| OCR Text |
Show for them to have under their ownership or control sufticient land with which to pursua their principal industry and source of support. When all necessary information has been received and considered, steps will be taken to purchase such tracts in the various jurisdic-tions as may be found suitable and within the limits of the amount authorized. SALE OF INDIAN LANDS AND FEE PqTENTS During the year cash sales and deferred-payment 546s were made of 417 tracts of original Indian allotments aggregating 49,731 acres and sales of inherited Indian lands comprising 851 tracts andtotaling 101,682 acres. The total consideration received was $2,321,860. Both the acreage sold and the amount received were somewhat greater than during the prior ye&, By act of March 3, ,1928, the sales act. of, June.25, 1910, was. so amended as to permit retention of interest on deferred-payment notes k in addition to the original payment of 25 per cent for thebenefit of the Indian grantor, in cases where the sales are canceled because of default in h a 1 payment by the purchaser. This will have a favor-able effect in insuring prompt payment of notes. Patents in fee were issued to 242 applicants and heirs of allottees, covering 22,618 acres, and of the applications received. 40 per cent were approved. Fifty-three oert*cates of wmpetency and removal , of restriction orders were approved, releasing 4,336 acres from Govern-ment supervision. Within many of the reservations,muchof the best agricultural land has already been sold or patented, and it is the policy to discourage sales except in cases where held by old or indigent Indians who are in need of money for support, and in cases of inherited lands where the heirs are so numerous that the lands can not he advan- , tageously partitioned. When the heirs are less numerous (four or less) and the inherited tracts are susceptible of a fair and equal divi-sion, it is the policy to encourage.partition of the property so that the younger Indians, many of whom did not receive allotments, may have farming lands and hope sites which they may be thus enc'ouraged to remain on and improve. During the year a circular letter w*s sent to all superintendents requesting them to submit a list of all Indians under their respective jurisdictions to whom patents infee were issued prior to. 1921, during the trust period and without application therefor. The purpose is to afford relief if possible, through legislation or otherwise, to those whose lands were lost through lack of business efficiency or through 4 taxation. Suits in the name of the United States are now pending to determjne the question as to exemption from local taxation, of lands theretofore taxable, which were conveyed to Indians with restriction against alienation or incumbrance, except with approval |
