Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-23
Civilization aud the Savage.


Frum The Philadelphia Timos.
Since the country has been able to
breathe freely, because OF the assured
safety of the little band Of gallant sol.
dicrs surrounded by the hostile ttcs.
attention will again be directed TO the
grave problem Of dealing justly with
the fragmentary tribes OF the Red Man
IN our Western States aud Territories.
The first response Of the humane heart
is one of unqualified sympathy with the
Indian who is dispossesscd OF his lands,
cheated by Agents and encroachcd upon
by settlers. II is true that there has
not been an Indian war during the
present generation that WAS not mainly
or wholly provoked by the whites, but
IL j. equally true that very small pro-
portion of whites have been in any de.
gree responsible for the breaches be.
tween the sayages and their pale faced
rivals. Pluudcriuc Indian Agents have
been one OF the most fruitful sources OF
Indian wars and the brave pioneers.
who 60 in peace 10 plant new fields and
widen the circle OF civilization in our
future States, are the sufferers. 1t ia
upon them and their families that the
merciless vengeance of the maddcued
barbarians falls and when the issue is
thus made, there can be but one result
tho savage must 60.
1t has been ascertaiued by careful cal.
oulation based on official records, that
every Indian killed by the army in reg.
ular warfare during the last halt centu.
~, has cost the government about one
hundred and fifteen thousand dollars.
Such is the financial footing up Of our
Indian wars, not 10 count the loss of
property to settlers, and the loss OF life
among soldiers and pioneers but the
answer is, that the Indian is the right
full owner OF the soil and that we have
first despoiled' him and then extermin.
atcd him in battle. All must confess
the claims Of the Indians upon the gov.
eminent for protection and for the most
humane treatment; but the misfortune
has been that our abstract humanity
has started VA wrong with the Indian.
and the inevitable result has been the
most hagrant injustice TO him. The In.
dian is n barbarian, and the barbarian
is the natural, implacable foe Of civiliza.
ton. Every great advance Of enlight.
ened civilization into the land Of the
barbarian has been the march Of yio.
lence. So it has been from the day the
white man turned from the eastern sea
towards the setting sun. Through the
wilderness Of Pennsylvania and Ohio
over the prairies OF the West through
the canons and around the cliffs OF the
| far mountains, and along the golden
slope of the Pacific, the same story is
told Of the barbarian receding before
the white man as he matched the battle
axe and the scalping knife Of the savage
with the rifle. and crimsoned with blood
! the foundations Of harvests, schools.
churches, newspapers, railroads and
| telegraphs
Now we have covered the whole In.
dian country with the pioneers Of civil.
zation. There is no part OF the whole
continent, outside of the organized In.
dian Territory, where the Indian can
escape the encroachments Of his pale.
faced pursuer. Our railways will soon
span the country from ocean to ocean
by three lines, each cutting through the
heart of what was the Red Mans hunt.
| ing grounds; and as railways are built
and as mines Of the precious metals are
. discovered. the white man settles the
lands Of the savage, and where he once
makes his home, he is ever thereafter
lord of all. No white settlement in the
west has ever been obliterated by the
savage. They may desolate the white
mans fields, burn his ranches, torture
and murder him and his family, but
the retribution that follows usually
leaves no barbarian TO dispute suprema.
cy. The Utes have long been at peace,
and they have no traditions OF peace
with the nomadic Sioux tribes, which
have no peace with the white maa but
the Utes see the pale faces swarming
over all Colorado. They now possess
the mines, the fertile valleys, and are
threading their way into the mountain
ravines and parks, until the barbarian's
patrimony is growing less and less as
each moon flls her horns. just what
started the war is not worth the inquiry.
Whether IL was robbing Agent or
few reckless white Adventures who
first cheated and then punished the
savage, does not matter. II is the old,
old story with immaterial variations,
and war Is upon us in which the saw.
age must sacrifice many Of his braves
! and then take the survivors again be.