The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1880-06-08
REGENTS PRIZE CONTEST.
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AttNiais ~ At% rs AtS ~ SteAAtfuS 1t'fSe ftS8
mote the civilization of that race n
The earliest history Of the different
races Of mankindis wrapt in the deepest
obscurity. Of their early struggles To-
ward civilization We have but the dimest
records. Over the origin and history Of
the American Indian. perhaps hangs
thicker vel ,of mystery than over any
other race. 5I
Are all the members Of this race ofo
stockl Are they the builders Of the
great mounds in Central America. or re.
lated 10 that people 1 Is theirs Tie ciyili-
zation Of the stone or bronze ageI These
and far simpler questions are not only be-
yond the ken Of most people. but have
hardly occurred tothe many
Dating the settlement Of the continent
from the landing Of the Pilgrirps. after
over two hundred and fifty years Icontact
with the Indians, our ignorance of them
may fairly be put down as phenomenon.
Little Of importance has been gathered Of
their history The most significant fact
We encounter, isthe extremegloom which
covers their existence before the white
man came to record their characteristics.
The almost entire absence Of traditions
among them, and the mystical character
Of what tradition they do have, arc proof
Of their low intellectual condition. Sin
then how changed Now the names Of
many Of their tribes exist only in, history,
and III the beautiful rivers that bear the
commerce If the white man.
From great continent, their home
has dwindled in many cases, to the most
inhospitable tracts west Of the Mississippi.
Magnificent hunting grounds with their
buffalo and deer are already 4 thing ofthe
past. The onward march Of the aggres-
siye, grasping, dominant AnglpiSaxon
has surrounded their last hunting grounds.
They can retire no further. They must
civilize Or perish from the earth.
How to civilize the American indians
has been an unsolved problem Tor almost
three bundled years. Almost equally
unsatisfactory results have attended, the
methods that have been tried in tic past.
Conflicting theories have been advanced
concerning him. The dogmatist has de-.
clared them a vanishing race. incapable
Of civilization, and doomedto disappear
as civilization encroaches upon them.
Let US look at them historically. Many
questions are false historically that seem
true dogmatically. Two hundred years
ago, we supplied the Indians with bread.
blankets and tomahawks. Now We are
concerned in furnishing them. teachers.
physicians, implements Of labor, AID in.
dustrial schools, the CHURCHES supplement
ing the more m,caanica' operations Of
civil administration with that moral inau-
ence which is at the root Of all permanent
civilization.
Now they are tilling thousands Of
acres, raising thousands Of bushels Of
grain. tending countless herds Of cattle.
Now thousands Of them are living in com.
Portable homes and are educating their
children. Let these facts refnte the as
sertion that they cannot be civilized.
Civilization is Of slow growth and some
times requires many years to see its first
fruits.
Again. are the Indians doomed TO
become extinct, notwithstanding, the
progress Trey have made in civilization
This IS ofgreat importance. Il Is well
known fact that the transition from bar
barism to civilization makes severe
draft on the vitality Of people, and that
during the transition period their num-
bers are sometimes wonderfully decimatcd.
This loss IS more or less according to
their vitality. It is thought there are
some small tribes that will never endure
this test But after the crucial period Is
once passed, their numbers begin slowly
to increase.
Eighteen different estimates have been
made between 1880 and 1876, The con-
ciusions arriyedat are: that the Cherokels.
since 1900. have substantially increased
il numbers. those in the Indian Territory
numbering is. 67z. and thosein Georgia
and the CaIolinas 400. The SeminoIcs
have also increased. numbering IN the
Indian Territory 1853 and about 500 IN
Tco~s;..11 j. Ees,zx Pr 1 =