PER CAPITA PAYMENT OF $100 TO MEMBERS OF MENOMINEE TRIBE OF INDIANS OF WISCONSIN FEBRUARY 3, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. PEAVEY, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 11281] The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 11281) authorizing a per capita payment of $100 to the members of the Menominee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin from funds on deposit to their credit in the Treasury of the United States, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass with the following amendments: On page 1, line 7, strike out "$100" and insert in lieu thereof "$50". On page 1, line 8, strike out "tribe" and insert in lieu thereof "tribal". Amend the title so as to read: A bill authorizing a per capita payment of $50 to the members of the Menominee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin from funds on deposit to their credit in the Treasury of the United States. The Menominee Tribe of Indians are generally industrious, and with their labor in connection with milling and logging operations the tribal funds have accumulated. There are at present certain older members of the Tribe who are unable to provide for themselves, and have no one to look to for support. It is believed by your committee that the payment of this small amount would have the effect of stimulating the Indians in their activities and in their endeavors to better their own welfare. It would also tend to relieve conditions existing among the older members of the tribe who are unable to provide for themselves. The per capita payment provided for by this bill is to be made from tribal funds to the credit of the Menominee Tribe of Indians with the United States Treasury. HR-71-3VOL 1-73 The favorable report of the Secretary of the Interior is as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, February 2, 1931. Hon. SCOTT LEAVITT, Chairman Committee on Indian Affairs, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN. In compliance with your request of January 15, for a further report on H. R. 11281, which is a bill that would authorize a per capita payment of $100 to the members of the Menominee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin from funds on deposit to their credit in the Treasury of the United States, I transmit herewith a memorandum on the subject that has been submitted by Commissioner Rhoads, of the Office of Indian Affairs. After a review of the proposed measure, I agree with Mr. Rhoads. RAY LYMAN WILBUR, Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Memorandum for the Secretary. Reference is made to the request of the chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs, House of Representatives, for further report on H. R. 11281, which would authorize a per capita payment of $100 to the Menominee Tribe of Indians in Wisconsin. On April 18, 1930, there was submitted to you an adverse memorandum on this proposal, which was transmitted with a letter by you to the chairman of the committee on April 22, 1930. We would repeat the statement previously made that ordinarily we are not in favor of per capita payments. We feel that it is far more advantageous to the Indians to require them to support themselves and their families through their own efforts as far as practicable. In 1924 a $50 payment aggregating $92,000 was made to these Indians; in 1926, $100 per capita, or a total of $191,200, was disbursed; and in 1928 a $200 distribution, aggregating $388,600, was made. In 1929 another payment of $100, aggregating $195,100, was given to these Indians. There are two principal funds to the credit of the Menominee Indians, namely, the Menominee log fund, in which there is a balance of $1,430,997.37, and the Menominee 4 per cent fund, the balance of which is $348,014.58. The first-mentioned fund bears interest at the rate of 5 per cent per annum and is being conserved as much as possible. The second fund has been derived from logging and milling operations. School, agency, and hospital activities on this reservation are supported from tribal funds to a very large extent and it is necessary that appropriations for these purposes come from the principal of the two funds involved or in the accrued interest thereon. The lumber market is in the worst condition that it has been in for more than a quarter of a century. The total receipts from milling operations from July 1, to November 30, 1930, were $188,374.70, and the income for the year ending June 30, 1931, will in all probability be less than $400,000. This, with the amount now available in the Menominee 4 per cent fund would make approximately $750,000 avialable for expenditure on July 1 of this year. Should market conditions improve during the next fiscal year, an expenditure of between $500,000 and $600,000 would be necessary in connection with the_logging and milling operations, which would leave less than $250,000 in the Treasury for future operations. While market conditions are such that only a relatively small quantity of lumber can be sold, operation of the mill is being continued in the face of present adverse circumstances with the view of affording employment for Indians of the reservation. This naturally results in the tying up of a large sum in lumber inventory. The Menominee Indians as a whole have not felt the existing adverse conditions to the same extent as other Indians in the State or many of the white people. Employment conditions have been better on the reservation during the past year than in the surrounding country and few Menominees should be in urgent need. The majority of the able-bodied Indians on the reservation are industrious and with their labor in connection with the logging and milling operations the tribal funds have accumulated. It is true that they receive compensation for labor. A small payment at this time would no doubt have the effect of stimulating them in further endeavors looking to their own welfare. A representative of the tribe now in Washington has stated as one reason for an early distribution, the fact that some Indians are in need of additional funds to make payments on their homes. There are, of course, some of the older members of the tribe who are unable to work and have no one to whom they can look for support. Appropriations are made for the care of old and indigents and for the maintenance of a home for old people on the reservation, but the amount allowed is hardly sufficient to provide necessities for all Indians of this class. In view of the foregoing, if the committee and Congress are of the opinion that a payment should be made at this time, we will interpose no objection to the bill provided the amount appearing in line 7, page 1, be reduced from $100 to $50. C. J. RHOADS, Commissioner. [H. R. 11281, Seventy-first Congress, second session A BILL Authorizing a per capita payment of $100 to the members of the Menominee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin from funds on deposit to their credit in the Treasury of the United States Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized to withdraw from the fund in the Treasury of the United States on deposit to the credit of the Menominee Indians in the State of Wiscon sin a sufficient sum to make therefrom a per capita payment or distribution of $50 to each of the living members on the tribal roll of the Menominee Tribe of Indians of the State of Wisconsin, under such rules and regulations as the said Secretary may prescribe. Amend the title so as to read: A bill authorizing a per capita payment of $50 to the members of the Menomi. nee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin from funds on deposit to their credit in the Treasury of the United States. 3d Session No. 2478 FIRST DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION BILL, 1931 FEBRUARY 4, 1931.-Ordered to be printed Mr. Wood, from the committee of conference, submitted the following CONFERENCE REPORT [To accompany H. R. 15592] The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 15592) making appropriations to supply urgent deficiencies in certain appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1931, and for prior fiscal years, to provide urgent supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1931, and for other purposes, having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the Senate recede from its amendments numbered 17, 24, 32, 33, 34, 37, 48, 74, 85, 86, 91, 92, 95, and 109. That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendments of the Senate numbered 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 87, 88, 89 90, 94, 98, 101, 102, 104, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, and 137, and agree to the same. Amendment numbered 13: That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 13, and agree to the same with an amendment as follows: In line 5 of the matter inserted by said amendment, strike out "$96,000" and insert in lieu thereof $50,000, and in line 7, strike out out "$103,000" and insert in lieu thereof $57,000; and the Senate agree to the same. |