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QUALIFYING INDIANS FOR INDEPENDENT CITIZENSHIP

MARCH 3, 1931.-Committed to the Committee on the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. SPROUL of Kansas, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 12576]

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 12576) providing for teaching, training, developing, qualifying, and emancipating the Indians of the United States for independent citizenship, and for other purposes, within the period of 50 years, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass without amendment.

It is the ultimate purpose of this measure to remove the Indian from the guardianship of the Federal Government. Under his present circumstances, it is the desire of the Indian to look to Federal agencies for this guidance and protection. This bill proposes to make him self-reliant and independent-to develop and equip him in such manner that he will be quite capable of conducting himself creditably and safely in business enterprises of a general nature.

Under the present policy of the Federal Government, the Indian is considered a ward. It is believed that this policy should be altered to the extent provided for by this measure, and your committee therefore recommends its passage.

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71ST CONGRESS ) 3d Session

IMPROVEMENT OF WILLAMETTE RIVER, BETWEEN OREGON CITY AND PORTLAND, OREG.

MARCH 3, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. DEMPSEY, from the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 6024]

The Committee on Rivers and Harbors, to whom was referred the bill (S. 6024) relating to the improvement of the Willamette River between Oregon City and Portland, Oreg., having considered the same, report favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass

without amendment.

The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the annexed communication from the Secretary of War to the chairman of the Committee on Commerce, United States Senate: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 9, 1931.

Hon. HIRAM W. JOHNSON,

Chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. DEAR MR. JOHNSON: Reference is made to your letter of the 4th instant, requesting the views of this department on Senate bill No. 6024, relating to the improvement of the Willamette River between Oregon City and Portland, Oreg. In the river and harbor act of July 3, 1930, Congress authorized the improvement of Willamette River between Oregon City and Portland in accordance with report submitted in House Document No. 372, Seventy-first Congress, second session, and subject to the conditions set forth in said document. The condition thus imposed requires that local interests contribute $50,000 to the cost of the improvement. The object of the bill is to waive this requirement. The same act of Congress also contains a provision directing a further examination of this portion of the river. This examination has been completed and after careful consideration of the additional information thus obtained the conclusion has been reached by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and by the Chief of Engineers, that it would be advisable to eliminate the aforesaid requirement of local cooperation. Formal report on the examination setting forth this conclusion and the reasons upon which it is based is being transmitted

to the Speaker of the House of Representatives by letter of this date. A copy of the report of the Chief of Engineers is inclosed for your convenient reference. In the circumstances no objection is seen to the enactment of the bill, Senate No. 6024.

Sincerely yours,

PATRICK J. HURLEY,
Secretary of War.

The following is the report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, submitted in House Document No. 748, Seventy-first Congress, third session, in which he recommends that the requirement in the river and harbor act approved July 3, 1930, relating to this project, be waived:

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 7, 1931.

Subject: Preliminary examination of Willamette River, Oreg.
To: The Secretary of War.

1. I submit, for transmission to Congress, my report with accompanying papers, on preliminary examination of Willamette River, Oreg., between Oregon City and Portland, including the locks at Oregon City, authorized by the river and harbor act approved July 3, 1930.

2. The river and harbor act of 1930 authorized a project for the further improvement of the Willamette River between Portland and Oregon City, by providing a channel 8 feet deep and 200 feet wide between Portland and the foot of Cedar Island, and a channel 8 feet deep and 150 feet wide from the foot of Cedar Island to Oregon City, at an estimated cost of $210,000, with $18,000 annually for maintenance, subject to the provision that local interests contribute $50,000 to the cost.

3. The local contribution to the cost of the project was based on the special and local benefits computed as accruing to the water power users at Oregon City because of the increased head of 2% feet anticipated from the lowering of the water level at the foot of the falls as a result of the channel enlargement. Based on the normal flow the district engineer estimated that an increase in power of 570 kilowatts would result for three months in the year. The cost of reconstruction of the plants not now equipped to utilize the additional head was estimated at not to exceed $7,000, while at the current price of power in large blocks the increased head was computed by the district engineer as having a capitalized value of $70,000 to $100,000. As it was doubtful whether all of this estimated power could be practically realized, the recommended condition of local cooperation was placed at $50,000.

4. A channel of the dimensions authorized in the river and harbor act of 1930 is regarded by local interests as adequate and sufficient for the present needs of commerce. It is now claimed, however, that the special and local benefits to water power, on which provision for local contribution was based, are not practically realizable. The district engineer has made a special investigation of this phase of the matter. He finds that the wheels of the power plants are already set too high to take full advantage of the head now available at low water, and that the cost of the modification of the plants to efficiently develop the additional head anticipated as the result of the channel enlargement would exceed the return therefrom. He recommends that the contribution be waived. The division engineer concurs.

5. The reports of the district engineer and the division engineer have been referred, as required by law, to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and attention is invited to its report herein concurring in their views.

6. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports I concur in the recommendation of the board. The provision in the existing project for a local contribution to the extent of $50,000 was based on special and local benefits which, from further investigation, it now appears can not be realized. I therefore report that the elimination of the requirement for local contribution is advisable. LYTLE BROWN,

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Major General, Chief of Engineers.

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