physicians, and pther Government ebployees and the mis-sionaries have been teachlng the Indians the ways and customs of civilization. The majority of Indians to-day have advanced. in civilization to such an extent that they comply generally with the laws of the land. The trouble usually experienced is with those Indians who- know the laws sufficiently well but who also know the exompkion in certain.cases .of Indians from responsibility for willful commission of offenses under existing laws. Legislation in one form or another has been recommended by this office on this subject for a number of ears. There has been some difference of opinion among students o9 th e matter as to the question whether the proposed legislation should extend the criminal laws of the United States generally to Indians within the, reservations, whether to enlarge somewhat the list of crimes named in sections 328 and 329 of the'Crimina1 Code, or whether to make Indians subject to all or a part of the State criminal laws. Bills were introduced in the recent session of Congress (H. R. 7826, S. 1038, 69th Cong.) proposing to extend the criminal laws of the United States so as to apply to Indians, but legislation was not enacted. It is hoped that some improvement in the existing law may be secured during the next session of Congress, as it is a most difficult matter to maintain law and order-among Indians sunder-.present conditions. SUPPRESSIOONF LIQUOR TRAPFIC.-Intoxicating liquor has been found to be a primary cause in the production of crime and criminals, |