The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-10
Not Dying out so Fast.

According to the latest data in the
possession Of of the Interior DEPART
ment at Washington the number Of In
dams in the United States in 262 900.
dian tribes receiving supplies FROM the
Government reasonably accurate Statis-
tics have been obtained, as in making
issues Of goods to the Indians the in
diVidual receipt of each head of Il fami-
ly is required. The accounts division
OF the Indian Office therefore possesses
Il register roll of the names of all heads
OF families to whom goods, supplies or
aDnuities are issued by the Government.
IN most of the States there are remain
ing small communities of Indians, like
the Six Nations in New York, the
Eastern CherOkccs in North Carolina,
the Mjamis in Indians. &c. Having
I'll bal properly, they maintain Il tribal
organization, The Indian Office exer-
cises SOFT Of guardianship over them
III the protection Of their funds, limit
ing the contracts they may make and
the fees they may pay to attorneys, de-
Gliding questions Of membership in tho
tribe, etc.; but they arc self-supporC-
ing, and receive no goods or supplies
from Tie Government. The same may
be said Of the GIVE civilized tribes" Of
the Indian Territory,and of the Indians
OF the paclic coast, although some
of the latter receive about five
per cent. OF their subsistence from the
Department. They are not dependent
upon the Government for the supply Of
their daily wants, and consequently the
| Indian department is not able to obtain
| from them such minute and detailed
reports as arc required from tho semi
savage tribes. In some cases the Gov
ernment IS therefore in possession of
better statistics from the "wild" tribes
than from such as arc partially civiliZ-
ed, or at least self-suppOrLing.
! Leaving the five civilized tribes of
the Indian Territory out Of the qups-
ton, these statistics show that the In
dams are not now and for Seyera! years
past have not been decreasing in mum
GERS. The births reported in all tuc
tribes last year aggregated 2093; the
number Of deaths was 2478. An exam
lnation of the reports from all the
Agencies in detail shows many instan.
ccs Of decrease; but the general result
Is as stated. 1t is not claimed tnat
these figures are either complete or ex.
act: but they are, beyond reasonable
doubt, sufficient to establish the facl
that the Indian race, as "a whole, i'll spite
Of disadvantagcouS circumstances, il
not dying out. The mortuary customs
of most Of the tribes render it improba
BILE tl,at many deaths should escape tho
knowledge of the agent. AS regard!
the death OF a relative or friend the In
dian is not stole; mourning for thu
deceased whether slain in battle or dy
ing from natural causes, is usually lou(
and long continued, and accompanied
with ceremonies likely TO make every
person within the sound Of beating tor
toms and wailing voices aware of tht
loss the tribe has sustained. Owe
births no such demonstrations arr
made, 50 that the error in tho figure
lglven is probably that Of reporting to-
} small an increase III the tribal mum
bers.
1t is. easy to find reports from parti
. cular tribes showing decided decreas
during the past year. The Six Nations
. New York, lost 236 by death, Will
there were only 1877 births. There az
SIG Indians on the several reservation
: in New York--the Sonccas, Oneidas
. Cayugas; Onondagas, Tonawandas an
l Tuscaroras. These Indians are secon(
l rate farmers, as are the Pottawatomie!
Kickapops and Munsees Of Kansas, VIII
l also lost in numbers last year, til
Adeaths among them exceeding til