OCR Text |
Show fully Indian allotments situated within grazing districts from en-croachments, and provide for the return to the Indian owners of all stock led astray by the stock of lessees and permittees. Under the new forms, sworn statements are required to be made in June and December of each year, setting forth the number and kind of stock grazed under the lease or permit. Penalties are provided for in cases where a greater number of stoclr is grazed than that for which a lease or permit is granted. Forfeiture of the lease or permit may be declared where the lessee or permittee cuts timber, or uses the lands for other than grazing purposes, or commits any waste thereon. Grazicg privileges are let under the sealed-bid plan, the bids to be received and opened in the Office of Indian Affairs, Tashington, D. C., on some fixed day in the month of August of each year, the contracts to begin to run February 1 following. This gives both the prospective lessee 8nd the outgoing man, if there is a change of holders, time to make effective business plans. The dates are changed in a few instances to fit peculiar conditions of pasturing. By reason of the rapid change in conditions and the rapid increase in the value of grazing privileges, it is the intention of the office to limit future leases to a period not exceeding three years. Tables 21 and 22 show what was done in the matter of grazing permits and leases last year. LEASESONALLOTTEDLANDS, Since the last annual report 961 Indians represented as being competent to transact their own business affairs have been permitted to manage or lease their allotments without departmental super-vision. Under departmental authority of February 18, 1909, this privilege is limited to one year. If good results are shown, the privilege extends from year to year. By this means it is expected to give the allottee practical experience in business matters and prepare him to manage successfully his own affairs on the expiration of the trust period. Regulations to govern leases of Osage allotments in Oklahoma were approved on April 21, 1909. Table 23 shows in detail the number of Indians at each agency who have been permitted to lease their lands without departmental control. Table 24 shows the number of farming and grazing leases approved on the different reservations during the last heal year. Table 25 shows the mining leases approved on the various reserva-tious during the year. |