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Mr. COOLEY. Up to date; yes. It is of course just getting started and the work organized. It is research work, and we are making progress.

Mr. JOHNSON. Are there any further statements in connection with this item?

Mr. RICH. Let me make this suggestion:

You want to take this money, the unexpended balance, and construct quarters for the employees. In other words, how much of that money do you have left?

Mr. DODD. We have $12,000 left. You appropriated $60,000 for this work, and we spent $48,000 for these other facilities that I have just mentioned, and if June 30 had not come along so fast we would have used the $12,000 for these quarters. The money actually lapsed. Mr. RICH. Why don't you ask for the continuance of the fund without specifying what it is to be used for? If you just ask to have it continued you can use it on it for the particular purpose for which it was intended.

Mr. JOHNSON. It will have to be reappropriated.

Mr. DODD. My purpose in putting it in this item was to let the committee know what we intended to do with it.

Mr. RICH. Then if that is the case you can state that this is to be used for the same purpose for which the loan was intended.

Mr. DODD. I would say so because the original appropriation was wide open. It provided.

Not to exceed $60,000 may be used for the establishment of a sheep-breeding station on the Navajo reservation.

We are simply telling you in this amendment that we will build quarters with that $12,000, and we did build two houses in our building operations.

INDUSTRY AMONG INDIANS

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any further questions? If not, we will pass to page 103.

Mr. DODD. The following justification is submitted for the record: Regular appropriation, 1937 act.

Base for 1938.......

$165, 000

165, 000

Increase requested for 1938: Disposition of Navajo sheep and goats... 225, 000

Total estimate, 1938...

390, 000

This is a continuation of an appropriation begun in 1912. It makes funds available for assisting Indians in establishing themselves in self-supporting enterprises, including farming, stock raising, and other like industries conducted on their allotments or on the reservation, and to assist old and indigent Indians who have land they cannot use. Such assistance has made it possible for a large number of Indians, who otherwise would probably have spent much of their time in enforced idleness, to become established in self-supporting endeavors. The amount requested is needed to assist numerous individual Indians, members of tribes who have failed to accept the Indian Reorganization Act, and therefore are not eligible to participate in the $10,000,000 revolving loan fund authorized by that act.

An important factor in the use of this fund is its educational value to the Indians generally in teaching them proper use of credit and the importance of respecting agreements and obligations when once made. On the whole, the results obtained and the way in which the Indians are paying off their loans is encouraging. The appropriation for 1937 was $165,000, of which $15,000 was set aside for educational loans. As may be noted by the following distribution of the $150,000 for industrial purposes, $76,350 has been allotted and $49,650 hypothecated.

This leaves a balance of $24,000 for distribution according to the demands for agricultural activities in the spring. Special emphasis is being given to the investment of these funds in enterprises which will enable Indians to realize a return in the quickest possible time. Individually planned agricultural and livestock programs assist the Indians to make wise use of this loan fund.

Sixty-one students have received loans totaling $10,669 from the funds set aside for educational purposes. The balance of $4,331 probably will be used before the beginning of the second semester of the school year 1936-37.

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The appropriation for the fiscal year 1936 was $150,000. The use of $21,146.64 for expenses, exclusive of freight, covering the distribution of 6,890 cattle obtained from the New Mexico Rural Rehabilitation Corporation through the Resettlement Administration undoubtedly will net large returns to the Indians. Many Indians having facilities to care for cattle obtained foundation herds at a nominal expense.

Indians of 41 jurisdictions obtained some assistance from this appropriation. Their requests, however, exceeded the amount available by $52,000.

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The loans for support in 1936 aggregated $13,180 as compared with $20,826.24 in 1935 and $23,800.09 in 1934. The act provides that such loans may remain a charge and lien against the Indian lands until paid and reimbursements from such loans will therefore not be made as rapidly as in the case of industrial assistance loans. Loans for the improvement of irrigable allotments totaled $1,837.50.

Applications for loans are made on a printed form and submitted to the Indian Office for approval. The amount loaned any one Indian does not exceed $1,000 where the money is to be used for development of the allotment, and where the loan is due to old age, disability or indigence, such amount as may be necessary properly to care for the applicant, in no case to exceed $600 in any one fiscal year. The total amount loaned cannot exceed 50 percent of the appraised value of the permanent improvements. When the loan is approved notation is made on our land records against the trust allotment or inherited land of the applicant. The total amount of the loan is placed to the credit of the allottee as individual money to be used for the specific purpose required. When authorized for land development the money may be used for any kind of productive improvement, for drainage, leveling, fertilizer, seed, needed buildings, and for proper equipment. Loans to allottees on account of old age are used for necessary living expenses of the individual and his immediate dependent family.

139751-37-pt. 1-62

This leaves a balance of $24,000 for distribution according to the demands fr agricultural activities in the spring. Special emphasis is being given to the 1: veste ment of these funds in enterprises which will enable Indians to realize a ret in the quickest possible time. Individually planned agricultural and livestock programs assist the Indians to make wise use of this loan fund.

Sixty-one students have received loans totaling $10,669 from the funds set aside for educational purposes. The balance of $4,331 probably will be before the beginning of the second semester of the school year 1938 37.

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Indians of 41 jurisdictions obtained some assistance from this appropriation. Their requests, however, exceeded the amount available by $52,000.

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The loans for support in 1936 aggregated $13,180 as compared with $20,826.24 in 1935 and $23,800.09 in 1934. The act provides that such loans may remain a charge and lien against the Indian lands until paid and reimbursements from such loans will therefore not be made as rapidly as in the case of industrial assistance loans. Loans for the improvement of irrigable allotments totaled $1,837.50. Applications for loans are made on a printed form and submitted to the Indian Office for approval. The amount loaned any one Indian does not exceed $1,000 where the money is to be used for development of the allotment, and where the loan is due to old age, disability or indigence, such amount as may be necessary properly to care for the applicant, in no case to exceed $600 in any one fiscal year. The total amount loaned cannot exceed 50 percent of the appraised value of the permanent improvements. When the loan is approved notation is made on our land records against the trust allotment or inherited land of the applicant. The total amount of the loan is placed to the credit of the allottee as individual money to be used for the specific purpose required. When authorized for land development the money may be used for any kind of productive improvement, for drainage, leveling, fertilizer, seed, needed buildings, and for proper equipment. Loans to allottees on account of old age are used for necessary living expenses of the individual and his immediate dependent family.

139751-37-pt. 1—62

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