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Show 28 REPORT 03 THE OOMMTBSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIBR money &om the Treasury for payment to the Indians or to be ex-pended for their benefit in such manner as he may deem proper. Agreements had previously been made with these Indians by special agents of the office, under authority of the act of Congress approved April 30, 1908. There are now five tribes receiving cash annuities under treaty stipulations, for which no principal fund has ever been appropriated and deposited in the Treasury. The amounts to be appropriated by Congress to provide for the commutation of the perpetual annuities of these tribes are as follows: Oneidas, Wiscon-sin, $20,000; Pawnees, Oklahoma, $600,000; Choctaws, $192,000; Senecas of New York, $120,000; Six Nations of New York, New York branch, $70,000. Agreements for the commutation of these annuities have already been made with the Oneidas and Pawnees. An attempt was made during the past year to make a payment to the Seneca Indians of New York, in accordance with a provision in the Indian appropriation act approved March 3,1909 (35 Stat., 785), in which the Secretary of the Treasury was directed to place upon the books of the Treasury to the credit of the Seneca Indians of New York the sum of $118,050, to bear interest at the rate of 5 per cent. This amount represents the value of certain stocks held in trust for the Indians and token by the United States and canceled under authority of the act of June 27, 1846 (9 Stat., 35). Instructions were issued for the preparation of a roll for the payment, but owing to a protest by a faction of the tribe work on the roll was suspended. Further action in the distribution of the fund will not be taken by the office until it can definitely ascertain the views of the Indians on the subject. The matter is now in the hands of a departmental inspector for adjustment. LAND. The essential feature of the Government's great edl~catioual pro-gram for the Indians is the abolition of the old tribal relations and the treatment of every Indian as an individual. The basis of this individualization is the breaking up of tribal lands into allotments to the individuals of the tribe. This step is fundamental to the pres-ent Indian policy of the Government. Until their lands are allotted, tbe Government is merely marking time in dealing with any group of Indians. An improvement of great importance has been made during the past year in the allotment work. I refer to the appointment of a supervisor of allotting agents. The most important feature of his work will be the introduction of a uniform system of allotment work on all reservations, subject only to such modifications as may be caused by local conditions. He will he of grent help in solving spe-cial difficulties and complications that arise in the various districts. |