i ^ t 77 U581 b.b. Connreps. i^e- n?-te. Comrriltee on I nd i ?n At t3 i re . Indi?n arrrorria 1 j on bill. 1 b Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028632176 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL HEARINGS /tun ; I AUG 2 BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF COMMITTEE ON INDIAN._AFFAmS UNITED STATES SENATE SIXTY-SECOND CONGEESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 20728 A BILL MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CURRENT AND CONTINGENT EXPENSES OP THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, FOR FULFILLING TREATY STIPULA- TIONS WITH VARIOUS INDIAN TRIBES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1913 APRIL 16 AND 17, 1912 Printed for the use of the Committee on Indian Affair? WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFPIOB 1912 e 11 iqiz CL COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIES. United States Senate. EGBERT J. GAMBLE, South Dakota, Chairman. MOSES E. CLAPP, Minnesota. CARROLL S. PAGE, Vermont. PORTER J. McCUMBER, North Dakota. WILLIAM J. STONE, Missouri. GEORGE SUTHERLAND, Utah. JEFF DAVIS, Arkansas. ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, Wisconsin. ROBERT L. OWEN, Oklahoma. CHARLES CURTIS, Kansas. GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN, Oregon. NORRIS BROWN, Nebraska. CLARENCE W. WATSON, West Virginia. JOSEPH M. DIXON, Montana. HENRY L. MYERS, Montana. , Ralph H. Ca.se, Clerk. SSBFFC X INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. tuesday, april 16, 1912. United States Senate, Subcommittee of the Committee on Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C. Ine subcommittee met at 2 o'clock p. m. Present: Senators Clapp (chairman), McCumber, Curtis, Stone, Owen, Chamberlain, Myers, and Ashurst. STATEMENT OF HON. E. G. VAIENTINE, COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. The Chairman. Mr. Commissioner, I suggest that you proceed with t^e bUl, suggesting such points as you deem of vital importance and giving your reasons for any changes that you desire. Commissioner Valentine. Mr. Chairman, the first item is on page 2 of the bill as it passed the House, line 3, for survey, etc. We asked for $250,000 in the estimate, and the House gave us $215,000. We also asked, later, in a supplemental estimate, for $85,000, making a total request for allotment of $335,000, and in that we asked to have $35,000 made immediately available. I do not think it is necessary to say that we feel this allotment work is a necessary preliminary to any permanent industrial progress on the part of the Indians. We have it a little over half done throughout the country, and at the present rate of progress it will probably take 10 or 15 years for us to complete it. That will mean, in many instances, that the Indians will not begin to cultivate or use their allotments for many years beyond the present tiine, when they might better begin now. For that reason we ask for this substantial increase. I think I should say that not only the original estimates, but the original esti- mates plus the supplemental estimates, as submitted, were less than the bill of last year. We cut down to the bone in order to try to keep the total down. The Chairman. How much of this is subject to the provision to be repaid proportionately out of the Indian funds ? Commissioner Valentine. This entire appropriation is reimburs- able, The Chairman. I know it is reimbursable in terms, but is it in conditions ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; of course a great manjr of these allotments will be made on reservations that will have no surplus land and no other large funds of which there could reimbursement be made. On the other hand, the substantial amounts of it will be reim- bursable actually. 4 INDIAN APPEOPRIATION BILL. There was also a provision in the original bill that I would like to see retained, as well as the $35,000 immediately available, and that is a provision that we had in the first print of the House bill, and wliich I would like very much to be inserted. It is as follows: Provided further, That the unexpended balances of all continuing appropriations heretofore made for survey, allotment, classification, or appraisement work, general or specific, are hereby made available for the purposes enumerated herein. The Chairman. How much do you think there is of that? Commissioner Valentine. I will send them to you, Mr. Chairman. I do not lay any great stress on that point because for the future I do not expect to have to ask for it. I think it is bad business to have these things overlap. The next item is the irrigation item, page 2, line 20.. In our original estimates we asked for $355,000. Senator Curtis. That is on page 4— "in all, $310,700." That is what they gave you. Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; we asked for $355,000. Now, this general irrigation item is used largely for small projects in dif- ferent parts of the country. It is not a reimbursable appropriation, and it is one of the most useful industrially that we have. I would like very much to see that appropriation stand, as I feel that with the force we have and the machinery available we can make better use of the larger sum, and with the allotment get the Indians beginning. Senator Chamberlain. That is, you want that restored to what it was last year ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; to what it was in our original estimate. As I said before you came in, we kept the total of the bill down; we cut the total of our estimates this year down below the estimates of last year, and, by various shifts in the bill cut down to the bone. We also asked in the original print for this proviso, which would come after the word " employee!, " in line 6, on page 4, and would read as follows : Provided also, That there shall be covered into each fund, from whatsoever source derived, for construction or maintenance and operation of any irrigation project or system within the jurisdiction of the Indian service or preliminary surveys and inves- tigations for determining the feasibility or cost of new projects in the Indian service, the proceeds of the sales of material utilized for temporary work and structures, as well as of the sales of any other property which had been purchased from such fund, and also any moneys refunded in connection with operations necessary for and inci- dental to such work; and for lands under any such project the Secretary of the Interior may fix annual maintenance charges, which shall be paid as he may direct, such charges, when collected, not to be covered into the Treasury, but to be immediately available for use for the maintenance and operation of the project or system for which collected. Senator Chamberlain. That is in the present law, is it ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; the idea being simply to make available what goes into temporary works or uses for the permanent carrying out of the structure. As it is now, if we make an expendi- ture of that kind it goes back into the Treasury. Mr. Meritt reminds me that it is the same act as the reclamation law that was passed. The next item, Mr. Chairman, is on page 4, lines 7 and 8, "for the suppression of the traffic in intoxicating liquors among the Indians, $75,000." The House committee gave us what we asked for in that item. INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL,. 5 Senator Chamberlain. Is that sufficient? There have been a great many complaints made to me about the sale of intoxicating liquors on the reservations, particularly in the Siletz Reservation. Commissioner Valentine. We could use more, but in going over the whole bill, as I say, and trjdng to keep it down, we did not feel like this year asking for more than that. We would not object to it for a minute. We could use another $10,000 or $20,000 to great advantage. The liquor business among the Indians is taking away at one end where the health campaign is trying to put something in at the other. We also ask a proviso to be attached to that item •which would follow the word "dollars," in line 8, page 4, as follows: Provided, That the powers conferred by section seven hundred and eighty-eight of the Revised Statutes upon marshals and their deputies are hereby conferred upon the chief special officer for the suppression of the liquor traffic among Indians and duly authorized officers working under his supervision whose appointments are made or affirmed by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Senator Chamberlain. What is the purpose of that ? Commissioner Valentine. The object of this is to provide the officers engaged in the suppression of the liquor traffic — I am read- ing from a letter signed by the Secretary — engaged among the Indians, with some authority and also some means of protection while en- gaged in that work. Senator Chamberlain. Under the authority you have now in these reservations, have your special officers power to take possession of the intoxicating liquors — that is the power to seize them? Conunissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Chamberlain. And the power to arrest? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; but at present these officers have no authority other than that contained in the act of Congress approved March, 1907, which reads: The powers conferred by section twenty-one hundred and forty of the revised statutes upon Indian agents and subagents, and commanding officers of military posts, are hereby conferred upon the special agent of the Indian Bureau for the suppression of the liquor traffic among Indians and in the Indian country and duly authorized deputies working under his supervision. We feel that it would strengthen their hands a great deal if that proviso could be inserted. Senator Chamberlain. For the purpose of assisting us in the recommendations you are now making, would it be possible for you to take this bill as it passed the House and interline any suggestions that you want to make? The Chairman. This hearing is being printed. The commissioner is referring to the page and line. So when he gets through with this statement we will have it before us. Senator Chamberlain. That was done in the agricultural appro- priation billj and it assisted us very much. Commissioner Valentine. I can give you the first print of the bill as it passed the House and call your attention to the parts under- lined in red, the additions. That will help out I think. The next item is on line 9, page 4, as follows: To relieve distress among Indians and to provide for their care and for the preven- tion and treatment of tuberculosis, trachoma, smallpox, and other contagious and infectious diseases, including the purchase of vaccine and expense of vaccination, sixty thousand dollars. 6 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. We asked for $75,000, and that is, I feel now, less than we should have. I have been making a very careful study of health situation, and it may well be that I shall recommend to the Secretary a further increase. Senator Chamberlain. Is that taking into consideration the needs of the Fort Belknap Reservation? The increase there was $15,000. Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; that we ask later on. We are asking for that increase now, and also for an increase that would affect the Fort Belknap Indians in what we call the revolving fund for indus- trial purposes. But at the very least, I think it very important to put this $15,000 back on this health appropriation, and it may be well for us to get our details in such shape that we should ask for an appro- priation many times this amount for health. The next item is on page 4, line 14, "for the support of the Indian day and industrial schools." We ask for $1,500,000 and they give us $1,450,000. Now, aU that is necessary to call your attention to in that appro- priation is that particularly in the southwest there are something like 6,€00 or 7,000 Indians who are still unprovided with school facilities, and I think this appropriation should be lifted until we are able to take care of all of them. A very important matter in which the House gave us a reduction is the next appropriation, beginning on page 5, line 8: For construction, lease, purchase, and repairs and improvements of school and agency buildings, and for sewerage, water supply, and lighting plants, and for pur- chase of school sites, four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. We asked for $650,000. I can not speak too strongly as to my feelings with regard to having an Indian school and agency plant, valued at upward of seven or eight millions of dollars, with an upkeep fund ruiming to less than 2 per cent. You can see at a glance that it is absolutely impossible to keep buildings in repair — keep the absolute original cost intact, so to speak — to say nothing of any improvements, and it seems to me a very upside-down administration for us to be putting up buildings and for Congress to be continually assisting us and not provide for them. The next item where the House has made no changes, I will just pass that by, unless you have some questions to ask. I refer to line 12, page 5, for collection and transportation of pupils. We asked for $82,000 and the House gave it to us. The industrial appropriation stands, for the purchase of goods and suppUes ? That is on page 7, line 3, $285,000. Also telegraph and telephone toll messages. That stands. The appropriation for witness fees stands. "For expense of the Board of Indian Commissioners," we asked for an increase of $1,000. The board feels that in fulfilling its function under the law it has not the means given it by Congress to do it right; that it should travel more, and it can not do that on the present appropriation. So at their request we asked for an increase of $1 ,000. Senator Chamberlain. Making it $5,000 ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes; instead of $4,000. The House left it as it has been before. Senator Stone. What was it before? Commissioner Valentine. $4,000. There was no change in the Indian police item, nor in that of the judges. Yes, they did make a INDIAN APPROPEIATION BIUJ. 7, cut in the judges, but I think we felt that we could do with that all right. The next item is the contingent item of the office of $85,000. We asked for $105,000. The estimates seem to have been subject to a mistake in printing. What we asked for was $125,000, and the biU, cuts us down to $85,000. That is the one appropriation whicli the office has had and which, on the authority of the Secretary, it can make incidental expenditure? to provide for unforeseen contingencies, and we feel that it should have very careful consideration. Senator Stone. How much was it the last time? Commissioner Valentine. Last year it was $115,000. Senator Stone. And you ask for what now? Commissioner Valentine. $125,000. Senator Stone. Why do you wish that increase ? Commissioner Valentine. For the reason that there may be unfore- seen needs. That is the only appropriation we have to meet con- tingencies which can not be estimated for in advance. It seems a com- paratively small amount when compared with the total of the bUl. It is expended only under the authority of the Secretary of the Interior, so that it is not solely within the jurisdiction of the Indian Bureau. Senator Stone. What would be the eflFect upon the service of reduc- ing this appropriation below the estimates, to $85,000 ? Commissioner Valentine. I think the effect would be pretty serious because it is the appropriation out of which some of our important overhead expenses come, and I feel already that there is great waste and loss in the Indian affairs because of insufficient management. Senator Stone. What I wish to know is: In what way would the service be crippled or injured if the appropriation was confined to the' Slim stated in the House bill, $85,000 ? Commissioner Valentine. The cliief crippling would come in its inspecting force. Senator Stone. Traveling expenses ? Commissioner Valentine. Both that, and not being able to have a sufficient number of traveling men. You see the oiuy check there is between the Indian Office here in Washington and its 150 or so superintendents scattered throughout 26 States, is the supervision that we are able to give it by means of special agents and supervisors visiting those points, and it is only within the last two years that we have had anything like an efficient inspection service. When that service first began work it found places that had not been visited by an inspecting official for many years. I think, in one case, as far back as seven years. Senator Stone. How many inspectors have you now, Mr. Com- missioner ? Commissioner Valentine. We have in what we call the investi- gating force 7 men, and in the construction work 2 men — that is work dealing with construction and repair of buildings. In the school service there are 9, and in the industrial work there are 5, and then, beyond that, men who travel aroimd and frejjuently give us valuable points about our field work — men who are in the liqupt service, of which there are 10; the health service, 3; the alloting agents 10, and the forestry work, 7. 8 INDIAN APPKOPBIATION BILL. Senator Stone. What do they do ? Commissioner Valentine. They have general care and super- vision of the 10,000,000 acres or so of the Indian timber lands. Senator Stone. Is that in your bureau ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; timber lands on Indian reservations, about 10,000,000 acres, valued at nearly $100,000,000. In the irrigation service there are eight men. Senator Stone. Have you the total ? ' Commissioner Valentine. I can give you that in a minute. Senator Owen. On page 4, lines 7 and 8, there is provided for the suppression of the traffic in intoxicating lic[uors among Indians $75,000. I would like to have the words, "including Oklahoma^" hiserted there, because I think the interpretation would not include Oklahoma unless it was expressly so provided. I would like to ask the commissioner as to that. Commissioner Valentine. If there is any doubt about it I would would like to have it included. We have men in Oklahoma. Senator Owen. There has recently been a decision of the circuit court with reference to the Five Tribes, holding that the old law obtained there, and the Government has recently been more active in trying to suppress Uquor in the Five Tribes than before. Have you any men in the Five Tribes ? Commissioner Valentine. We have no men permanently stationed tlkere. We have a man in the Osage country. Senator Owen. I do not think you have been recognizing the Five Tribes as within that jurisdiction. Commissioner Valentine. We are making our plans now to do so, since the Freedman case was decided. I had not thought there was any doubt about our jurisdiction, but if there is I would like to have that done. Sena,tor Chamberlain. When you provide for making a special- exception as to Oklahoma, you might raise the question as to other places where you are working now. Commissioner Valentine. That would be unfortunate. Senator Stone. What is the total of those? Commissioner Valentine. Sixty-one, including those directly en- gaged. Senator Stone. Now, at $2,000 a year salary, how much is that ? Commissioner Valentine. That would be $120,000. Senator Curtis. You pay about $130,000 a year in salaries « Commissioner Valenti^ne. At least; yes, sir. Senator Stone. Just for salaries ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes; without any traveling expenses. Senator Stone. How are you going to get along with the sum vou asked for ? Commissioner Valentine. I was just about to explain that. Of course, a large number of those do not come out of this appropriation. The forestry men come out of the mdustrial appropriation. The irrigation men come out of the irrigation appropriation. The allot- ting agents come out of the allotment appropriation. Senator Stone. The information I was seeking was to know how many agents were to be provided for by this particular provision INDIAN APPEOPKIATION BILL. 9 Commissioner Valentine. I think from this particular fund it would amount to Senator Curtis. 130,000, is it not ? Commissioner Valentine. Something like that. Senator Curtis. I was reading it up last night. It is about $30,000, out of this $80,000, in salaries. Senator Stone. That is what I wanted to get at. It is about $30,000 that is' paid out of this appropriation to special agents? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Stone. That leaves $55,000 for expenses ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Stone. Under the House bill ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Stone. Now, what is it that you ask for? Commissioner Valentine. $125,000. Senator Stone. Then you wish $40,000 additional? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; but not of course for the expenses of these men. Senator Stone. You think $55,000 would not be sufficient to cover the traveling expenses of agents receiving $30,000 in salaries ? Commissioner Valentine. We spent last year in traveling expenses for employees as superintendencies, $26,000. Senator Stone. Last year? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Stone. You mean for these same agents ? Commissioner Valentine. I can not tell you definitely as to that. I will have to get those figures from my books. I can furnish the figures to-morrow. Senator Stone. It is substantially that, do you not think? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; I think so. Senator Stone. Then, if you only spent $26,000 last year for these agents, why do you wish $95,000 now? Comm^issioner Valentine. Here are the estimates as they are listed from the appropriation in the year 1911, aggregating $100,000. The first is miscellaneous allotment expense, $308; irrigation, $48,000 Senator Stone. You are going now into special agencies, I under- stand, that are not covered by this provision. The Chairman. That is what he is giving you now, what is included in this. Commissioner Valentine. I am giving you the kind of expendi- tures made from this appropriation in the fiscal year 1911. Those of- course are small items. Senator Stone. I do not think we ought to confuse this appro- priation with some other. Commissioner Valentine. I am reading you now the way in which this appropriation was spent last year, and the items are as follows : Miscellaneous allotment expenses, $308; irrigation', $48.86; inspection, $30,513.21; traveling expenses at superintendencies, $17,520.32; salaries of employees at superin- tendencies, $26,379.16; miscellaneous, $25,315.08, making a total of $100,084.63. The last item of $25,000, in round numbers, includes the expense of three competency commissioners, amounting to $5,251.63. 10 INDIAN APPKOPEIATION BILL. I would like also to put alongside of that another analysis of these expenditures— and I will simply read the hundreds to save time: All kinds of employees, $47,900; repair material, $312; heat, light, and power, 4802; subsistence, $211; hardware, furniture, etc., fl,678.36; medical supplies, $347; purchase of live stock, $460; forage, $3,300; traveling expenses, $38,170; telephoning, etc., $1,168; stationery and office supplies, $4,188; miscellaneous, $1,482.77. That gives you an additional idea of some of the things for which contingencies are used. Senator Cuetis. The next item is with regard to Arizona and Mew Mexico. Senator Ashuest. Mr. Chairman, when you reach the proper place, I will suggest an amendment as to Arizona. If I may revert to page 10, page 14 of the comparison, on line 22, after the word ' ' dollars " on said line 22, 1 deshe to propose the following amendment : For the purpose of enabling the Secretary of the Interior to carry into effect the provisions of the sixth article of the treaty of June eighth, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, between the United States and the Navajo Nation or Tribe of Indians, proclaimed August twelfth, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, whereby the United States agrees to provide school facilities for the children of the Navajo Tribe of Indians, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as maybe neces- sary, is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appro- priated. In carrying out the authority hereby conferred the said Secretary may ex- pend said funds, in his discretion, in establishing day schools or industrial day schools, tribal habits and climatic conditions being considered, suitable for the education of said Indians. Senator Owen. It is on the calendar. No. 76. It is reported from the department favorably. Senator Cuetis. What do you say about that, Mr. Commissioner ? Commissioner Valentine. I think that is one of the most impor- tant items you could possibly have. Senator Ashuest. I think, in view of the honorable commissioner's statement, there is nothing further for me to say except that I have lived near those Indians. I think they ought to have this appro- priation in order to give them the benefit of civilization. It is a splendid tribe of Indians. The Chaieman. While we are on it, if it is the sense of the com- mittee, we had better dispose of it, and I will put the question on the adoption of the amendment. The amendment was agreed to. The Chaieman. Before you go any further I would like to settle one question as to the view which the department holds in regards to this Oklahoma matter that Senator Owen raised. Is there any doubt in the mind of the department but what that $75,000 applies to Oklahoma ? Commissioner Valentine. There has not been. Mr. Meritt says there has been none in his mind. I personally have not thought there was any doubt about it. The Chaieman. Have you understood that there was. Senator Owen ? Senator Owen. Yes; I had understood that there was a question about it, and that was the reason I suggested that it should be definitely included. Senator Cuetis. Why can you not wire to-night and ascertain whether that should be included and then let us know ? INDIAN AI>PK0J:>R1AT10N BILL,. 11 Senator Owen. The fact is that the Five Tribes occupy the same position toward intoxicating liquors as thej did toward Statehood — that liquors could not be introduced into that country. Senator Curtis. Would that help out their condition? I know they have had men down in Oklahoma. Senator Owen. I thought they had been construing this appro- priation as applying particularly to other parts and not as applying to Oldahoma. Senator Curtis. No; they have had them in Oklahoma, or the Indian Territory proper. The Chairman. It is your understanding, without any specific provision, that it does apply ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Owen. You had Johnson down there, and he did good work. Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; and it was in the Five Tribes, in fact, that this appropriation had its inception, and it was extended from there throughout the country. Senator Owen. It was $40,000 when it started. Commissioner Valentine. No; it was $10,000 or $15,000. The Chairman. It was only $20,000 some time ago. You may proceed, Mr. Commissioner. I simply wanted that point settled. Senator Ashurst. Mr. Chairman, I am very unfamiliar with these proceedings, but my distinguished colleague, Mr. Smith, of Arizona, has proposed an amendment to be offered to this bill. The Chairman. What is the calendar number ? Senator Ashurst. I can give you a copy of the amendment. The Chairman. I see that it is Calendar No. 203. Senator Ashurst. It is on page 13 of the comparison. Senator Curtis. That is what you desire to be heard on in the morn- ing. Do you want the commissioner to say anything about it now ? Senator Ashurst. I do not wish to be heard. My colleague would like to be heard. I simply did not want it displaced. The Chairman. It would not be displaced. Senator Ashurt. Well, we can then pass it over and take it up in the morning. The Chairman. Unless you desire to ask the commissioner his views while he is here at this time. Senator Ashurt. I would like, with the permission of the com- mittee, to ask the views of the commissioner with reference to the amendment that I have suggested. I will state briefly my view. The bill itself provides that this $25,000 shall be spent for borings to ascertain possibly where water is, and to develop water. We felt that that might not be as wisely expended as it would be if the money were expended in the institu- tions, or in the reclamation demands for the benefit of the Indians. It is just simply a question of how it shall be spent, whether in borings for water or whether it shall be used in a way that it would be per- manent, like the acquisition of a dam site, and proper foundation being laid in future that the dam might be budt. Then the $25,000 will be a permanent investment, except possibly for borings that might not be so permanent I would be very much pleased to have the view of the honorable commissioner on it. 12 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. Commissioner Valentine. My recollection is, Mr. Chairman, that the department has recommended an item of this kind. I do not recall the exact wording but if there is anything more that I should say about it I would be very glad to do it. The Chairman. You can submit your statement in the morning. You may now proceed with the bUl. Commissioner Valentine. We have not gotten through with the Arizona items. We ask for an increase over what we had last year of $50,000, making a total of $380,000. The House gave us $330,000. Senator Chamberlain. That is the same as last year ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. I think it is very important that we have that increase in the Southwest. For the Fort Mojave School (hues 19 to 24, p. 8) we ask for $39,900. They gave us $38,400, just as I mentioned a moment ago in connection with our general repair and improvement funds for school and agency buildings. I put in a slight increase throughout the bill for repairs and improvements at these specifically appropriated for schools, feeling that our upkeep fund was not sufficient. I think in most cases the House cut them out. So I shall not mention each one as I come to it in passing, but simply call the attention of the com- mittee to the fact that the two or three hundred extra that we asked for for each school, I consider very important from the point of view of not having a building, and letting it knowingly run to waste. I will just pass over these schools unless there is some question to be asked. The Chairman. Except you have a connection between that and the pending bill. I suppose that could be obtained, however, by taking the original bill as it came from the House ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. The Chairman. However, I think, Mr. Commissioner, as we are having these proceedings reported, you had better go right through the bill and note the differences. Commissioner Valentine. I will just mention them rapidly in passing. On page 9, lines 1 to 6, the Phoenix School. We asked for $130,400, and they cut it to $127,400, and the reasons are the same as I men- tioned in connection with the Fort Mojave School. The next is in hne 7, for the school at Truxton Canyon, Ariz We asked for $23,700. They cut it to $21,200. At that point, after the word ' ' dollars " m hne 1 1 , two items are omitted that we asked for. The first one reads as follows : ^i,??"^ constructing dike to protect allotments on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation, thirty- three thousand dollars. The second reads: For continuing the construction of necessary canals and laterals for the utilization of water m connection with pumpmg plant for irrigation purposes on the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona, as provided in the act of April fourth nineteen hundred and ten (Thn-ty-sixth Statutes at Large, page two hundred and seTnty three), for the purpose of securing an appropriation of water for the irrigation of ap- proximate y one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land and for maintaining and mfald art P^^^P'^^ P^^''*' tl^irty-fi^e thousand dollars, reimbursable as prolided That is the beginning of the Colorado Kiver irrigation project We asked for $35,000, and the House cut it out. We feel that it is verv important to make that start this year. INDIAN APPROPEIATION BILL. 13 The next one, which would come right in after those two, reads as follows : For continuing the work of constructing an irrigation system for the irrigation of the lands of the Pima Indians in the Gila River Indian Reservation, forty thousand dollars. Then follows a proviso which provided that this appropriation should be reimbursable. We came before some of you gentlemen informally the other day, asking that that appropriation be made not reimbursable, and I have sent a telegram to the Pima Indians pro- Sosing the items substantially along the line that you had. Senator hamberlain, and have not heard from them as yet. So I would like to submit some more on that particular item before the consid- eration of the bUl is closed. It is an item that provides that the $500,000 which has already been spent for irrigating the land of the Pima Indians shall not be reimbursable as now provided by law. As long as it remains in the allottee or his heirs he shall pay nothing for it, but when he sells it the purchaser shall pay for the water rights. Senator Myers. The Reclamation Service has submitted something on that line, too. Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; the next item that I should speak of, Mr. Chairman, I think is on page 10, lines 10 to 13, as follows: For the development of a water supply for domestic and stock purposes and for irrigation for nomadic Papago Indians in Pima County, Arizona, to be immediately available, five thousand dollars. That is a very important item, and the next one is one that we all agree would be of benefit to the Navajo Indians. At that point, page 10, line 22, in our supplementary estimates, we recommend the insertion of the following item : For the beginning and enlargement of the irrigation system and the construction of a dike for the protection of the Indian lands for the Papago Indian Reservation, Arizona, against semiannual floods, the total cost of the work not to exceed one hun- dred and thirty thousand dollars, to be immediately available one hundred thousand dollars. The proposition there is very briefly this: It is explained at some length m the supplemental estimates which you will find in House Document No. 432, Sixty-second Congress, second session. The Santa Cruz River, which you have all crossed if you have been over the Southern Pacific Railway just this side of Maricopa, wanders all over the country, cutting it up badly, and it will be impossible for the Indians who have their farms in there to have anything permanent until such a dike is built to keep this river in some sort of condition. They have been settling there for a great many years and we feel it very important that this should be done. Senator Owen. How many Indians are there ? Commissioner Valentine. There are approximately 1,200 acres now under cultivation in this area. I could not tell you off-hand just how many Indians there are in this area. All through that sec- tion of the country there are over 4,000, but just how many would come under this provision, I would have to look that up in order to inform you. Senator Owen. How many acres did you say 1 Commissioner Valentine. Thirteen hundred acres. Senator Owen. And to spend how much ? 14 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. Commissioner Valentine. Twelve hundred are now under culti- vation, but this provision covers a great many more than that. Up to the present time they have been unable to make any good use of their farms. Senator Owen. Why could they not go somewhere where it would not be so dangerous ? Commissioner Valentine. I think with the dikes that our engi- neers plan, and the control of the underflow, or underground water, that this is as good a place as any. The soil is wonderful. Senator Chamberlain. It is pretty expensive, on your showing. Commissioner Valentine. I would have to find the actual number of acres. It is about 8,000 acres. Senator Owen. Would there be any way of reimbursing the Gov- ernment ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; there would be no way. There would be about 8,000 acres that would be covered by the present water supply. Senator Owen. It does not seem to me we ought to make an expenditure of that kind. The Chairman. Is this land that would have to be irrigated ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. This land is very similar to that of the Pima Reservation. Many of those Indians have been allotted in that section, and their trust patents will expire in a few years. It is land that is now almost valueless. I think it is perfectly fair to say — and the Senator knows that country weU — that it would be anywhere from $200 an acre up. The Chairman. Is the irrigation project already in operation there ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir. Senator Owen. This dike that you speak of is intended to prevent the overflow of the river, is it ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; and to prevent the river from washing all over the country there, and bring such water as is avail- able into control. Senator Chamberlain. Is there not a good deal of silt in that stream ? Would it not soon bank up ? Commissioner Valentine. We are not expecting to build a dam. I can give you more details with regard to this matter at the next meeting, and can furnish the specific plan showing the engineer's proposition. As I say, you will find the matter dealt with more at length m this House document. Senator Owen. What is the theory, Mr. Commissioner, that the (jovernment should pay this money out on ? Is it just as a gratuity to the Indians ? a j Commissioner Valentine . This would be a gratuity for the purpose ol getting them on an industrial basis. You understand, that these Indians in the Southwest have been irrigation farmers for hundreds of years. It is not a mere theory. Senator Myers. How much is it proposed to expend « Commissioner Valentine. One hundred thousand dollars The total cost IS estimated at $130,000. Senator Myers. What tribe is it ? Commissioner Valentine. It is the Papago Indians There are about 4,000 of them settled at that place. ineie are INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL,.' 15 The Chairman. That does not include the irrigation plans for them? s F Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; the total cost of fixing things so that they can get their land under cultivation with water. The Chairman. It is including irrigation? Commissioner Valentine. Including irrigation; yes, sir — esti- mated at $130j000. It should also be considered that it will provide these people with real homes. I think, under the circumstances, it is a pretty cheap proposition. The Chairman. How would it do to provide that when the trust expires the cost of this should be a lien, and in the case of their alienation of land, it should be charged to the land ? Commissioner Valentine. Well, I think that that land is certain to increase in value, after irrigation and use from $100 up, and I think it is a perfectly just charge. Senator Owen. That is the reason I was asking you why it should not be made reimbursable. These trust patents will expire in a short time, and the money may pass into the hands of people who have no such claims. Commissioner Valentine. That is just it; I was thinking that the surplus land of some sort would make it reimbursable, but I see no objection at all to making the same provision apply here that we put up to the Pima Indians with regard to their land. Senator Owen. What is that ? Commissioner Valentine. That is that as long as the land remains in the allottee, or his heirs, if they hold it for a hundred or a thousand years, there is nothing to pay, but when it is sold the purchaser has to pay for the water rights. Senator Owen. I think that would be all right. The Chairman. I suggest that you attach that proposition. You may now proceeed with the next item. Commissioner Valentine. The next item is California: "For sup- port and civihzation of Indians in California, including pay of em- ployees," etc., page 10, line 24 Senator Curtis. You may just pass those that are all right. Commissioner Valentine. We asked for $117,350 for the Sherman Institute and we got $104,350. That I feel we should have, if possible. Senator Myers. How much did you ask for ? Commissioner Valentine. $117,350. The Chairman. The diJerence would go into repairs, would it not ? Commissioner Valentine. It would go into repairs and some out-of-door sleeping quarters for the children, and thmgs of that sort. The next item is Florida. There is nothing there. That simply makes the old appropriation reimbursable. There is nothing for Idaho. Kansas — for Haskell Institute we asked for $140,750 and got $137,750. That I would like to see restored for the reason I have given as to all of those schools. For the Kickapoo school we asked for $20,360 and got $17,860. In Michigan we asked for the Mt. Pleasant school $59,300, and got more than we asked for. We have therefore no complaint to make about that. 16 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. In Minnesota, for the Pipestone School, we asked for $44,175 and got $43,375, by reducing the repair fund. The Chairman. You have got to have $1,500 there for a drain to take care of that water at the falls. I do not know whether you are familiar with that. Commissioner Valentine. Yes; I saw something about that the other day. The Chairman. I will ask to put it in when we reach the bill. Commissioner Valentine. The next item simply appropriates out of the tribal funds. There is no extension of costs of the estimates. I think there is nothing more in Minnesota. Mpntana : I do not know that there is anything with regard to Mon-, tana that I should speak about officially; but personally I feel, and shall take the matter up with the Secretary, that that $15,000, on line 17, page 15, should be increased to $25,000 in the light of recent reports of the supervisor. Senator Myers. That is the Fort Belknap Reservation ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Ashurst. There was a gentleman who called on me yester- day and spoke at great length about some abuses on the Fort Belknap Reservation. I presume some report has been made to you upon that subject? Cfommissioner Valentine. Our supervisor has been making some reports from there. He found a rather bad condition of affairs. On page 16, lines 4 to 14, after the Flathead Reservation in Mon- tana, we felt, and I am quite sure that the department feels — and if I ffiid I am mistaken I will let the committee know — that it is a mistake, since we have begun this big project, to limit the amounts as they are limited here. There has been a proposition, and I think a feeling in the House, that these big projects of the Flathead, Blackfeet, and Fort Peck should be limited to certain units on the reservation. These particular projects are in the hands of the Reclamation Service, and it seems to the Indian Office better that the work on the reservation should be outlined as a whole, even where it can be divided into units, and all the Indians provided for as nearly as possible, equally at the same time, rather than to go ahead and develop any unit and leave the other Indian land entirely out. I think that any question that should arise should arise before a project has begun as to the advisability of the whole affair rather than after it has been started. Now, all of these have been begun. The Indians are expecting irrigation. The total cost has been pretty clearly estimated by the Reclamation Service, and I can not help feeling that it is a good deal hke having a tooth out; that it is better to go ahead and have it over with than to be simply dribbling along each year with one hundred or two hundred or three hundred thousand dollars appropriation when we know we have got to ex- pend $4,000,000, for example, on the Flathead, and we should have the Indians provided for at the earliest possible day. The Chairman. The committee tins morning raised that item from $200,000 to $400,000, making $50,000 immediately available. Commissioner Valentine. That would very largely meet that point, although, as I remember it, the Reclamation Service in its estimates this year asked for something like $700,000. The Chairman. Yes. INDIAN APPEOPRIATION BILL. 17 Commissioner Valentine. And they feel they could, with their force and overhead charges going ahead all the time, expend that amount wisely in a year. So I would be in favor of suggesting that the lines beginning with hne 11 to line 14 — unless you struck them out this morning — be stricken out. The Chairman. Yes; we struck those lines out. We struck out all limitation and added 150,000 to the appropriation. Senator Owen. To be immediately avaUable. Commissioner Valentine. That would make the appropriation the same as last year. The Chairman. Yes. I wish you would furnish the reporter with a statement with respect to that to be inserted in the record. Commissioner Valentine. It is desirable to push them to comple- tion at the earliest possible date. Where we know that a project is going to cost $4,000,000, I think there should be appropriated, and I think it is wrong not to appropriate, each year the maximum amount that can be spent in that year by the organization engaged on the work. It seems to me that any other method — a method of going along slowly — is bad business from the point of view of the financial side, and a very bad business from the point of view of the Indians, who ought to be supplied with water on every allotment that can be supplied with water at the earliest possible date, and I can see no advantage — Congress having committed itself to a project — in mak- ing what looks like a paper saving each year as against the real loss that I have mentioned. I do not know that I can make myself any stronger on that proposition. That seems to me very clear. The Chairman. That covers it. Commissioner Valentine. The next item is on page 17, lines 8 to 17, for subsistence and civilization of the northern Cheyennes and Arapahoes. That fund is part of an old Sioux agreement, and the northern Cheyennes have always felt that they should have their part cut from the total funds. Senator Curtis. But this is in accordance with the agreement. Commissioner ValentiniI. Yes. Senator Curtis. If it is carrying out the agreement it seems to me it ought to be retained, and that you have no right to change an agreement that is made with them. Commissioner Valentine. I will have to look that up. I thought I had that item with me that I desired to add to that, but I will supply it. In addition there is another item that I would like to suggest to go after the word "dollars" in line 17, as follows: There is hereby appropriated the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be immediately available, fpr the jjurpose of purchasing cattle for the Northern Cheyenne Indians, the appropriation herein made to be reimburs- able and to be repaid within a period not to exceed twenty years, the first payment to be due and payable within five years from the date of this act: Provided, That this appropriation be expended for the benefit of the Northern Cheyenne Indians, and also be repaid to the Government by such Indians under such terms, conditions, and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. Senator Chamberlain. Do you think they would ever make a success of that ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; they have made a great suc- cess with cattle on that reservation. They have secured some of the biggest prices on the Chicago market. 40794—12 2 18 INDIAN APPEOPEIATION BILL. Senator Chamberlain. You have no lien that would secure the payment ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir. Senator Chamberlain. I think that where investments are made in personal property and you make the fund reimbursable, it may never be repaid. It is not like an irrigation project, where the Gov- ernment has, and can enforce, a lien against the land. Here it is simply a moral obligation. I think it should be an outright appropriation. The Chairman. Is there not a fund against which that provision can be enforced ? Commissioner Valentine. I think those Indians have none except this treaty fund, as shown in the bill here, and that would not cover it. The Chairman. Then, of course, Senator Chamberlain's suggestion is a sound one. Commissioner Valentine. But I honestly believe, from the way these Indians have developed, that this money would be repaid. Senator Chamberlain. I tlaink it would be perfectly useless to make it reimbursable. If you want to, give them $100,000 on a stock transaction, but do not undertake to require repaj^ment. Commissioner Valentine. Even assuming they never could pay, I would like to have it worded so that, if they could, they should. We have had what we call a revolving appropriation that has worked very successfully, where we supplied money to Indians for seed and purchase of implements to start work in the spring, and they turned back the moneys. This is one of the best educations we can give them. Senator Owen. I wanted to call up an item on page 24 of tliis bill, and I would like to do it now, as I will have to leave the committee. It is at the top of page 24 — it is line 21 of the small bill with reference to Oklahoma. In section 18, line 21, the proviso is: That during the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and thirteen, no money shall be expended from the tribal funds belonging to the Five Civilized Tribes, except for schools, without specific appropriation by Congress. I wish to strike out that proviso and insert this : That during the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and thirteen, no money shall be expended from the tribal funds belonging to the Five Civilized Tribes, except for schools, the equalization of allotments, and the salaries and contin- gent expenses of the governors, chiefs, assistant chiefs, secretaries, interpreters, and mining trustees of the Five Civilized Tribes, and attorneys of the said tribes employed under contracts approved by the President, without specific appropriation by Con- gress. I would hke to put in the record the number of these officers, with the salaries they receive at the present time, and which they have been receiving for a good whUe. This bill cuts out the tribal councils and leaves about an average of three persons in charge of each one of these five tribes. I do not suppose the committee cares to hear these amounts read that they have been receiving, and I will just hand it to the reporter in order that it may be inserted in the record. The department desires this to be done, and I think it ought to be done, and I think it will be agreeable to the Oklahoma delegation. INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. The paper referred to is as follows: Present salaries and expenses of tribal officials of the Five Civilized Tribes. 19 Position. Choc- taws. Chiclta- saws. Chero- kees. Creelcs. Semi- noles. Principal chief Assistant cliief Contingent fund of principal chiefs . . Treasurer or auditor Contingent fund of auditor Secretary Contingent fund of secretary Assistant secretary Interpreter Coal tmstee Light horseman Custodian of trihal capitol building . Janitor Attorneys ' $2,000 3,200 eoo 600 600 450 SI, 500 "'i.'sob' »1,500 600 S2,000 SI, 000 600 1,000 1,500 4,000 200 240 300 4,000 2 8,000 2 5,000 }2 5, 000 420 25,000 25,000 ^ Attorneys are also allowed traveling expenses whei absent from their homes on official business, accounts of which are submitted to and approved by the department. 2 One. The contingent funds for chiefs ofChoctaws and Chickasaws are to cover travel- ing and other miscellaneous expenses. The traveling and other expenses of the principal chiefs of the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole Nations are not specifically provided for, but their expenses to Washington as representatives of the tribes, when authorized by the department, are allowed, and do not exceed 11,000 per annum. The principal chiefs act as representatives of the tribes and execute deeds to pur- chasers of unallotted lands. The assistant chief of the Cherokee Nation is a full blood and has no duties to per- form, but confers with and advises full bloods. The treasurers or auditors prepare warrants of salaries and expenses of tribal officers and forward same to the department for approval and payment. The secretaries attend to correspondence of and the office work of principal chiefs. The coal trustees audit accounts of coal companies operating leases on tribal lands, and their positions are provided for by the Choctaw-Chickasaw agreement. The principal chief of the Choctaw Nation pays salary of private secretary, $1,200 per annum, from contingent fund. The salary of the principal chief of the Chickasaws was originally $1,500, but an act of council increased same to $3,000, which act providing for such increase was disap- proved by the President, and who has declined to accept salary at the rate of $1,500. Senator Owen. This is a proviso which I understand is agreeable to the department. Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; and before you leave, Senator, I would like to suggest three other amendments, which I would like to read. You may desire to say something about them. Senator Owen. Let us dispose of this matter first, this proviso. The amendment suggested by Senator Owen was agreed to. Commissioner Valentine. I would suggest further, after the point where you insert, the following paragraph: For payment of salaries of employees and other expenses of advertisement and sale in connection with the disposition of the unallotted lands and other tribal property belonging to any of the Five Civilized Tribes, to be paid from the proceeds of such sale when authorized by the Secretary of the Interior as provided by the act approved March third, nineteen hundred and eleven, not exceeding twenty-five thousand dol- lars, reimbursable from proceeds of sale. Senator Owen. I have no objection to that. I move that that amendment be adopted. The motion was agreed to. 20 INDIAN APPEOPRIATION BILL. The Chairman. That is proposed to be inserted on page 24 after line 25. Commissioner Valentine. This follows the other amendment which Senator Owen introduced — the following items : The expense incident to, and in connection with, the collection of tribal revenues, including rents of unallotted lands, such amount as may be necessary: Provided, how- ever, That such expenditures shall not exceed in the aggregate twenty per centum of the amount collected. Senator Owen. I have no objection to that. Commissioner Valentine. I do not thiak there is any objection to reducing that a little. It seems to me to be rather a large expenditure. Senator Curtis. Yes; it seems to me that 20 per cent is rather large. Senator Owen. It is better to have too much than too little. If it is too little, you can not handle it at all. The amendment was agreed to. Commissioner Valentine. Then, next — For incidental and necessary expenses of any suit brought on request of the Secretary of the Interior on behalf of any of the Five Civilized Tribes, the sum of ten thousand dollars is hereby appropriated, to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, reimbursable from funds belong to the tribe in whose interest suit is brought, or is now pending. Senator Owen. What does that cover, Mr. Commissioner ? Commissioner Valentine. It covers various cases, I am informed. I have not looked it up. Senator Owen. You have had some suits brought for timber, and things of that kind * Commissioner Valentine. Thiags of that kiad. I think it covers practically everything in the shape of litigation. Senator Curtis. I suggest that you make a statement with regard to that. Commissioner Valentine. I will. The Chairman. You may continue now, Mr. Commissioner. I think we had reached the Northern Cheyenne Indians. Comniissioner Valentine. This is what I would ask, Mr. Chairman, for this item — For salaries and expenses of district agents for the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma, and other employees connected with the work of such agents, one hundred thousand dollars. Perhaps as good a place as any for that to come in would be between the heading which Senator Owen had a little while ago introducing his amendment, and the proviso, rather than to come at the end of these other items. The whole clause would then read: For expenses of administration of the affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes in Okla- homa and the compensation of employees, one hundred and seventy-four thousand dollars; for salaries and expenses of district agents for the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklaioma, and other employees connected with the work of such agents one hundred thousand dollars. ' Then immediately would follow your item, Senator: Provided, That during the fiscal year, etc. The amendment was agreed to. Senator Owen. There was an item with reference to town lots but I do not know whether that could get in this biU — about 25 scat- INDIAN APPEOPEIATION BILL. 21 tered town lots that the Secretary of the Interior wanted to take care of. They had been forfeited under the law and he wanted the for- feiture removed, so that he might dispose of it in some way. Was your attention called to that ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; I have an item to that effect. The Chairman. Mr. Commissioner, the following bill passed the Senate : [S. 4004, Sixty-second Congress, second session.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to withdraw from the Treasury the entire share of the Northern Cheyenne Indians in the permanent fund created under section seventeen of the act of Congress approved March second, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine (United States Statutes at Large, volume twenty-five, page eight hundred and eighty-eight), and to pay the same out to the members entitled thereto, or to expend it for the benefit of said North- em Cheyenne Indians in the purchase of horses, stock cattle, or such articles as in his judgment will best advance said Indians in civilization and self-support. Commissioner Valentine. That is the item that I lost a while ago. The Chairman. That is covered by this amendment, Calendar No. 74, authorizing an appropriation of $100,000 to buy stock for them. Commissioner Valentine. No; I think that would be additional. I had better look that up before I make any statement with reference to it. The Chairman. In that connection, can you tell offhand what the amount of that fund is that is available ? Commissioner Valentine. The total amount ? The Chairman. Approximately, if you know. Commissioner Valentine. I will have to get that for you and sub- mit it later. Senator Owen. On page 26 at the top — 33, at the bottom, of the comparison there is a provision for Douglas H. Johnston, the governor of the Chickasaws, in the sum of 13,000 per annum from March 1, 1910, to March 1, 1912. That matter has been up from time to time, and I think it should be disposed of once and for all. I will therefore move that in lines 11 and 12 the words "to March 1, 1912," be stricken out and that there be inserted in lieu thereof the words "during the pendency of his present employment by the Chickasaw Nation." That will dispose of that matter until the tribal govern- ment is wound up. Mr. Commissioner, the Interior Department has it in its discretion to remove any of these chiefs, has it not ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. The amendment was agreed to. Senator Owen. How long do you think it is necessary for these tribes to carry on this matter ? We are paying out quite a little of the tribal moneys in connection with it. Commissioner Valentine. I should not think it would be necessary very much longer. Senator Owen. The affairs of the Cherokees are practically wound up. Their lands and funds are practically distributed now. Commissioner Valentine. Yes; and the same, to a great extent, with the Creeks, and as far as tribal relations go, possibly, with the Seminoles. Of course the Choctaws and Chickasaws have such big tribal holdings that theirs may take some time yet; but we favor, I know, doing away with the tribal remains, so to speak, and getting them 'on the proper basis at the earliest practicable date. 22 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. The Chairman. You may now proceed, Mr. Commissioner. Commissioner Valentine. We nave now reached Nebraska. If Nebraska is complete, may I go back to Montana for a moment, the last item? I do not know whether this was suggested or not — after the word "dollars," on line 21, insert this item: There is hereby appropriated the sum of forty thousand dollars, to be immediately available, and to remain available until expended, and the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and empowered to use said moneys, or so much thereof as may be necessary, in the erection of buildings for agency purposes on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, and for the purchase of land therein for an agency site not to exceed eighty acres, if such is deemed by the Secretary of the Interior to be neces- sary for a proper location of such agency; for the expenses of the removal of the agency to the new site selected; and for the protection and repair of any_ other buildings required for the efficient conduct of the affairs of the Flathead Indians in Montana: Provided, That the entire sum expended hereunder for the purposes herein mentioned shall be reimbursed the United States from the proceeds arising from the sale of lands and timber within the Flathead Indian Reservation. Senator Curtis. That was agreed to this morning. Commissioner Valentine. Did you take up this morning an item providing for the protection of timber on the Flathead Reservation ? Senator Curtis. No. Commissioner Valentine. It reads as follows, and I suggest its in- sertion at the end of the Montana items : Protection and manufacture of timber on Flathead Indian Reservation: There is hereby appropriated the sum of twenty thousand dollars to be immediately available and to remain available until expended, and the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to use this money, or so much thereof as he may deem necessary, in the purchase of a sawmill and logging equipment and the employment of suitable persons to manu- facture and to lumber burned timber on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana, and to protect the remaining timber from fire and trespass: Provided, That the sum expended under authority of this act shall be reimbursed the United States from the proceeds arising from the sale of lands and timber within said reservation under exist- ing acts of Congress: Provided further, That the amounts paid to persons employed hereunder shall not be included within the limitation of salaries and compensation of employees in the Indian Service contained in the act of June seventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven (Thirtieth Statutes at Large, page ninety). Senator Myers. Do you think that is desirable ? Commissioner Valentine. I think it is very highly desirable. The amendment was agreed to. Commissioner Valentine. We have now reached Nevada. The only thmg in Nevada is the Carson School. We would like the sum of 158,600 to be appropriated. New Mexico: At Albuquerque we would like the $69,400 we asked for instead of what the House gave us. For Santa Fe we would like $61,000 instead of $56,500. They left out entirely the item for pay of the special attorney to the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. Senator Curtis. Does he need it just as much as he used to ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir; and more so. The amendment was agreed to. Commissioner Valentine. North Carolina: We would Hke $36 560 for the support and education of 180 Indian pupils at the Indian school at Cherokee. We hope you will consider that. North Dakota: Fort Totten School; we would like $74 000 instead of $72,000. I can not lay too much stress on the importance 01 this slight increase. For the Wahpeton School we would like $22,700 instead of $20 200. INDIAN APPEOPKIATION BILL. 23 Now as to Oklahoma, on page 22, lines 5 to 14; I am not certain whether that is the item that we suggested. I will look that up and will not take time now to discuss it. At the bottom of page 22, line 24, we would like |9,000 instead of $8,000 for the Poncas. For the Chiloccos we asked for $93,000 instead of $90,000 that was in the biU. At the end of Hne 5, after the word "dollars," we recom- mend the following pro^aso : Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to sell any surplus lands set aside or reserved to this or any other Indian school for school purposes, and no longer needed for that purpose, or lease, any land for farming or mineral purposes, in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, under such terms, conditions, and regulations as he may prescribe and invest the proceeds in Indian school buildings or repairs of Indian school buildings or plants, or for the maintenance of said school as the needs of the service may require: Provided further, That in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior the surface of said lands may be sold separate and apart from any minerals that may be found thereunder: Provided further. That the Secretary of the Interior shall report to the Congress at its next session any action thereunder. This legislation is needed particularly for Chillocco, Red Moon, and Vermilion Lake. That is all in Oklahoma, I think. Oregon: I will read what we ask for: Klamath, $6,000; Warm Springs, 14,000; Umatilla, $3,600; Salem Oregon School, we ask nothing there; Grand Ronde and Siletz Agencies, |4,000; $50,000 for the Modoc Point irrigation project, and for a bridge across the Deschutes River, $15,000. We would like this item inserted at the end of the Oregon items : To enable the Secretary of the Interior to construct a bridge and the necessary approaches thereto across the Deschutes River, abutting on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, in the State of Oregon, at a point to be selected by him, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars. That is all necessary to open up the produce of that reservation. Pennsylvania: With regard to the Carlisle Indian School, the House has given us $148,500. I am not authorized by the department to ask for this officially, but I feel that I would like to call the atten- tion of the committee to the fact that I personally know that the sanitary conditions at that school need improving. Senator Curtis. Suppose you submit an estimate with regard to that to-morrow. Commissioner Valentine. I was going to suggest an increase of $15,000 to that item. Senator Curtis. Where do you want to put that in? Commissioner Valentine. Just after the general repairs and improvements; make that $20,000 instead of $9,000. South Dakota: For the Flandreau School we ask for $67,500. We need the increase. At the Pierre School we ask for $39,500. For the Rapid City School we ask for $62,500. We need those increases. For the support of the Sioux of different tribes, $535,000 ; for the support and maintenance of day and industrial schools among the Sioux Indians, $200,000 ; for the equipment and maintenance of the asylum for insane Indians at Canton, $45,000. Utah: There is nothing there. Washington: We ask for the D'Wamish and other allied tribes, $7,000; the Makahs, $2,000; Qui-nai-elts and Quil-leh-utes, $1,500; the Yakimas, $3,000; the Colvilles, $18,000. Senator Cuetis. You have $13,000 there. 24 INDIAA^ APPKOPEIATION BILL. Commissioner Valentine. We need the $18,000. For the support of the Spokanes, $1,000. For the Yakima irrigation project we asked for $15,000, but we have been making a study of the situation since and would like to raise that to $75,000. There has been an amend- ment introduced in that regard. There are special reasons for that that we will call your attention to. For the Cushman School we asked for $50,000. That was left out entirely. Senator Curtis. That should be added ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes. Senator Curtis. Why not put that after the word "dollars" on page 33, line 3 ? Coramissioner Valentine. Yes, to read as follows: For the support and education of 300 Indian pupils, etc. Senator Curtis. You estimated that? Commissioner Valentine. Yes. Wisconsin: For the Hayward School we asked for $41,170. Senator Curtis. What do you say about Hampton? Commissioner Valentine. I would like to see it appropriated for. The Acting Chairman (Senator Curtis). Without objection, Hamp- ton will be added. Commissioner Valentine. As I say, for the Hayward School we asked for $41,170; for the Tomah School, $51,950. ' The Acting Chairman. You have $48,000 here. Commissioner Valentine. We need the increase. For the Chip- pewas of Lake Superior, $7,000; for the support, education, apd civilization of the rottawatomies, $9,000. See estimates at bottom of page 259. The Acting Chairman. Is that estimated for? Commissioner Valentine. Yes. Wyoming: For the support and civilization of the Shoshones, $12,000; for the schools, $36,525; for the continuation of the work of constructing an irrigation system, $50,000. For the support of the Shoshones, $6,000. There are a nurnber of items that we have passed upon favorably. The first one I have is a bill introduced by Senator Gamble to. appropriate $8,000 for a gymnasium at Flandreau. The Acting Chairman. What page is that on ? Commissioner Valentine. That is on page 28. That would come in before general repairs and improvements, just after the semicolon in line 13. The Acting Chairman. Is that estimated ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; these are simply items that were introduced in the Senate and which the department has been giving favorable consideration. The Acting Chairman. I think we had better let the full com- mittee pass upon that. Commissioner Valentine. None of these is in the estimates. These are items that have been introduced since the estimates were made. Thereupon, at 4 o'clock and 45 minutes p. m., the committee adjourned until to-morrow, Wednesday, April 17, 1912, at 10 o'clock a. m. INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. 25 WEDNESDAY, APBIX, 17, 1912. Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, Washington, D. 0. The committee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., pursuant to adiourn- ment. ■' Present: Senators Clapp (acting chairman), Chamberlain, Curtis, and Ashurst. Senator Curtis. We had concluded with the bih last evening, and the commissioner has returned this morning with some data that he did not have yesterday, as I understand. Tl^e Chairman. Mr. Commissioner, you may proceed. Senator Curtis. Mr. Chairman, before the commissioner proceeds, on page 8 of the House bill, line 14, after the word "dollars," I move to insert the following additional item : For the continuing of work of classifying and indexing the files of the Indian Office and preparing historical data from records therein, including the pay of employees, five thousand dollars, to be immediately available. The amendment was agreed to. Senator Ashurst. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of my colleague, I have presented to the honorable commissioner an amendment that I desire to submit, and I will not seek to press it unless the commissioner is favorable to it. I have submitted it for his consideration. It is on page 13 of the comparison, at the bottom of the page, line 17, after the word "dollars," to strike out all the rest of that page down to and including the word "investigations," page 10, line 9, of the bill, and insert the following: That the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be required, is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for examinations and surveys for reservoirs and irrigation works on the Gila River, Arizona, for the irrigation of Indian, private, and public lands in the Gila River Valley, such examinations and surveys to be made under the direction of the Secre- tary of the Interior. The results of the investigations, showing probable cost and feasibility of such works, to be reported to Congress at the earliest practicable date. I believe that whatever money is spent — and I think this ought to be — should be spent with a view of becoming a permanent invest- ment. That is about all I have to say on the subject at this time, although if deemed necessary I can send for the report. Senator Chamberlain. Is this in the neighborhood of where the Reclamation Service is building wells ? Senator Ashurst. It is the same; yes, sir. Senator Curtis. Mr. Commissioner, why would it not be well for us to accept this amendment, striking out that latter clause, and to reword the first part of it so that all the provisions with reference to that work there shall be eliminated or changed, and then let the whole matter go into conference and let the conferees call before the Seiia- tors from Arizona and your department and the interested parties from the House will be there and they can revamp it ? Commissioner 'Valentine. That will retain the provision as it is now printed in the House bill, as far as the matter of conference goes ? Senator Curtis. Yes. It was so ordered. 26 INDIAN APPKOPEIATION BILL. STATEMENT OF HON. R. G. VAIEWTINE, COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS— Resumed. Commissioner Valentine, ilr. Chairman, before I take up one or two of the specific items which I was to furnish information upon, I would hke to put into the record here for the consideration of the committee one very important suggestion. I will call your attention to the following statement in my annual report for this year: Forthe year IQlOtheappropriation act carried $11,800,000; theact forthe year 1911 carried $9,200,000; for 1912, the act of March 3, 1911 (36 Stat. L., 1058), carried $8,800,000; and the estimates for 1913 will probably show a slight decrease further, although an increase of a considerable amount for 1913 would lead to a wise expedi- tion of many lines of our work. The estimates last year were so cut to the bone that more than one year of this low limit of appropriations might seriously impair efficiency. I have tried to prevent any possibility of this impairment by lifting such appropria- tions in the current estimates as are necessary to secure, first, a decided improvement in the quality of our personnel, and, second, freedom from danger to Indian children and to employees from fire and from insanitary conditions that exist because of lack of proper repair and replacement funds for our agency and school plants. Another year, on the foundation that will be then securely laid if the Congress appro- priates according to these estimates, we shall need more funds for our allotment and irrigation work and our health and industrial campaign. I have not asked as a rule for increases in these funds this year, as I feel that before we take on more funds we should lift salaries of our field managers to a point that will insure a more constructive and economical use of the funds we now have. This program does not necessarily mean that the grand total of our Indian appropriations from the United States Treasury will cease moving downward. It does mean that some of our less needed funds will dimin- ish and that our more vital funds — those connected with health and industries — ^will increase, and in more and more cases will increase out of Indian moneys. Thus the Indians will steadily become slef-supporting tribally as well as individually. In line with that policy, we submitted to the Committee on Appro- f nations a substantial increase amounting to over $70,000 for the ndian Office in Washington, and I believe we have amply justified that estimate. If the committee gives us that we can run the service in a very much more business-like way, and since the estimates referred to here were submitted we have been making a careful study of the health and industrial conditions throughout the country. I have my chief health officer now engaged in lining up that work, and we are now in a position to know very clearly what we shall need next near to la}' the right foundations for the health and industrial work. We did not know it at the time of introducing the estimates. I am not proposing any change in the estimates at this time. I do feel, however, that I should call the attention of the committee, since we are now aware of the conditions of things, and aware in a detailed way that can enable us to back up any request, now that that we are avare of this condition of things — ^I feel that I should call it to the committee's attention because there is no question but what since we have got to ask for this money next year, if Congress felt like giving it to us this year me might save just so much time and begin to clean up conditions now. There are three specific items that I want to call your attention to in that connection. The first one concerns probate matters. By the act of June 25, 1910, as you will remember, the Secretary of the Interior was made in effect chief probate officer for the whole Indian service. On every large reservation where there have been allot- ments the probate work has banked up to a tremendous extent, and all sales and transfers of land are held up, may times for months pending settlements ni these probate cases. If we can once get INDIAN APPEOPRIATION BILL. 27 caught up with those cases, which were plunged on us by the act of June 25, 1910 — and in some reservations we have probably a thousand cases still unsettled — if we can once get caught up and Congress provides us with the necessary current force we can keep up, but it will require as near as we can estimate it $100,000 to get this back probate work off the books. Senator Chamberlain. Let me interrput you there for a moment. Why should not these probate matters be attended to by some of the local courts, either the county court, where probate matters are usually attented to, or, in this case, even the Federal court, it seems to me, would be preferable to having all that work done here ? Commissioner VALENTINE. I am going on the principle that Con- gress has ah-eady passed on that point in the act of June 25, 1910. Stnator Chamberlain. But you are now suggesting an increape of ovur $100,000 to do that work now. Why not give it to the local courts to adjust? Commissioner Valentine. For two reasons, it seems to me. That is the condition in Oklahoma among the Five Civilized Tribe's, and we find that although the courts have charge of the work they rely on the district agents there for help. The courts have not the machinary, and they are overrun with work themselves. The Indian cases g resent a very distinct and peculiar kind of problem, and I think enator Curtis, who is familiar with the conditions down there, will agree with me that the district agents in Oklahoma do the bulk oi the woik. So that even if it were in the courts thj representatives of the department would be very much needed. ISow, we have a sort of half-and-half condition in tha act, which I believe the President is just about to sign, which passed both Houses — in the Osage country, where the matter is left witli the local court and certain supplementary and complementary functions are placed on the agents of the department. So it is proper under the law tor the local superintendent or the Secretary of the Interior at any time to call up a question of heirship with the courts. Senator Chamberlain. I do not know the reasons which led to the enactment of that law of June 25, 1910, but it does not seem to mt that this ought to be transferred from the locus in quo, where these are, to the department here in Washington. Senator Curtis knows probably the reasons which led to the enactment of that law. Senator Curtis. That law was enacted because of the previous experience in having Indian titles and estates settled in the local courts. The records will bear out the statement, I think, that in nine cases out of ten, in the earlier days at least, where the estates were settled in court, the heir got nothing. The parties were required to give bonds in the local courts usually, but the bonds were worthless, and as a result the properties were disposed of and the proceeds used up in fees and salaries, and when the heir was at the age of 18 or 21— depending on whether it was a girl or a boy— he wa? turned loose without anything, and the experience in the court has been very unsatisfactory. .,,.., i v But I do think this: I think that in these cases, where perhaps the department is taking it upon itself, it was given too much author- ity in that act of 1910. I beheve if we could have some way of having the heirships settled in the local court, and then have the approval of deeds by the department, it would be a better plan 28 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. than to have the department here fifteen hundred or two thousand or three thousand nules from the reservation settling heirships that are settled very largely upon affidavits. Senator Chamberlain. In the final analysis the officer here who has it in charge has to depend upon the district agent. When you come in and ask us for an appropriation, it seems we could save that by relegating it to the local authorities. Senator Curtis. I believe it would be better, and that it why I assented to the Osage bill, to have a divided jurisdiction; that is, letting the local court pass, where they can get the witnesses face to face, upon the question of the heirship, and if it is a full-blood Indian, or more than half-breed, let that be settled or passed upon as to the question of sale by the department. You will remember that I suggested in Kansas that you refer the question of partition and heirship in a number of cases to the local probate court to approve the finding, and that was done and there was no dissatisfaction. In another case, on the same reservation, the cominissioner has had in his office here for over a year an application for the approval of a deed. Of course I do not want to criticize, but everybody knows that if that had been a local court the heirship question would have been settled in three months and all the officers would have to do would be to pass on whether it was a wise thing to sell that land. The idea I have always had is to turn all this matter over to the courts — the local courts handling the entire estate. If you do not do it they are going to get rid of the Indian's money. Senator Ashurst. They dissipate it, do they? Senator Curtis. Yes; the records will show in Oklahoma alone last year the local agents have saved by their supervision orex $500,000 to the Indians in the heirship cases. I do not overstate it when I say over 1500,000. Commissioner Valentine. I do not think it would be overstated if you said a provision of this kind would save a million, with an appropriation of $100,000. Senator Chamberlain. I did not wish to interrupt you, but I wanted to know something about that. Senator Curtis. I am glad you asked the question, because it is a pretty serious proposition as to what is best to be done. It is getting to be such an expensive proposition. The restrictions have been removed and the rights to sell property have been increased. So that there are a thousand sales now to where tliere used to be one. Is that right ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes. Senator Curtis. So you see the matter is complicated. Commissioner Valentine. And every day's delay in getting these things cleaned up means just so much more complication. Commissioner Valentine. I simply thought, Mr. Chairman, that I should call this very serious condition to the attention of the com- mittee at this time because it is a big question, as we all realize. Senator Curtis. As far as I am concerned I am perfectly willing to give the commissioner— as I think he ought to have — all the money he needs to keep his work current. The Chairman. I think we had better adopt the proposed amend- ment as a subcommittee and report it to the full committee. Mr Commissioner, sjippose you state the proposition again. INDIAN APPBOPRIATION BILL. 29 ^Commissioner Valentine. At the end, just before Arizona and New Mexico, insert the following: To conduct hearings to determine the heirs of deceased Indian allottees: For the purpose of conducting hearings and taking evidence to deter- mine the heirs of deceased Indian allottees, pursuant to the act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. L., 855-856), and the regulations thereunder prescribed by the Secretary of the interior $100, 000 Note.— The act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. L., 855-856), provides in part: "That when any Indian, to whom an allotment of land has been made or may here- after be made, dies before the expiration of the trust period and before the issuance of a fee-simple patent, without having made a will disposing of said allotment as hereinafter provided, the Secretary of the Interior, upon notice and hearing, under such rules as he may prescribe, shall ascertain the legal heirs of such decedent, and his decision thereon shall be final and conclusive." No provision has been made for carrying into effect this requirement of said act; and the work of conducting these hearings and taking evidence, on which a decision by the Secretary might be based in each case, has thus far devolved upon the super- intendents. The regular administrative work of the various agencies taxes the efforts of these officials to the limit, and any time devoted by them to these hearings must necessa- rily be taken from that required for their regular duties. Notwithstanding this, however, upward of 1,465 cases have been disposed of since the passage of the act, including 217 involving sales of land. This is but a very small part of the work remaining to be done, the total number of allotments made being 195,656, distributed over 52 reservations, of which number it is believed upward of 40,000 have died leaving undetermined heirs. This is one-fifth of the total number and is thought to be a low estimate, as the work on the Winnebago Reservation, practically completed by a temporary special examiner, amounted in round numbers to 600 cases out of a total of 1,558 allotments. Disregarding the fact that the holding of these hearings by the various superin- tendents interferes greatly with their regular duties, it will readily be seen that if that practice is continued at the present rate of progress it will take some 27 years to determine the heirs of allottees now deceased, to say nothing of those who may die in the future. In order to expedite this work and complete the cases of those allottees already deceased within a reasonable time, as well as to relieve the superintendents of work which is constantly impeding the performance of their ordinary duties, it ip believed the foregoing item should be included in the Indian appropriation bill for the fiscal year ending June 30, I9I3. Commissioner Valentine. I would like simply to emphasize at this point what I have already said about the increase we are asking for in the legislative, executive, and judicial bill. Our office, as I stated fully before that committee, is way behind. We have been able until within the last year to keep fairly current with the increase of business, but the business is increasing so rapidly now that even the amount of voluntary overtime work that the office is doing is not keeping us current. t i • i t i, n n There are two more of these general items that 1 think 1 shall call to your attention this morning, in line with hiy Opehih'g statement. The second one is a part of the general fact that the Indians on large reservations, frequently with the enormous tHbal funds and s'ome- tiliies with a lot of individual Ihdiah moneys, and in all cases specific- ally where they have been allotted with a large, amOunt of surpliis allotments not necessary for their own use are living under condi- tions of squalor and industrial depravity that is really little short Of crimirial We are making every effort that we can adtomistra- tivelv that Indians in such cases who sell their lalid should build, or there should be built for them, sanitary homes, made to work or put up against it in such a square, honest way that if they do not want to work it is their own faiilt aUd the Govettiment's duty toward 30 INDIAN APPROPEIATION BILL. them has been rehnquished. Yesterday, in connection with the Fort Belknap Keservation, mention was made of what we call the revolving appropriations. We have had them; they have been given to us in individual cases for several jears, and they have been a great success. The Indians borrow from them in the spring and buy seed and buy implements and teams, and when they get their crop in the fall they turn the money back. It not only gets them on their feet industrially, but it teaches them business methods, and it is a great thing for them. I realize that is what seems to us the amount we need, since we have tried it out in these special cases. The amount may seem large, but I put any hesitancy I have in asking for the amount aside in the light of what I believe could be accomplished if this sum were added to the industrial appropria- tion, care of timber, and I think it is only fair to the committee to put it before it at this time. Senator Chamberlain. What page is that ? Commissioner Valentine. It is on page 6, beginning with line 3, of the bill — page 9 of the comparison. It begins on page 6, line 3, and goes to page 7, line 2. Senator Chambeelain. You want that House provision changed? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; I was suggesting this addition be made to that general industrial appropriation. Senator Chamberlain. It is now $400,000? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. I suggest that this be inserted if the committee considers it favorably: There is hereby appropriated the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be immediately available, for the purpose of encouraging industry among the Indians and to aid them to engage in the culture of fruits, grains, and other -crops. The said sum may be used for the purchase of animals, machinery, tools, implements, and other equipment necessary to enable Indians to become self-supporting: Provided, That the sum hereby appropriated shall be expended subject to the conditions to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Inte- rior for its repayment to the United States on or before June thirtieth, nineteen hun- dred and twenty-five, and all repayments to this fund made on or before June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and twenty-four, are hereby appropriated for the same purpose as the original fund, and the entire fund, including such repayments, shall remain available until June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and twenty-four, and all repayments to the fund hereby created which shall be made subsequent to June thirtieth, nine- teen hundred and twenty-four, shall be covered into the Treasury and vshall not be withdrawn or applied except in consequence of a subsequent appropriation made by law : Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior shall submit to Congress annually on the first Monday in December a detailed report of the use of this fund. Senator Curtis. That was voted down in the House, was it ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; this is like the probate matter, something that we have been studying and thinking of asking for next year. The Chairman. Is there not a good deal of this that can be accom- plished by using the Indians' own money under the present authority of the department ? Commissioner Valentine. There is a great deal, but this of course would apply to the country as a whole, and whUe it looks large here, it is not large when you consider that it would have to be used on 60 or 70 reservations. The Chairman. I do not think it is large, but I do think that at every place where we can we should use the Indians' money. Commissioner Valentine. And I think so, too. INDIAN APPEOPEIATION BILL. 31 Senator Chamberlain. Could you not appropriate this money out of some Indian fund ? ^i i j Commissioner Valentine. We could in certain places appropriate out of the Indian fimds. Senator Chamberlain. Some of them have no funds, however Commissioner Valentine. Some of them have not any funds and this was asked for the places where they do not have funds. If you take it down in the Kiowa-Comanche and Apache country, they have nearly 14,000,000 in the Treasury. Any work that is to be done there I think should be appropriated for out of their own money. Senator Chamberlain. You would do that, notwithstanding this appropriation ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. The Chairman. No; it would take an additional provision for that. Commissioner Valentine. Yes; I expect it would. The Chairman. But where the money is for the credit of the indi- vidual Indian, under the existing laws there the department can use that money for the Indians' benefit. Commissioner Valentine. In other words, we would have the three funds to draw on: The individual fund, which the chairman has just mentioned, the tribal fund that we would have to have a specific appropriation for; and this fund would provide for places where neither of those funds was available. Senator Chamberlain. That appeals more to me than the appro- priation — the suggestion yesterday that it was to be a reimbursable lund. Commissioner Valentine. I think this is a better provision. Senator Chamberlain. I move that that be included and let the conferees take it up. It was so ordered. Commissioner Valentine. That will go in on page 7, after line 2. The last thing that I shall have to trouble you with in 'connection with my opening statement is the health condition among the Indians throughout the United States, and if you give favorable consideration to this item it would go into the bill and it would simply be an exten- sion of the amount. I am referring to page 4, line 13. The Chairman. "To relieve distress among Indians and to provide for their care and the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis," etc. Commissioner Valentine. Yes. The wording would not be changed. This simply involves a change in the amount. Senator Chamberlain. It is $60,000 now. Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. The studies of that matter that we have been making lead us to beheve that next year we shall ask for an addition to that amount of at least $250,000. The condi- tion of health among the Indians, as has been revealed since we began the trachoma campaign three years ago, is simply beyond behef, and the fact is also to be considered that it is not merely an Indian propo- sition, however much our duty may be to them alone, but it is a proposition involving the lives and health of something hke 10,000,000 white people scattered in and around the Indian reservations. I would like to put briefly into the record these statistics which I will hand to the reporter. The Chairman. They will Ije inserted. 32 INDIAN APPBOPEIATION BILL. The statistics referred to are as follows : The following are the percentages of trachoma found among the Indians at the various Indian schools and reservations stated below: Per cent. Per cent. White Earth, Minn 26.4 Carlisle, Pa 18. 8 Shawnee, Okla 38.8 Sac and Fox, Okla 59. 2 Otoe, Okla 55. 5 Ponca, Okla 68. 9 Seger, Okla 61.3 Red Moon, Okla 56.3 Pawnee, Okla 92. 3 Darlington, Okla 84. Haskell Institute 20. 4 Chilocco, Okla 28. 5 Kaw, Okla 40.9 Kiowa, Okla.; Reservation Indians 95. Rainy Mount School 85. Fort Sill • 55.0 St. Patrick's School 67. Riveiside School 75. Colorado River, Ariz 89. Carson, Nev 25. Fallon, Nev 53. Big Pine, Cal 00.0 Independence, Cal 00. Bishop, Cal 2.0 Crow Agency, Mont 37. 5 Martinez, Cal 22. 7 Coachella, Cal 25. Soboba, Cal 25.0 Cahuilla, Cal 68.7 St. Boniface Mission, Cal 37. 5 Malki, Cal 20.0 Yuma, Cal 15.5 Salt River, Ariz 43.3 San Xavier, Ariz 61. 2 Havasupai, Ariz 7.6 Fort Apache, Ariz 41. 1 Castle Butte, Ariz 20.0 Tuba, Ariz 83. 3 This list is accurate and reliable and represents the actual percentages at the places named. Joseph A. Mubphy. Commissioner Valentine. I think one of the troubles is due to the amount of salaries we pay. Our records show that the average salary of the physicians in the Indian Service on duty at agencies is $1,168, while the lowest salary in the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service of the United States is $1,600, not including accommodations and quarters. The lowest in the military service is $2,000, with $462 for accommodations. And then you know the pay of physicians in the Army and Navy is increased automatically every few years, and then they are retired with pay. The Chairman. But this employment permits of general practice in most cases, does it not'^ Commissioner Valentine. Not in the Army and Navy. The Chairman. I am speaking of the Indian Service. Commissioner Valentine. Oh, no, sir; the salaries that I am speaking of are salaries not of the contract physicians, which amount at times to $720 a year, but of the regularly employed reservation physicians. Senator Ashurst. Does the physician have anything furnished by way of board ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir; he has to pay for everything except his actual house or room rent at the agency, which is furnished him free. Senator Ashurst. His subsistence he pays for himself ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. I have here a very brief two- page statement in this connection which I would like to submit to the committee : The excessive morbidity and mortality among Indians from tuberculosis, trachoma, and other infectious diseases — INDIAN APPKOPKIATION BILL. 33 I might say there in connection with the point you made, Senator Curtis, that a great deal of this money would be necessary for tra- choma. The average number of Indians in the country having trachoma is about 40 per cent at least of all the Indians. Senator Curtis. What is the cause of that? Commissioner Valentine. So far as I know, it has not -been defi- nitely ascertained. It seems to come from Mexico and the South- west. ' Senator Curtis. Does it not come from the same causes that pro- duce it in the South American countries and in the West India Islands, and many of the races of people of that kind who treat them- selves when there is a little defect in the eyes ? Commissioner Valentine. I do not know; but I do know that from whatever cause it comes, it is undoubtedly aggravated by the fact that the Indians frequently live in smoky quarters and rub their eyes, and, as you know, it is such a serious menace to this country that if a man lands at EUis Island and is even suspected of trachoma to any con- siderable extent, he is transported. Senator Curtis. It is not as bad afe that. He is held, and if it is a weak case he is put in the hospital for treatment, if there is anybody who will pay his expenses. Commissioner Valentine. That is true; and if he has a well- grounded case he is a permanent danger. There are some places where over 95 per cent of the Indians have trachoma. Senator Chamberlain. What do you do for it? Commissioner Valentine. The treatment is putting certain drops' into the eye, and in the more aggravated cases there is an operation. . They have cut away from under the lids. I saw an operation just a few weeks ago, and that was followed by what they call the after treatment, which has to be begun with a nurse, more or less skilled,' and if that is carried through sufficiently the disease can be kept in check and the danger of infection prevented. But to-day it is a serious menace to anybody who goes into the Indian country and shakes hands, or uses a towel, and then rubs his eyes. The disease frequently results in blindness. The Chairman. Without intending any criticism, for I am in sympathy with the proposition, what do you expect to do with this money ? What more do you expect to do than you are now doing; employ more physicians? Commissioner Valentine. We expect to pay the physicians whom we have more money, so that we can hold them, and employ more physicians where we have a woeful lack of numbers, and also employ women skilled in the after treatment to go around and treat this disease the way it ought to be. It may throw a little light upon the general proposition if I should continue this memorandum. It is as; follows :^ LEGISLATION NEEDED FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. The excessive morbidity and mortality among Indians from tubercnlosis, trachoma,! and other infectious diseases, the insanitary conditions existing m the large proportion; of Indian homes, and the general ignorance of the Indians in regard to the causes and 40794—12 3 34 INDIAN APPKOPBIATION BILL. prevention of disease demand a thorough, well-organized campaign which will actually effect a radical change in their health conditions. From 30 to 40 per cent of all Indians are suffering from trachoma. The percentage of tuberculosis is equally high. The Indians are in the transition stage from "wards" of the Government to full citizenship, and as their reservations, are being more opened up and white citizens coming into closer contact with them, not only are their diseases a menace to others, but the enforcement of sanitary measures for the quarantine, prevention, and control of disease is not permitted by existing United States statutes or by State laws. Laws applicable to all Indians and all Indian land embodying a code of sanitary Illations including the absolute prohibition of spitting, and the quarantine of con- te^ous cases of trachoma, tuberculosis, and other infections, carrying authority for the use of compulsion in their execution should be promptly formulated and passed. Improved facilities for medical work should be provided, including provisions for file construction and maintenance of more sanatorium schools for incipient tubercular pupils, sanatoria for chronic tuberculosis, and more school and agency hospitals for gMieral diseases, including trachoma. Hospitals and sanatoria now in operation eboold be better equipped. . A research and pathological laboratory for the study of diseases common among Indians should be established. Active and forcible control of sanitary conditions in Indian homes based on suitable l^islative authority should be immediatelj; attempted. Double sash openable wmdlowB, wooden floors, and proper ventilation facilities should be placed in all Indian homes without them. Sanitary sewage disposal and pure water supplies ^iDuld be positively assured. Biigid spitting regulations should be enacted and efficiently enforced. Where F/ederal laws can not be made to apply, the States should be roused to enact suitable legislation. A more extensive and active campaign of education in the prevention of disease should be inaugurated. Technical experts in sanitation should be employed for the preparation of especially adapted educational material. A bulletin devoted to prac- tical prevention of disease among Indians, thoroughly illustrated and prepared in simple language should be regularly issued and given liberal distribution among IiidiE|,iiB. AH Indian schools should be equipped with projection machines and Btereopticon slides, with suitable lectures on the prevention of disease prepared for distribution so that they could be presented monthly on all reservations to both pupils and adults. Domestic science courses in home sanitation for girls, and sanitary home building courses for boys should be prepared by competent experts and placed in all schools. In order to command the highest class of work, competent physicians must be secured. A large number of physicians are needed. They should be graded, given miiBcient salaries, and promoted as in the Army. A greater number of medical inspec- tors and experts in eye diseases should be employed, and thorough medical inspection secured. Dentists should also be employed. The pay of nurses should be increased, and graduate nurses employed to do house to house sanitary work. The above measures will effectively check a further spread of diseases among Indians, but if these steps are not taken, trachoma and tuberculosis will not only continue anabated, but will spread to the citizens of the States were the Indians live. PREVALBNCB OP DISEASE AMONG INDIANS. Agency physicians report the following for the fiscal year of 1911 : Humber of Indians examined 42 645 Hnmber having tuberculosis (16. ii per cent)! '. 7, 133 Number having trachoma (16.12 per cent). . 7, 372 It is estimated by agency physicians that of the 163,408 Indians not examined 13 per cent have tuberculosis. Number of births reported, fiscal year of 1911 5 761 Humber of deaths during same period 4 938 Deaths due to tuberculosis \\ l' 513 Birth rate per thousand among Indians // 36 09 Beath rate per thousand among Indians '_'_ 36 55 Percentage of deaths due to tuberculosis among Indians 3o! 72 Death rate per thousand among whites in registration area of the United States . is! 00 Eercentage of deaths due to tuberculosis among whites ll! 20 INDIAN APPEOPEIATION BILL. 35 Special examination by the three trachoma experts employed by the Government give the following figures: Number of Indians examined 5, 783 Number having trachoma (40.09 per cent) . . 2, 366 _ The discrepancies between the percentage of trachoma found by the agency physi- cians and the trachoma specialist is due to the fact that the agency physicians exam- ined only those Indians who presented themselves for treatment, while the trachoma specialist examined all Indians possible. There are 304,960 Indians in the United States. Five thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight of these were examined by the trachoma experts during the fiscal year 1911 . It is probable that the percentage of trachoma among the Indians is 40 per cent, and it is very apparent that more expert physicians are needed to cover the whole field and give the untreated majority of diseased Indians expert treatment. The Chairman. I move that the item be included. Senator Curtis. That would make the whole item 1310,000. The Chairman. Add $250,000. Commissioner Valentine. That is on line 4, page 13. Now, in accordance with your suggestion yesterday, I prepared an amend- ment to that Papago item. Senator Curtis. Yes; it is under Arizona, page 10 of the bill, line 23. Commissioner Valentine. This was the proviso that you wished drawn similar to the one I told you we had submitted with regard to the Pima Indians for reimbursement to the purchaser but the title to remain in the Indians and their heirs as long as they retained the land. It reads as follows: Provided, That the proportion of the cost of the irrigation project on the Papago Indian Reservation, herein authorized to be paid from the public funds, shall be repaid into the Treausry of the United States as and when funds may be available therefor: Provided further, That in the event any allottee shall receive a patent m fee to an allotment of land irrigated under this project, before the United States shall have been wholly reimbursed as herein provided, then the proportionate cost of the project to be apportioned equitably by the Secretary of the Interior, shall become a first lien on such allotment, and the fact of such hen shall be recited on the face of each patent in fee issued and the amount of the lien set forth therem, which said hen, however, shall not be enforced so long as the original allottee or his heirs shall own the allotment, and the receipt of the Secretary of the Interior or of the officer, agent, or employee duly authorized by him for that purpose for the payment of the amount assessed against any allotment, as herein provided, shall, w;hen duly recorded by the recorder of deeds in the county wherein the land is located, operate as a satisfaction of such hen. The Chairman. I thmk you have recitalg in there that are not ^^Commissioner Valentine. This would come in as a proviso in that Papago clause in the supplemental estimates. I do not know just where you will put it in. , , ... v .o ia The Chairman. It should be inserted after line 13, page 10. Senator Ashurst. It seems to me that with respect to this amend- ment proposed by Mr. Smith of Arizona, appropriatmg $25,000 that should be treated the same way. If water was put on the land, it would immediately jump to $250 an acre , , , . n^ The Chairman. I think that item will have to be changed, Mr. Commissioner It strikes me as being a little complicated. SmSoner Valentine. Very well; I thought best m the short time I had to prepare it to give you somethmg to work on. Without objection, the amendment was adopted. 36 INDIAN APPROPKIATION BILL. Commissioner Valentine. The next provision that I would suggest to go in just before Arizona and New Mexico in the miscellaneous part of the bill is the following provision : There is hereby repealed tliat provision of the act of June seventh, eighteen hun- dred and ninety-seven (30 Stat. L., 62-90), which reads: " That hereafter not more thap ten thousand dollars shall be paid in any one year for salaries or compensation of employees regularly employed at any one agency, for its conduct and management, and the number and kind of employees at each agency shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, and none other shall be employed: Provided, That where two or more Indian agencies have been or may hereafter be con- solidated the expenditure of such consolidated agencies for regular employees shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars: Provided further, ^ That salaries or compensation of agents, Indians, school employees of every description, and persons temporarily employed, in case of emergency, to prevent loss of life and property, in the erection of buildings, the work of irrigation, and making other permanent improvements, shall not be construed as coming within the limitations fixed by the foregoing paragraphs." The Chairman. You propose to repeal that ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. Senator Chamberlain. Why ? Commissioner Valentine. The present limitation of $10,000 is very well represented in the Osage case, where we did get a lift, I beheve. There was a limit from $30,000 to $40,000 in the Osage case, and the ' limit was Kfted there from $30,000 to $40,000; but as to the bulk of the agencies throughout the country the $10,000 limit is too restrictive. Senator Curtis. Why do you not say, instead of repealing, that it shall be amended so as to read as follows ? Commissioner Valentine. That would be all right. Senator Curtis. And then put $15,000 in instead of $10,000. The Chairman. Or just amend by striking out the word — referring to the act — and inserting $15,000. Commissioner Valentine. Or $20,000. We will make that sug- gestion formally. Now, on March 25, 1912, the superintendent of the Indian school at Fort Totten, N. Dak., wired that the water mains connecting the agency and Gray Nuns department were frozen up, and that it would be impossible to take the mains out until the warm weather; that the agency and Gray Nuns School were being suppUed with water by hauling and tanks, and that it might be necessary to dig up the full lengths of the main, about 1 mile, in order to make the necessary repan-s, adding that there was absolutely no protection in case of fire. He makes a statement here and estimates the cost of repairing those mains at $4,000. That school was specifically appropriated for, and this amount that I am calling your attention to is not in the estimate. Senator Curtis. Was it appropriated ? Commissioner Valentine. No, sir. It is on page 20, after line 24. I feel, in the light of this information, that Congress ought to know that $2,000 would be necessary to repair this damage, and it should be made immediately available. Senator Curtis. Where do you want that to be added ? Commissioner Valentine. It will come in on page 21 after line 3 right after the word ' 'dollars" in line 3. ' ' Senator Curtis. You could simply add, "For general repairs and improvements, six thousand dollars, two thousand dollars of which to be immediately available." Senator Chamberlain. Would it take $6,000 to do it ? INDIAN APPBOPRIATION BILI>. 37 Commissioner Valentine. No; there is already $4,000 appropri- ated for it. That is the Fort Totten School on the Devils Lake agency m North Dakota. ^ -^ Senator Chamberlain. Wliy not make it 16,000, $2,000 to be at once available ? Commissioner Valentine. That would be right. That might be a little more than the increase I asked for in that school yesterday. You have the record on that. Senator Curtis. You asked for $74,000, instead of $72,000 ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes; that was the general $2,000 raise and not specific. Another item which I think I should callthe atten- tion of the committee to, although I have not asked for it in the esti- mate, is this: Under date of March 25, 1912, Supervisor Peairs called attention to the fact that the capacity of the Wahpeton School, North Dakota, is being increased from 100 to 150 by the building of additions to both of the dormitories, and that the appropriation pro- vided at present is for 100 only. He states that it is very difficult indeed to operate a school in the cold northern cfimate with an appropriation for only 100 pupils, and as the capacity is being increased at the Wahpeton School, it seems to him that the appro- priation for the fiscal year 1913 should be made to provide for 150 children. He further asks the question, "Would it be impossible to get the change made by the Senate?" Under date of April 2, 1912, the superintendent of the Indian school, Wahpeton, N. Dak., calls attention to the same matter and recom- mends that Congress be asked to make the necessary increase in the appropriation, stating that he anticipates no difRculty in filling the school to the increased capacity. Wahpeton is a specifically appropriated for school and the support under the bill if this is done should be increased. The appropriation is now $20,200, and it should read $28,500. The Chairman. You want the difference put in somewhere ? Commissioner Valentine. For support and education of 150 Indian pupils instead of 100. The Chairman. How much do you add ? Commissioner Valentine. We add $10,300. The Chairman. That would be in line 7. Commissioner Valentine. At the Cherokee Indian school, North Carolina, the teachers' quarters were destroyed by fire April 2. This building, 58 by 74 feet, contained 15 rooms and cost originally $4,700, being constructed in 1895. It is estimated that a new building at present prices would cost at least $6,000, but this would not have quite the same capacity as the old building. There are at the school 21 employees. There is a superintendent's cottage and employees' building containing three rooms. Limited time does not permit a more detailed report this ' morning, April 17, but the need for a new building and an appropriation therefor is believed urgent. Senator Ashurst. Was the building insured ? ^ ^ Commissioner Valentine. I do not thmk any of our (jovernment buildings are insured. The Government thinks it is better to carry its own insurance. . .i, q The Chairman. How much do you want there ? Commissioner Valentine. The hurried estimate was $6,000 tor the rebuilding of the teachers' quarters that were destroyed by fire on 38 INDIAN APPEOPRIATION BIUL.. April 2. On page 20, lines 5 to 10, it would add, $6,000 to that item as it now stands for new employees' quarters. I think this should be a specific item for rebuilding employees' quarters. The only other matter I have to suggest, Mr. Chairman, is one with respect to the Yuma item in California, on page 11, liae 11 — for the balance of the first annual reclamation and maintenance charge on Yuma allot- ments, etc. I neglected to call your attention yesterday to the fact that m our estimates we had asked for $100,000, and the House gave us $18,000. Senator Chamberlain. The House cut it from $100,000 to $18,000 ? Commissioner Valentine. Yes. Senator Chamberlain. What was the idea in doing that ? Commissioner Valentine. I do not really know. Senator Chamberlain. What do you want with that much money ? Commissioner Valentine. There are some back payments to be made. The whole cost was $180,000 which was to be paid in 10 annual installments. Senator Chamberlain. You had $18,000 last year? Commissioner Valentine. Yes, sir. You will find a statement made in regard to this in the hearings before the House committee, on page 130, beginning at the bottom of the page. The Chairman. The original plan was that it should be $18,000 a year, was it not ? Commissioner Valentine. That has been my understanding, so when this item came up I was rather surprised at asking for so much. Can you explain that, Mr. Meritt ? Mr. Meritt. You will recall that the allotments were increased from 5 to 10 acres, and that would decrease the amount of surplus land that could be sold for the purpose of reimbursing the Reclama- tion Service for its work done on that project. It becomes necessary now, since we have got the surplus land to sell, to ask for a larger reimbursable appropriation than was contemplated before the in- creased allotments were given to the Indians. The Reclamation Service has done the work, and they have submitted the biU for the work performed, and we have not the money available to pay their bill, and we need the $100,000 to meet this charge of the Reclamation Service. The Chairman. Then will the total cost be increased ? Mr. Meritt. The total cost will not be increased. Senator Chamberlain. How much will be needed next year on this same proposition ? The Chairman. $62,000. Commissioner Valentine. The last matter that I am to call your attention to this morning is this The Chairman. One moment. Unless objection is made we will consider that as adopted, on page 11, line 13, to strike out "eighteen" and insert "one hundred." Senator Chamberlain. I wish you would turn to Oregon. I see they cut out two or three little matters there that seem to have been recommended by you. It appears on page 36 of the comparison — page 33 at the bottom. They reduce one appropriation from $3,600 to $3,000. Commissioner Valentine. I called that to the attention of the committee on yesterday. I think it is necessary. INDIAN APPBOPEIATION BILL. 39 ^o^^^r^'Jf ^-""^ P^'^^®.- ^^^^ ^^ ^"^ ^^"® 22, page 26, making that read $3,600 instead of |3,000. The Secretary referred yesterday to a bridge across the Des Chutes River. Commissioner Valentine. We recommended that. Senator Curtis. It is at the bottom of page 27. Senator Chamberlain. I think it would be well to put it in the estimates. Commissioner Valentine. Yes; to enable the Secretary of the Interior to construct that bridge. The Chairman. That wiU be taken as the sense of the committee, if there is no objection. There was no objection and it was so ordered. Commissioner Valentine. Just one more matter. I do not desire to take your time to read this letter, but will leave it with the reporter, to be inserted in the record. We ask for the Sherman Institute in California, which you will find appropriated for on page 11, lines 5 to 10. We ask in the estimates for 1117,350 and the House reduced it to $104,350. Now, in connection with increasing that, for your consideration, I will simply leave the letter that I have referred to. The letter referred to is as follows : Department or the Inteeiob, United States Indian Service, Sherman Institute, Riverside, Col., March 29, 1912. COMMISSIONBE OP INDIAN AFFAIRS, Washington, D. C. Sir: I notice in a copy of the Indian appropriation bill as reported by the House committee. that the appropriation for Sherman Institute contains only the regular appropriation for the expenses of the school and $10,000 for repairs and improvemenfa. I also observe in the hearings before the House committee that the amount recom- mended by the office for repairs and improvements amounted to $21,000. In my estimate for the fiscal year 1913, submitted to the office June 20, 1911, I requested $15,000 for general repairs and improvements, $3,500 for repairs to water and sewer system, $15,000 for central heating plant, and $20,000 for construction of employees' quarters. In my letter of November 15, 1911, I invited special attention to the request of $15,000 for a central heating plant, and asked that this appropria- tion be increased to $20,000 in order to give ns an efficient system for the entire plant. In this letter I also requested an appropriation of $15,000 for the purpose of providing outside toilet facilities for the school, and suggested, if necessary, that the appropria- tion of $20,000 for employees' quarters be omitted at this time. All these improvement are essential for efiicient work, but if it is impossible to obtain specific appropriations for these improvements, I trust that the office will be able to obtain for us at least the amount recommended for general repiars and improvements, viz, $21,000. We should have, in addition to this, the amount requested for our central heating plant, viz, $20,000. This central heating plant is in the interest of safety to the lives of our children, and if only one of our large buildings were to be destroyed by fire the replac- ing of same would amount to as much as the installation of this heating system. We are now very much in need of additional funds for our water system. We have a well at the school plant, and have installed a pump that will enable us to pump all the water necessary for both irrigating and domestic purposes at the school. We, however have no storage capacity for the domestic supply, which makes it impossible to use the water we now have at our disposal. The cost of water for purely domestic purnoses at the present time, according to the rates we are now required to pay to the Riverside Water Co., amounts to more than $400 a month. If we had an appro- priation that would enable us to construct a tank and tower for the storage of domestic water we would save the cost of same in one year's time, as the cost of pumping this water would not be more than $500 a year. We, however can not use money from the eeneral support fund for the construction of a tank and tower, and if we only receive an appropriation of $10,000 for repairs and improvements for next year it will be impossible to keep up all the repairs for the school and construct a storage tank for domestic water. I therefore request that a special effort be made to obtain for 40 INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. general repairs and improvements at least the amount recommended by the office for this purpose. As above stated, a central heating plant is very much to be desired, and I request that this appropriation also be urged. The aj)propriation for outside toilets is also advisable, and I should be pleased to have this item included if possible. Very respectfully, F. M. CoNSBR, Superintendent. Senator Ashurst. What is the Sherman Institute ? Commissioner Valentine. It is a large school at Eiverside, Cal., providing for about 550 children, mostly from the Mission country in southern California. It is a very good school. ] The Chairman. What item would that be an increase in ? Commissioner Valentine. In repairs and improvements. Senator Curtis. Increasing repairs and improvements from $10,000 to what? The Chairman. Twenty- three. Commissioner Valentine. If you give the superintendent all he asks for it would amount to $31,000. Senator Curtis. What did you estimate for? Commissioner Valentine. We had not estimated. Senator Curtis. Yes; you estimated $17,000. Commissioner Valentine. But the figures now shown would go up above that. I should not feel at this time like asking more than we estimated for, $17,500. Senator Curtis. But what does it make the repair and improve- ment item ? The Chairman. It would be $23,000 instead of $10,000. Commissioner Valentine. Yes. Senator Ashurst. Mr. Chairman, I have a letter here ■wrhich I received from the superintendent of the Indian school at Phoenix, Mr. Goodman," from which I wdl read an excerpt for the information of the committee: I see that the Indian bill is later than usual in coming up, and note with regret that the House committee has reduced our appropriation for general repairs and improvements of this school from $11,000, as recommended by the Indian Office, to $8,000, which sum is altogether inadequate for the present needs for repairs and im- provements at this institution. Besides making the necessary repairs to buildings and machinery, heating, water, and sewer systems, we have contemplated erecting steel water tanks in place of the present wooden ones that are worn out; we also desire to improve the roads through the grounds to conform to the work being done on Central Avenue, adjacent. This is important also for sanitary reasons, especially in front of the hospitals. Regretting that you were not able to visit the Indian school before yOu started for Washington, and thanking you very much for the fa,vor of the Congressional Record and anything else you may see fit to do for our school, I am, Very cordially, ' C. W. Goodman, Superintendent. Commissioner Valentine. We asked for that yesterday. The Chairman. How much increase would that be ? Senator Ashurst. From eight to eleven thousand — $3,000. The Chairman. That would be in repairs. Senator Ashurst. Yes. The Chairman. That is on page 9, line 4. Senator Curtis. Mr. Chairman, in Oklahoma I do not know whether this matter was adopted yesterday or not, but Mr. Wright and others tell me that it ought to be in. Commissioner Valentine. That is a matter that you asked for a little more information about. iWDIAN APPEOPKIATION BILL. 41 Senator Curtis. It is with regard to suits brought by the Secre- tary. What about that ? _ Commissioner Valentine. Mr. Wright is here, and perhaps he can give you the mformation more directly about that. Senator Curtis. That would be on page 24. Commissioner Valentine. It is simply to cover the town-lot suits in the Creek Nation. Senator Chamberlain. How much is it ? Commissioner Valentine. $10,000. Senator Curtis. It is this, Mr. Chairman: The Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized, in his discretion, to accept payment to the full amount of the purchase money due, including interest to date of payment, on any town lots originally sold as provided in agreements with any of the Five Civilized Tribes and declared forfeited by reason of nonpayment of amount due and not resold. That applies to 25 lots, where they wanted permission to wind up the title. The Chairman. Without objection, it will be adopted. Senator CuRTts. It is for 25 lots, is it not, Mr. Wright ? Mr. Wright. Yes, sir,\25. Commissioner Valentine. Last spring in the floods in the South- west on the San Juan River, the bridge that had been built there about a year or two ago to cross the San Juan River at the agency in New Mexico Was washed aWay, and our estimates this year included an item of $16,000 for building a new bridge.- The House changed that, I believe, simply to have an investigation made, and it was cut out in the House entirely and $1,000 was substituted. It is on page 19. Senator Chamberlain. How much did you ask for ? Commissioner Valentine. We asked for $16,000 to build a bridge. The Washing out of the bridge showed a defect! It was the highest flood that they had had for years, and I feel that a bridge there is very important because in a large part of that agency the Indians hve on the south side of the river. Senator Chamberlain. How do they go across now ? Commissioner Valentine. In boats. It is quite perilous. In cer- tain limited periods of the year they can ford it, but it is one of those rivers that flows half sand and half water, and probably Senator Ashurst has shared with me the joys of crossing it. Senator Ashurst. A boat has to have stilts to get up the stream. Senator Chamberlain. You think it is reaUy needed there, Mr. Commissioner ? Commissioner Valentine. Very badly needed. Senator Chamberlain. When was this bridge budt ? Commissioner Valentine. About two years ago. Senator Chamberlain. Can they not protect it? Commissioner Valentine. I think they can now, but this was a flood that was out of all bounds. There was nothing like it before. The Chairman. Without objection, that will be agreed to. Senator Ashurst. I desire now to make a short statement as to the necessity for a bridge over the Colorado River at Yuma. I should be very pleased to vote for a bill granting an appropriation outright to build such a bridge, as the Colorado River flows 1,200 miles, and through all its long course there is not a wagon bridge across the same It is a situation unprecedented in this Nation. At this ad^^anced 42 INDIAN APPKOPBIATION BILL. period of civilization there should be a bridge for automobiles and wagons across this river at Yuma. Such a bridge would be very serviceable, especially to the Indians. The river at Yuma at times is very turbulent and is highly charged with silt, and has been the death of some good swimmers among the Indians. I realize, however, the practical impossibility of securing an approjjriation just now, hence I am driven to use the most feasible and suitable means at my hand, and that is to urge an appropriation of a sufficient sum- of money to enable the Secretary of the Interior to make a proper investigation of the conditions on .the Yuma Indian Keservation and report to Congress on the first Monday in December, 1912, just what sum will, in his judgment, be necessary for the construction of a thoroughfare bridge of sufficient strength and capacity safely to carry street cars, automobiles, and wagon traffic over the Colorado River. The sum of 11,000, at least, should be appropriated for this purpose. There is also very great necessity for steel or concrete wagon bridges, with proper approaches thereto, across the San Carlos Creek and Gila River in the vicinity of San Carlos, on said reservation. The necessity for such bridges is exceedingly great, and it is impossible for me to emphasize the need of these bndges. Therefore, again recognizing the practical impossibihty of securing the appropriation just at this time, I again am driven to adopt the most practicable and suitable means of obtaining these bridges ; hence, I ask for |2,000 for the purpose of enabfing the Secretary of the Interior to make such investigation and submit his report to Congress on the first Monday in December, 1912. Commissioner Valentine. Both of these bills are pending, and we have made favorable reports on them. The commissioner was thereupon excused and the committee took a recess untU 2 o'clock p. m. for the consideration of the bill and amendments. X Cornell University Library E 77.U581I39 1912a pts.1- Indian appropriation bill 3 1924 028 632 176 id 4 P