Oil, gas, and coal production_ Quapaw lead and zinc mining lands_. Pueblo lands board.. Indian suits and judgments. Indian claims... Rights of way Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma_ Activities of probate attorneys, Five Civilized Tribes, Oklahoma_ Probate work. Purchase of supplies.. Bibliography Conclusion.. Page 11 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 17 21 25 26 27 28 28 28 29 29 Statistical tables for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930, unless otherwise noted: 30 30 31 31 32 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, The honorable the SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: We have the honor to submit herewith the report of the Office of Indian Affairs for the fiscal year 1930 dealing with the activities of the service during the first year of incumbency of the commissioner and his associate in office. We desire to call to your attention the fact that when we took office on July 1, 1929, the appropriation bills for the year under review had been passed and that practically all of the personnel appointments for the year had been made. FOREWORD In considering the administration of Indian affairs certain facts. must be kept in mind. Practically no two groups of Indians are alike, either in inheritance or present environment; and the Indian + Service must meet the situation as it applies to the Indians scattered among 28 States and divided into some 200 separate groups. Many acts of Congress apply to the so-called ward Indians wherever located, others are special laws or treaties applicable only to certain tribes or groups. The Indian Service must administer these laws as passed and as interpreted by the courts. Every effort is made to present to Congress the needs and conditions upon which appropriations and other legislation are based. In order to have a clear understanding of the American Indian and + his relationship to our own existing civilization we must consider the Indian's history, environment (past and present), religion, and the effect these have had on his point of view and development. His conception of property and ownership is not the same as ours; he has little understanding of individual property rights in land, and no background affording him such an understanding. His view of ownership has been limited to personal possessions, but only such as met his traditional needs. The trait of acquisitiveness is undeveloped, and so far as this would constitute an incentive to personal effort the motive for industry fails. His interests have been in doing the things which his forefathers have always done and it is difficult to substitute for him a real interest instead in the activities of the white citizen. While inevitably the Indian must develop such interests as may enable him to become a component part of our organized civilization and be self-sustaining, we should not destroy 1 what is best of his own traditions, arts, crafts, and associations, but encourage their development and survival. In assisting in his development we must build on his own inherited good traits. These conditions suggest the need for the proper kind of social service for the Indian, a work which has been overlooked in the past in the struggle to protect the property rights of a minority race. Our task is the practical problem of preparation which will enable the Indian through his own acquired resources to become an independent, selfsupporting, self-respecting member of the communities which now surround him. REORGANIZATION AND DECENTRALIZATION In order to relieve the Washington office of many details and to increase efficiency, more responsibility has been thrown on the field force and in the Southwest many of the field details are cleared through the special commissioner to negotiate with the Indians, with headquarters at Santa Fe, N. Mex. This special commissioner, assisted by one of the field supervisors, has general supervision over the work in the States of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, reporting to Washington on all questions of policy. As herein indicated, certain changes in personnel in the Washington office have been made and others are in contemplation, with a view to securing better administration and the use of the full abilities of every person in the service. CONSTRUCTION The amount of new construction in the Indian Service, both of hospital and school buildings, has necessitated a reorganization and enlargement of the construction force. A well qualified architect has been obtained from the Supervising Architect's Office of the Treasury Department to direct the work, and more complete plans, specifications, and estimates are now possible than heretofore. The staff has been increased by five persons, well trained in this class of work. APPROPRIATIONS When we took office on July 1, 1929, the total appropriations available, exclusive of tribal funds, were $16,673,215.78. For the year beginning July 1, 1930, we have $21,270,979.74, or an increase of $4,597,763.96 over the prior year. Additional sums totaling $2,121,614.03 were made available for 1930 through the first and second deficiency acts, about $1,000,000 of which has been carried over for expenditure in 1931 principally for purchase of furniture and equipment and other purposes in connection with educational activities and continuation of hospital construction begun under the regular appropriations. The general appropriations for 1931 will permit us to reach the minimum standard of an allowance of 37.8 cents per day for subsistence and an average of $40 a year for clothing, for those pupils enrolled in boarding schools. The following table gives a comparison of the division of the gross appropriations made for 1930 and 1931: |