The Secretary of the Interior may in his discretion, from year to year, under such regulations as he may prescribe, authorize the Indians residing on any Indian reservation in the State of Minnesota, whether the same has been allotted in severalty or is still unallotted, to fell, cut, remove, sell, or otherwise dispose of the dead timber, standing or fallen on such reservation or any part thereof, for the sole benefit of such Indians; and he may also in like manner authorize the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota who have any interest or right in the proceeds derived from the sales of ceded Indian lands or the timber growing thereon, whereof the fee is still in the United States, to fell, cut, remove, or dispose of the dead timber, otherwise than by sale, standing or fallen, on such ceded land. But whenever there is reason to believe that such dead timber in either case has been killed, burned, girdled, or otherwise injured for the purpose of securing its sale under this section, then in that case authority shall not be granted.