and to make a partial payment on the lands of an allottee from his pro rata share of such funds.

It provides also that no assessment made by a drainage district on the allotment of any Indian, while the same is held in trust by the United States for the use and benefit of the allottee, shall be valid or constitute a lien on the lands.

The trust period on a large part of the Omaha allotments will expire by limitation on July 10, 1909.

I see no objection to the provisions of the bill, and recommend its enactment.
FRANK PIERCE, Acting Secretary.

Very respectfully,

Hon. JAMES S. SHERMAN,

House of Representatives.

In June, 1908, the Secretary of Agriculture detailed an engineer from his department with the necessary assistants to make a complete survey of the Logan Creek Valley with a view of a complete drainage system. This work was completed during the summer, and in order to carry the drainage of this valley to completion the allotments referred to are necessarily included.

Logan Creek traverses one of the most fertile agricultural sections in the State of Nebraska, but by reason of its tortuous course and slight fall is subject to constant overflow and inundation of a large area of rich lands in the valley, rendering these lands practically worthless for agricultural purposes, but under the system of drainage to be established and recommended by the Department of Agriculture the length of the stream will be reduced from 300 to 100 miles, and it is estimated will amply take care of the flow of water, thereby preventing inundation of these lands.

Your committee is of the opinion that the contemplated drainage of these lands would be of great benefit to the Indian allottees, and that their interests are properly safeguarded by the proposed bill.

Your committee recommend the adoption of the following amendment: On page 1, line 13, between the words "tribe" and "allotted," insert the words "who have."

Your committee therefore recommend that the above amendment be adopted, and that the bill as amended be passed.

2d Session.

No. 1925.

MAKING THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN A SPECIAL LEGAL HOLIDAY.

January 25, 1909.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. MCCALL, from the Committee on the Library, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. J. Res. No. 247.]

The Committee on the Library, to whom was referred the message of the President of January 18, 1909, relating to the observance of the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, report that they have considered the same and report the accompanying resolution and recommend that it do pass.

[House Document No. 1345, Sixtieth Congress, second session.]

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I have received from the committee of the Grand Army of the Republic, with the approval of its commander in chief, a communication running, in part, as follows: "Pursuant to the recommendation of the committee authorized by the Forty-first National Encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, and appointed to take into consideration the fitting celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln,' which was made a report to the Forty-second National Encampment that was unanimously adopted, the undersigned having been appointed a committee to prepare a programme for the occasion, met in New York City October 19, 1908, and submits the following as the result of its deliberations:

(1) That the commander in chief be requested to invite the President of the United States, governors of States and Territories, and mayors of cities to participate with the Grand Army of the Republic in public recognition of the centennial anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, February 12, 1909, and by proclamation, as far as practicable, recommend that the day be observed as a special holiday."

I regard the proposal as eminently proper. It will be from every standpoint desirable to observe this hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln as a special holiday. I recommend that Congress pass a law authorizing me to issue a proclamation setting apart this day as a special holiday.

BRIDGE ACROSS INDIAN RIVER NORTH, FLORIDA.

JANUARY 26, 1909.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. ADAMSON, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT.

[T accompany H. R. 26073.]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 26073) to approve and ratify the construction of a bridge across the Indian River North, in the State of Florida, by the New Smyrna Bridge and Investment Company, having considered the same, report thereon with amendment, and as so amended recommend that it pass.

The bill as amended has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report.

Amend the bill as follows:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

That the bridge constructed across Indian River North at the town of New Smyrna, Florida, by the New Smyrna Bridge and Investment Company be, and the same is hereby, legalized, and the consent of Congress is hereby given to its maintenance by the said corporation, its successors, or assigns: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to exempt this bridge from the operation of the existing laws enacted by Congress for the protection of navigable waters and any changes in the said structure which the Secretary of War may deem necessary and order in the interest of navigation shall be promptly made by the owners thereof at their own expense.

SEC. 2. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved.

Amend the title so as to read as follows: "To legalize a bridge across Indian River North, in the State of Florida."

[Second indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
Washington, January 19, 1909.

Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The accompanying bill, H. R. 26073, Sixtieth Congress, second session, is intended to legalize a bridge built across Indian River North, in the State of Florida, by the New Smyrna Bridge and Investment Company. It is understood that the bridge