THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 1899. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1900. THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. WASHINGTON, D. C., January 23, 1900. SIR: We have the honor to submit the Thirty-first Annual Report of the Board of Indian Commissioners. There has been no serious disturbance of the peace among the Indians this year. As to the first of the six measures in the interest of the Indians to which attention was especially asked in the closing paragraphs in our last annual report, we hope that nothing has been lost, but we fear that nothing has been gained, in permanent tenure of office for faithful and useful employees in the Indian service. As to the second point, "the repeal or amendment of the act of Congress approved January 14, 1899, and the adoption of a better system of managing the Chippewa timber interests, permit us to express our gratifiation at the position which has been taken by the Department with reference to this matter, and our renewed hope that a better system may be adopted for the management of this matter, so important to the progress of the Chippewas. We ask attention again to the need of the Seneca Indians, of New York, for legislation which shall require the proceeds of leases of their lands to be collected and accounted for by a bonded officer of the United Statespresumably by the United States agent at that agency. Investigation has revealed systematic perversion in the use of this money by the council and the treasurer of the Senecas. And we are still of the opinion that it would be advisable speedily to allot the New York reservations to individual Indians. We recommended, as a fifth measure of importance, the granting of a title in fee of Annette Island to the Metlakahtlans. The measure proposed to Congress last year did not become a law. We think that measures which contemplate the opening of a part or the whole of that island to the whites should not become law. We have been gratified at the authority granted by Congress to take from the annuity fund of the Crow Indians in Montana a sufficient amount to complete their irrigating canals. This was the sixth point urged in our last report. THE DAWES COMMISSION AND THE CURTIS ACT. The very important work of bringing the so-called Five Civilized Tribes of Indians under the laws of the United States, the fixing of a 3 |