, 1879-05-30

In a recent statement Of nwar1ls made ht
tho Now York Office Of the Commissioner Of
Indian ATairs, aftor cnamerating the amounts
Of corn mud mess pork needed, we are con-
fronted with tho somowhat remarkable doc
laration TINT 53,615 pounds Of baking
powder will bo required, from which We
infer that, In the opinion Of tho Commits
sioner, baking powder is ono Of the ossen-
tials Of Indian happiness, and that tho tawny
warriors OF tho plains and tho lazy bucks OF
tho reservations will hereafter reYol in
Vionna rolls, Boston brown-bread, hot cross
buns, doughnuts, spongo-cako, not except
ing gstrnwber1y- -saortcnke and other inoidontals
of white civilization. In tiuos past there
hnve been sono very curious supplies for
wart1od to Indians. Conl.scuttles. were ut
ono time favorito artiolo OF supply, but,
whom It was found that the Indians persisted
in using them for holmets, thoy wero prop
orly discontinued. Then the contractors
farcied that tho average Indian would
stil moro rapidly advance In civilization II
he only had p1onty Of majolica cuspidors
but, when 1t was found that ho used this sort
of bijouterio to boil his buffalo meat in, ous-
pilora wore cut oil. Then tho versatile mind
Of tho contractor turned towards1alnbrequin
but when, on tho Indian festival days, tho
warriors appeared clad in m astonishing ns-
sortmant of 1nnbrcquin breeoh-olottB, these
were reiooted alho Intlian contractors, how
svor, arc mover discouraged ia their work Of
ciyilizing The Indians. They next hit upon
aight-iay clocks, which they woro confident
would romind the dusky sons Of tho forest Of
tho flight Of timo and the necessity Of ;m-
proving It. The eightday clocks, however,
did nothing Of tho sort. Az soon as they at
rived, tho squaws ripped out tho inwards,
which wero used for porsonnl adornmont,
aud then utilized tho clocks %
a1op.pails, The ladies Of tho various
tribos mnde stunning appearance, arrayed
in pendant wheels, mninsprings, pondulnms,
and dia1s. and one old squaw who appeared
with m old-fashioned dowered dial for a
breas.pin was the envy Of all her neighboru.
| Tho contractors, however. Ind to abandon
this groat moral agency n!so. Other appus-
| tannnoes of civilization were tried, such as
a1eoye-buttons, worked slippers, embroidered
footrosts, 6pectaolos, baby-jumperH, opera-
glasses, oylintlor doslka, ahoet music, Galvan-
ized oarpat-tacks. Saratoga waves, chromos
| rofriEcrators, weathercockH, Latin grammars.
circulnr SAWS, ,nolasses candy, aud gotla-
fountains: but ono oftor the other tnoso sun-
Mics wcro eliminated. ~ thoy worn not ayail.
abla for food or cutting gcalps. tho two
csaentiala of 1ntlion life, Altar n long con.
uultot;op with Indian Auonta md mission.
o-ica tho contractors aett1ca unon so,n
M tic ono thing uocdful, and soap wont
forward to tho Indian country in i'm
monao Quantities. Tboro woro loya sonn.
cnati1o soap. tar soan. bar SOM. toi1ot
aoan. sand soap. soft soap. all kinds
Of soap. Tie Indians took tho soap kindly
far a time, as tbcy thought It Was somothinp
ooo1 10 ont. but after aevoral Of ahen, bail
noar,v washed ont their fusides with It nnd
fonn,} TINT their nonJos wouldn't sat II. md
thot It dian,t ,noka oood ammunition. +bay
-,fnse,] tn 1,nvo ANYTHING moro io t1o will,
t. Al, effort waa than n,a1o TO ernlo;n ;ta
ina To them, A fn,rlv.oIean Indian waa so,
lcctod md two athtatio contrnotora nrocoodad
~ aor,,,, hin, M The two english aarf,ora M
lie Afulon. After removing savernl luobo,
of dirt n 1onp,loat braooh- cloth woa fonm1
oottino this OF. there were indications o
onothoT farther In. md than the contr.ctor,
ahoni1onod thotr work. and tho aovernn,oni
forboi1o anv fnrthor sbtnmonta NJ soon-
And now. aftor this louc list Of failures
co,nea TIM understandable contractor with Iii
1,att,r.noudor ns tha artto,a vhich nvor,
w.t1.rcgn,ato5 indian shou1f1 ,,avo IN hia far,
uv .Whv ho ahou,d hava n IN 1,ts fo,n,1,