That our government has not been ungrateful may be gathered from
the report of the commissioner for 1913. There were in that year
921,000 pensioners, to whom were paid approximately $180,000,000,
or an amount equal to about one-fifth of the total revenues of the
country.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs.--Prior to 1871 the Indian
tribes were treated as independent nations by the United States,
but by a law of that year the general government was made the
guardian of their interests. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs
exercises a protecting care over these "wards" by directing the
work of the Indian agents and of the superintendents of Indian
schools.
There are some 300,000 Indians on the 150 reservations which are in
the various States and Territories.[54] The lands of these
reservations are held in common; that is, the ownership is tribal
rather than individual. It is the policy of the government,
however, to bring about the allotment of lands "in severally," and
thus to encourage the Indians to adopt an agricultural life.
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