In regard to the question of irrigation the report reads, in part, as follows: "The general water situation is a very serious one, affecting, as it does, the whole of southern California and not the Indians alone. It is a cause for most thoughtful consideration that there are well authenticated figures which seem to indicate that the total water supply in a number of regions is gradually diminishing. I was informed that in the Coachella Valley region the water level is rapidly lowering and that many wells, which when bored were flowing, now have to be pumped. In the last dozen years or more the water level has decreased at the rate of a foot a year, showing. that the underground reservoirs are being dangerously depleted, and it is a question whether the time is not to be looked forward to in the near future when land which is now effectively irrigated will revert to a semidesertlike condition. Already steps are being taken to prevent, legally, the future development of water in some of these regions upon the plea that the flow is not sufficient to provide for any new activities.

"Another serious consideration in connection with the water development arises from the expenditures which have been under reimbursable appropriations for developing irrigation water for the Indians. Recently there has been considerable agitation looking to collecting from the Indians the acreage charges for this water. My own belief is that such a step is not advisable and will simply add another source of irritation and perhaps persecution. These Indians, taken as a whole, are too poor to pay the very large charges which have accrued against them."

The following are some quotations from the report:

"There is a large demand for labor of the kind which the Indians are well calculated to supply. Any able-bodied man can secure employment in the various sorts of orchards all the year round and at wages which will run as high as $5 or $6 a day. To many of the Indians this opportunity is much more attractive than tilling their own lands, for the reason that they get along much better on steady wages regularly paid to them (perhaps weekly) than they do looking forward to receiving money from the sale of their apricots, peaches, or oranges, which may produce a larger sum in total than the yearly wage but which is not distributed through the year in a way that steadily provides them with money.

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Following the recommendations made some years ago by Commissioners Eliot, Ketchum, and Smiley of our board regarding the old reservation buildings at Soboba, they were turned into a very nice hospital, which I found to be well equipped and in excellent condition. Unfortunately, as a part of the adverse attitude of the Indians to all Government undertakings, fostered by some of their ill-advised white friends, there was in many quarters a violent opposition to the hospital; in fact, to all medical work being done by the Government. I found evidences of this opposition at the time of my visit. In addition to the regular hospital staff, Doctor Barton, an Indian Service eye specialist, was conducting a campaign against trachoma. Up to that date he had treated 21 eye cases, 17 of them being for trachoma, and all of the patients showed marked improvement.

"The act of 1924, conferring citizenship on all Indians, has introduced increased uncertainties of the status of the Mission Indians and the authority of the Government officials over them. I believe they had always been considered as citizens, but the recent stirring up of the question has caused it to assume increased importance. There is a large body of the Indians, possibly as many as one-half, who hold that neither Federal nor State laws apply to them in any way. The unsettled state of the law as to the jurisdiction over them makes it possible for them to carry on all sorts of petty annoyances aimed at those who do not agree with them, and at the moment there seems to be great difficulty in reaching the offenders. Immediate and active steps ought to be taken to insure a proper respect for the United States Government and its employees. A few fines or, better, jail sentences (selecting the worst cases) would do much to help civilize these people who now openly defy the Government. Were they living in any of our eastern communities and proceeding as many of them do, it would be but a short time before the strong arm of the law would seize them, and they would thus be compelled to show the respect which the United States requires of everyone, whether citizen or not, living within its borders."

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The Agua Calientes (Palm Springs), Torres-Martinez, and Cabezon bands have serious conditions arising from the question of conservation of their waters. At Palm Springs the water rights have their origin in the canyons.

Here there is considerable cottage development coming in, and with the claim that domestic water has priority over that for irrigation purposes, especially when beneficial use is not made of the latter, steps should be taken immediately to see that nothing is done or left undone which may in any way endanger the Indians' rights. On the other two reservations named the underground water rights are the important ones. Pumping plants should be put in at a number of the wells which have ceased to flow, and also a number of new wells should be drilled and pumping plants supplied. Unless this is done very speedily, with the increase of new wells the water will be appropriated to the full capacity of the underground storage and the water will be lost.

"At Agua Caliente there are other questions which are very serious. There are but 50 Indians on the roll at this point, and the reservation is computed at over 31,000 acres. There are alternate sections of desert land, some of it of great value when irrigated, and in addition the Indian holdings run way up almost to the summit of the San Jacinto Mountains, here attaining an elevation of over 10,000 feet. From the mountains come down certain canyons which have living streams in them, but which soon sink away when the desert is reached. Several developments are now projected occupying one or more of these canyons or land adjacent to them. These would be primarily on land not included in the Indian reservation, but have been so located as to take water from the streams which the Indians own. In addition to the erection of hotels and cottages, another plan is to make a national park upon the canyon, including the largest groups of palm trees and developing the situation in a way similar to other public parks. This latter plan should receive most careful consideration, and I can see no reason why, if proper steps are taken to protect the Indians, the national park plan should not be carried out."

"When at Pala I was very much struck by the untidy and dilapidated condition of the number of houses which were supplied by the Indian Bureau to Indians a good many years ago. Someone conceived the brilliant idea of buying a ready-made house from an eastern department store. These houses were shipped to Pala and there erected with the aid of an axe and screw driver. They may have presented a respectable appearance at first, but their construction is not such as to meet the requirements of the families living in them, nor to withstand the action of the elements."

Concerning the Capitan Grande Band, Chairman Vaux devotes considerable space in his report to the El Capitan project, which contemplates the building of a storage dam and reservoir to increase the municipal water supply of the City of San Diego. The stored water, if the project is constructed, will flood the home and farm lands of these Indians. Congress enacted legislation permitting the realization of the project provided that any judgment or order of condemnation entered in any proceeding shall be binding upon the Capitan Grande Band "only upon the approval of the Secretary of the Interior or the terms of said judgment: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior shall require from the City of San Diego, in addition to the award of condemnation, such further sum which, in his opinion, when added to said award, shall be sufficient for the erection of suitable homes for the Indians on lands purchased, the erection of such schools, churches, and administrative buildings, the sinking of such wells and the construction of such roads and ditches, and providing water and water rights and for such other expenses as may be deemed necessary by the Secretary of the Interior to properly establish these Indians permanently on the lands purchased for them," etc. Commenting on this project Chairman Vaux observes:

"In addition to this Capitan Grande project there are several others which the city has under consideration, and it is highly probable that one or more of these will have to be developed in the near future if a sufficient supply of water is to be provided. Before any site is accepted for these Indians it should be clearly demonstrated that the location is one which will not be affected by future water development for the City of San Diego or any other municipality, and that an ample supply of water is assured the Indians without any doubt whatever."

In conclusion, Chairman Vaux stated "In closing this report I wish to refer to the great courtesy to me of Mr. C. L. Ellis, the superintendent in charge of the Mission Indian Agency at Riverside, and of his staff. Mr. Ellis has had many years of practical experience in different parts of the Indian field. He is thoroughly alive to the serious and perplexing problems which confront

the administration in this jurisdiction and is bringing to his task painstaking and devoted ability."

POTAWATOMI INDIAN RESERVATION, KANS.

Assistant Secretary HENDERSON

In northeastern Kansas, about 20 miles to the north of Topeka, is located the Potawatomi Indian Agency, near the village of Mayetta. This agency, in charge of Supt. Arvel R. Snyder, has under its jurisdiction the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians, reported as numbering 810, Kickapoo Indians numbering 275, Iowa Indians with a population of 346, and a group of 97 Sac and Fox Indians. The Potawatomi lands immediately adjoin the agency headquarters, while the Kickapoo reserve is some 30 miles north, and the Sac and Fox and Iowa lands lie along the Kansas-Nebraska boundary, near the Missouri River.

By direction of the board, Assistant Secretary Earl Y. Henderson visited this agency in May, 1925, to obtain certain information for its use, and while there made some inquiry into the general condition of the Indians, more particularly the Potawatomi. After recounting the history of that tribe which originally lived in the Great Lakes region, he reported, in part, as follows: "In the earliest days of contact with white men the Potawatomis were described as 'the most docile and affectionate toward the French of all the savages of the West,' were considered more kindly disposed toward Christianity, and more humane and civilized than the other tribes. According to one early writer, their natural politeness and readiness to oblige was extended to strangers, which was very rare among these people (the Indians).' Their women were reported as more reserved than was usual among the Indians and showed some tendency toward refinement. If these early accounts are accurate, years ago these Indians must have been among the superior tribes of the frontier. A close examination of their present condition would seem to bear out the belief that probably this was true and that they have, except for certain lapses possibly common to any people going through a rapid period of transition, maintained a high level among the Indians of the country.

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A tour of the reservation, visiting the Indian homes and observing the farming operations during the corn-planting time in May, showed all the Indians to be exceedingly busy. Practically all the able-bodied men at work in the fields listing in their 80, 100, 120, or 200 acres of corn. The women were tending to their household duties in the same manner as the wives of neighboring white farmers. These Potawatomis live, as a rule, in the smaller type of one-story, frame farmhouses, though rather large and pretentious dwellings are often seen. Most of the houses are in need of a coat of paint on the outside and wall paper and paint on the interior, these things having been neglected in the last few lean crop years because of the shortage of ready cash. The barns and other buildings attached to the farms appeared to be in fair condition, some of the best being in excellent shape, while a few approached the tumble-down order.

"The Indian housewife keeps the interior of the home in excellent condition, floors are scrubbed spotlessly clean, dishes are washed and stored away in orderly fashion, washing and ironing seem to be ever in progress in the homes. of the reserve, neat-appearing rugs are seen on the floors of many of the houses, and shiny clean linoleum is in general use on the floors of the kitchens. ing machines are seen nearly everywhere, while in the occasional home is a radio set or a telephone. There is not, however, that orderly arrangement of furniture and household articles about these Indians' homes that one observes in most well kept white farmhouses.

Sew

"Gardens, small orchards, and berry plots furnish the family with a good variety of foodstuffs. Chickens are ever present about these farms, many having several hundred of them, and I was told that some of the largest flocks bring in the Indian householder on the average of about $5 a week. Eggs are usually traded in and keep many of the families stocked with groceries a good part of the year. Some of the chicken houses are large, well-built structures. The barnyard also has its pen for hogs, while cows are kept at every home, anywhere from one to a dozen. In fact, after seeing the Indian wife churning butter or canning fruit over a good stove in her spotless kitchen and seeing her overalls-clad husband just returning from listing his 100-acre field of corn

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with a big four-horse team, it is hard to believe that not many years ago the ancestors of these industrious Potawatomis were living a roaming half-savage life on the plains or in the northern woods.

"It was not many years ago that idleness and drunkenness were very common on this reservation. These Potawatomis had a great fondness for intoxicating liquors, and conditions were rather demoralized at times. Through the persistent and courageous work of Superintendent Snyder affairs were much improved, and now some of the most stable men of the community were those that once caused much trouble to the agency authorities.

"The original area of the diminished reserve was about 77,440 acres, but a little over half of this area has been alienated, and now the Indians hold title to about 36,540 acres. Of this area the Indians two years ago farmed 7,041 acres and used 6,385 acres for grazing, a total of 13,426 acres. The area leased totaled 23,113 acres, 10,182 for farming, and 12,931 for grazing. For the same year the Indians raised 89,400 bushels of corn, 19,888 bushels of wheat, 18,000 bushels of oats, and 546 tons of alfalfa. At this time they were reported as owning 600 cows and heifers, 618 steers, 1,220 hogs and pigs, 541 horses and mules, and 6,200 chickens. This is a respectable amount of stock for 660 resident Indians.

"The total leased area of 25,760 acres on the reservation might appear rather large for an Indian people as industrious as these are reported to be. A careful check up of these lease figures, however, will show that there are probably only around seven or eight cases where Indians who are able to work their own lands are leasing to white people. These lands, it must be remembered, are owned by about 810 Indians, and only about 660 live on the reserve. Potawatomis living in Wisconsin lease 10,750 acres belonging to them in Kansas and manage to gain a meager living in that State on the relatively small rentals. Over 2,000 acres are leased by enrolled Potawatomis who are scattered all around the country, some in nearby towns and cities, some in Oklahoma, some in California and other places, engaged in various lines of work.

"Nonresident Indians thus own at least half of the leased area. The balance, which is locally owned, is leased because the owners are old and unable to work the land; minors; women who are living on their husbands' allotments; persons residing on lands of their own in some other part of the reserve: or the property may be an undivided estate.

"Potawatomis enrolled and owning lands on this reserve who live in Wis consin by choice control about 10,750 acres, as shown above. All the rent money must be collected here and sent to the Laona Agency in Wisconsin for distribution. It would seem reasonable that this Kansas land might be sold. if these nonresidents never intend to return, and the Indian located on tracts of their own somewhere under the Laona superintendency in Wisconsin.

"The administration of the affairs of these Indians would probably be much simplified by such land sales, and the Indians could probably then be encouraged to go to work in Wisconsin rather than idle along living on their Kansas lease revenues. Such a plan of land sale in Kansas would probably encounter considerable opposition. The Potawatomis now on the Kansas reserve oppose the alienation of any more Indian land there, even though it is owned by nonresident Indians. It is understood also that the landowners living in Wisconsin are adverse to any change in the present status of affairs. Then the market for farming lands in Kansas and adjoining States is poor at the present time. and quite a readjustment in agricultural conditions must take place before such lands can be disposed of at a good price.

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The old order of things is rapidly changing at Potawatomi. The average Indian farmer is too busy to attend council meetings. The first Indian meeting for nearly a year was held at the agency during the latter part of May and was attended by some 20 Indians only, most of the more prominent old mer being these. Nothing of major importance was discussed at this gathering.

"The old drums and the ceremonial dances are not seen much any more As the old people pass away the younger generation lives more completely the life of the white man. Although a real Indian dance is held each year at a picturesque dance ground lying along one of the small creeks in the southern part of the reservation, it has lost much of its former importance. In fair weather the dances are held under the trees near the creek in a circular dirtfloored arena of about 100 feet in diameter, but the old wooden hall adjoining has seen its best days and probably will not long withstand the strong Kansas winds.

"Here, as at many other reservations, patents in fee have been issued to numbers of Indians, who soon disposed of their lands by sales or lost them through mortgages. The money was quickly spent, and not very long ago there were a good number of high-priced automobiles racing over the roads of the surrounding country. To-day little land is being disposed of, and the money now being spent on the reserve is mostly from the proceeds of the sale of farm products. The Indians at present travel about the reservation in automobiles they can more nearly afford to operate, and they have little money to waste on high living. This condition of affairs has been one of the big causes of the present era of industry and common sense.

"Too much credit can not be given Superintendent Snyder, who has been stationed here for the most of 11 years, in bringing about the changes for the better among these Indians. This is testified to by many white people of the vicinity, who are wont to relate of the past conditions of idleness and drinking as compared with the soundness of the progress made in recent years.

"The Indian farmer of the reservation is now little different than the white man. He farms more land than he ever did before in his history, and he has to a great extent acquired the same desires as other people of northeastern Kansas. He is no longer willing to go about in shabby clothes; he wants to dress for special occasions as well as his white neighbor. He wants good food and a variety and is willing to work for it. Of course, there are the shiftless characters here as in any other place, but as a whole these people have arrived at the white man's standard of life. They have received no substantial money payments recently to demoralize them, have found that regular work brings them things worth while, and their extensive farming operations testify to their willingness to acquire them."

WINNEBAGO AND OMAHA INDIANS, NEBRASKA

Assistant Secretary HENDERSON

The Winnebago and Omaha Indian Reservations in northeastern Nebraska were recently consolidated into one agency which is under the supervision of Supt. Frank T. Mann, located at Winnebago. Both tribes are of Siouan stock. The Winnebago reported as belonging to this agency number 1,100, of whom 580 are full bloods; the Omaha number 1,480, of whom 1,080 are full bloods. The Winnebago reserve has an area of 123,393 acres; the Omaha reserve originally covered 135,022 acres. This entire Indian territory in Nebraska is one of great fertility; it contains a number of towns inhabited by white people and is traversed by two railroads and a trunk State highway. The eastern portion is hilly, but the soil is capable of producing excellent crops; to the west the hills merge into the more open plains, a region of rich productive soil. The agency settlement at Winnebago is about a mile from the small railroad town of the same name; the former Omaha agency headquarters, now an Indian Service farmer's station, is at the village of Macy. In May, 1925, Assistant Secretary Earl Y. Henderson, by direction of the board, went into Kansas and Nebraska to collect certain information for the use of the board, and while engaged in this duty took occasion to inquire into the condition of the Indians. Following is an abridgment of his report to the chairman with some parts quoted :

"A trip through the Winnebago Reservation shows that these Indians are doing some real farming, for many good-sized, well-cultivated fields of corn and other crops are seen on every hand. The Indian lives in a small frame farmhouse, near which is usually located a barn and some sheds and pens for chickens and hogs. Many of the houses are not particularly good ones, and this may be said of the outbuildings. Here and there, however, is an excellent, well-designed home of the bungalow type erected under the supervision of the agency from individual Indian funds. I well remember visiting a house of this kind, beautifully situated among some trees overlooking a small valley. This place could not have been improved upon for its purpose, but the interior was disappointing. The roomy kitchen, with its built-in cupboards and other conveniences, was dirty and presented a bad appearance with its smelly dishes and cooking utensils scattered about. The other rooms were the same; furniture, clothes, and bedding were thrown about in a disorderly manner. The two heavy, strong, unkempt-looking women living there had failed to live up to their improved surroundings.