REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR 
 
of Education of this department has been directed to cooperate with 
the Indian Service in an effort to improve the educational system of 
the Indians. This is expected to result in a program conforming to 
modern methods among whites and yet providing a practical plan 
suitable to the Indians. It seems clear that the traditional school 
system of the whites is not immediately applicable in its entirety to 
the needs of Indian children. 
It is hoped that closer cooperation may be established between 
States having Indian populations and the Federal Government in deal- 
ing with questions of education, health, and law enforcement. Prob- 
ably States should ultimately assume complete responsibility for the 
Indians within their borders, but pending that time there is much to 
be done by the Federal service. 
The department has recognized that general conditions, as outlined, 
are of long standing, that they can not be remedied in a brief period, 
and that unwieldy appropriations, if made, could not be wisely ex- 
pended in a single year; and so it is recommended that there be regular 
and reasonable annual increases, which will enable.the department to 
readjust its personnel and activities. 
MIDDLE RIO GRANDE CONSERVANCY DISTRICT 
The Secretary of the Interior was authorized by Congress on 
March 13, 1928, to execute an agreement with the Middle Rio 
Grande conservancy district in New Mexico on behalf of the Pueblo 
Indians. The district, which is composed of white settlers in the 
Middle Rio Grande Valley, was formed under State law to provide 
irrigation, drainage, and flood control for approximately 132,000 
acres of land. Interspersed with the district lands are 23,000 acres 
belonging to six Indian pueblos. These lands are not subject to the 
district law, nor to State and county taxation, the Indian being under 
the guardianship of the United States. However, for a comprehen- 
.sive and economical development of the district, it was considered 
necessary to include the Indian lands, and Congress authorized the 
department to make a contract with the district providing for an 
equitable share in cost of construction. 
The entire program is estimated to cost $11,829,000. The act con- 
templates that the Government shall advance the Indians' share in 
a sum not to exceed $1,593,311, to be repaid by cash from lessees, if 
and when received from such reclaimed Indian lands. About 8,346 
acres of Indian lands included in the proposed development are 
now somewhat indifferently cultivated by the Indians under irriga- 
tion works. The water level is rising on this area, and unless drainage 
shall be provided considerable of the land ultimately will become 
water-logged and unfit for cultivation. 
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