HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE

SIXTY-THIRD CONGRESS

THIRD SESSION

ON

H. R. 20150

AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CURRENT AND CON-
TINGENT EXPENSES OF THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,

FOR FULFILLING TREATY STIPULATIONS WITH VARI-
OUS INDIAN TRIBES, AND FOR OTHER PUR-
POSES, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR

INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 1915.

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS,
UNITED STATES SENATE,
Washington, D. C.

The committee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m.

Present: Senators Ashurst (chairman), Lane, Robinson, Owen, Clapp, and Page; also Mr. Edgar B. Meritt, Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

STATEMENT OF EDGAR B. MERITT, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.

SAN CARLOS IRRIGATION PROJECT.

The CHAIRMAN. We left off at the item of $50,000 for the San Carlos irrigation project, and I agreed to try to get some copies of a report from the War Department.

Senator ROBINSON. Is there any contest or any objection noted? The CHAIRMAN. Oh, no; there is no contest whatever.

Senator ROBINSON. Suppose we pass that for the moment and go on with the bill. We will probably have several other matters to consider.

The CHAIRMAN. We will pass the San Carlos estimate, then. Was there any other Arizona item out of the bill?

Mr. MERITT. There is one item, which reads as follows:

To enable the Secretary of the Interior to investigate the desirability and feasibility of purchasing the railroad lands within the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico out of a reimbursable appropriation, for the use and benefit of the Navajo Indians, and to submit a report thereon to the Congress at the beginning of its next session, which report shall include the estimated cost of said lands and such other information as may be deemed desirable, $1,000, to be immediately available.

We have submitted a justification for that item, and it is printed in the House hearings, beginning with page 129.

This is an item proposing to appropriate $1,000 for investigating the feasibility and desirability of purchasing the lands of the railroads within the Navajo Indian Reservation. The railroads now own about 300,000 acres of alternating sections of land within the Navajo Indian Reservation. That land has been the subject of considerable controversy, and as long as the railroads own the alternating sections and are permitted to lease these lands the stock necessarily overruns the Indian lands and the Indians' cattle are crowded out.

3

Senator LANE. Is that happening now?

Mr. MERITT. It has happened in the past, and will happen in the future. The Indians need all of this land. The railroads now have the privilege, under the existing law, of exchanging that land for land of equal value outside of the reservation. That also has caused considerable controversy, as Senator Ashurst well knows. If we could get authority to investigate this matter, we probably could purchase that land cut of a reimbursible appropriation at a very reasonable figure. That would end all controversy, and enable us better to protect the lands of the Indians that they now have. Senator LANE. What is that land worth?

Mr. MERITT. The lands are practically of no value.
Senator LANE. What would you have to pay for them?

Mr. MERITT. We would not have to pay over $1.25 an acre. There are about 300,000 acres. We simply want authority to make a very careful investigation and report the facts to the next Congress.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there any objection to the item of the $1,000 authorizing the investigation.

The item was agreed to.

The CHAIRMAN. We are through with the Arizona items except the item of $50,000, with relation to the San Carlos irrigation project, which we will pass over for the present.

CALIFORNIA.

SUPPORT AND CIVILIZATION OF INDIANS.

The CHAIRMAN. We will now take up California, page 13 of the printed bill. The first item under California is as follows:

For support and civilization of Indians in California, including pay of employees, $42,000.

Mr. MERITT. Mr. Chairman, we would like very much to have our estimate on this item, which is $47,000. There are about 19,000 Indians in California, and this is a very small appropriation for such a large number of Indians.

Senator ROBINSON. How many Indians are there there?

Mr. MERITT. Nineteen thousand.

Senator LANE. That does not go for either their support or their civilization, does it?

Mr. MERRITT. Part of it does. We use a part of another appropriation for their education.

Senator ROBINSON. The amount carried in this year's bill is $42,000?

Mr. MERITT. Yes, sir; but the amount appropriated heretofore has been fifty-some odd thousand dollars.

The CHAIRMAN. What is your estimate?

Mr. MERITT. Forty-seven thousand dollars. We would like to have our estimate. We are embarrassed now because of the very small amount of money that we have available for this purpose. Senator LANE. That is on account of lack of employees?

Mr. MERITT. The lack of money to supply the Indians with food and clothing during the winter.

Senator LANE. How many Indians are there?

Mr. MERITT. Nineteen thousand Indians in California.
Senator LANE. $42,000 would not feed them very long.

Mr. MERITT. We can also use the relief of distress appropriation in emergency cases, but that appropriation is exhausted.

The CHAIRMAN. The estimate is $47,000.

Senator CLAPP. I move that it be raised.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to that motion?

Senator LANE. I will tell you this, that if it is going, as I suppose it is, to the employees, I am against it. If anybody can show me that it is for the Indians, I will be glad to agree to it.

Mr. MERITT. This money, of course, is used partly for the purpose of paying the salaries of employees at the agencies. agencies.

Senator LANE. Where is the justification for that?
Mr. MERITT. It is on page 130 of the House hearings.
Senator LANE. What does it go for?

There are 11

Mr. MERITT. It is on page 130 of the House hearings. You will notice that we are only using $27,000 for employees.

Senator LANE. If you will do anything for the Indians with it, I am willing to do it.

Mr. MERITT. The California Indians are very deserving, and they have not received from Congress the appropriations that other Indians have been given, and these Indians have been somewhat neglected. I think it is the duty of Congress to give them more attention.

Senator ROBINSON. Did the House strike out the appropriation for the Sherman Institute?

Mr. MERITT. No, sir.

Senator ROBINSON. I see it is on the next page. That is all right.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there any objection to that item?
The item was agreed to.

INDIAN PUPILS AT SHERMAN INSTITUTE.

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is on line 24 of the bill, as follows: For support and education of 650 Indian pupils at the Sherman Institute, Riverside, Cal., including pay of superintendent, $108,125; for general repairs and improvements, $6,000; in all, $114,125.

The item was agreed to.

Mr. MERITT. Mr. Chairman, we have a telegram from the superintendent calling attention to the low amount allowed by the House for repairs and improvements. Our estimate was $10,000, and the House only allowed us $6,000. We would like at least $8,000 for repairs and improvements for that school.

Senator ROBINSON. The conditions at that school last summer a year ago were in a mighty good condition and was kept so by the work of the Indian pupils. The school appeared to be excellently conducted. It seems to me to be doing splendid work.

Senator CLAPP. It ought to be kept up.

Senator ROBINSON. I move that the increase be granted.

The CHAIRMAN. The motion is to change the figure "6" to "8," so that the total amount will read $116,125.

The item was agreed to.