OUR INDIAN WARDS 227 



man? Large areas of public lands, the common 

 property of the people, have been set aside as forest 

 and other reserves to protect our national resources 

 for future use. The white race is not willing to sur- 

 render all its common property to individual owner- 

 ship, and apparently the same protection must be ac- 

 corded the Indian tribes. In all probability, there- 

 fore, the United States must for many years act as 

 administrator or trustee of the common property of 

 whites and Indians alike. 



"Thousands of Indians have been allotted lands, 

 subject to supervision for their protection, in order 

 to arouse and encourage individual initiative and re- 

 sponsibility. Thousands have not yet been allotted, 

 although the work is rapidly progressing. Here 

 again the United States must act as administrator. 

 If an Indian dies, the United States must in some 

 way see that the estate is probated. If a sale of the 

 allottee's property is necessary or advisable, the 

 transaction must be supervised. 



"In time Congress found it necessary to author- 

 ize certificates of competency to Indians who pos- 

 sessed capacity to handle their own affairs. Indi- 

 vidual Indians in many instances were permitted 

 the unrestricted use of their property. In some 

 cases Congress authorized certificates of competency 

 to mixed bloods, where the white predominated or 

 was equal in the individual. Congress has adopted 

 this policy. It represents an unique problem in ad- 

 ministration. It will bring into play human nature 



