Page:LewisMeriam-TheProblemOfIndianAdministration.djvu/122

restricted Indians. Even when they migrate from reservations and as regular industrial workers in a white community contribute as great a share to the prosperity of a community as do the poorer white workers, they are frequently denied rights accorded recently arrived Mexican immigrants and other workers, such as free attendance at public school and county hospital care when unemployed or otherwise unable to pay full fees.

Several different devices have been used to meet this situation. When an Indian is declared competent to manage his own property and is given a fee deed to it, his property becomes subject to state and local taxation and he is in a large measure free from national supervision and to a considerable extent ceases to receive aid or service from the national government. In certain instances, notably among the Omahas and Winnebagoes in Nebraska, property held under trust patents has by action of the national Congress been subjected to state and local taxation, provided the Indian has any money from which the taxes can be paid, but, if the Secretary of the Interior certifies that the Indian has no funds, the property is not subject to tax sale. In other instances the cost of highways and bridges across Indian territory needed as connecting links in state road systems have been paid out of Indian or national funds. Tuition fees have been paid by the national government in lieu of taxes for the children of restricted Indians attending public schools.

The fact is, however, that the problem of taxation of Indian property has not been given the study and cooperative consideration by both national and state officials that it requires. No plans have been worked out on the basis of a thorough analysis of the problem and an application of sound economic and social principles in its solution.

The primary concern of both the national and the state and local government should be that the Indians, citizens of both the nation and the state, should be developed to the point where they are able to maintain themselves and their dependents in accordance at least with a minimum standard of health and decency in the presence of white civilization.

To subject to taxation Indians who are already below this standard, who have not yet acquired the capacity and the spirit to make their property sufficiently profitable both to maintain themselves and their families and to pay taxes, results either in a further