these Indians have to a large degree adopted civilized customs. Lands in
severalty have been allotted to many of them. Such allotments have been
made to 10,000 individuals during the last fiscal year, embracing about
1,000,000 acres. The number of Indian Government schools opened during
the year was 195, an increase of 12 over the preceding year. Of this
total 170 were on reservations, of which 73 were boarding schools and 97
were day schools. Twenty boarding schools and 5 day schools supported by
the Government were not located on reservations. The total number of
Indian children enrolled during the year as attendants of all schools
was 21,138, an increase of 1,231 over the enrollment for the previous
year.

I am sure that secular education and moral and religious teaching must
be important factors in any effort to save the Indian and lead him to
civilization. I believe, too, that the relinquishment of tribal
relations and the holding of land in severalty may in favorable
conditions aid this consummation. It seems to me, however, that
allotments of land in severalty ought to be made with great care and
circumspection. If hastily done, before the Indian knows its meaning,
while yet he has little or no idea of tilling a farm and no conception
of thrift, there is great danger that a reservation life in tribal
relations may be exchanged for the pauperism of civilization instead of
its independence and elevation.

The solution of the Indian problem depends very largely upon good
administration. The personal fitness of agents and their adaptability to
the peculiar duty of caring for their wards are of the utmost importance.

The law providing that, except in special cases, army officers shall be
detailed as Indian agents it is hoped will prove a successful experiment.