Morning journal and courier., 1886-04-19
v.theTndian ont.

[CharIes W. Shelton in Missionary Heraldl The belief is quite popular that the Indian ! is rapidly passing away. This is not the be- lief of those who have given the most study to the subject. According to the best autho- rities, az race, there are now as many Indians | in our country as there ever were. Since the discovery of this continent by Columbus, the Indian has held his own. But beyond this general statement, how far is it safe to go! While some smaller tribes in New England have undergone the process of annlhllatlon and amalgamation with the white population so as to almost lose their tribal identity (as, for instance, the Pequots, or whom only one full-blooded male is now living), yet the Indians as 8 people not disappearing; neither do we believe it to be their destiny ' thus to disappear. If notice the record of single tribes, in this respect, the above is most emphatically true. The Cherokee nat ion, being one of the oldest of which we have early authentic records, will serve as an illus traton. In 1909, under the direction of the
 United States Indian agent, there was made
 an actual enumeration of this tribe, which proved the population then to be F, 395. Drake, in 1895, estimates the Cherokee popu- lation at 13, 593. Gallatin, in 1886, the authority of the Indian department, reports the Cherokee population at 15, 900. Passing over 40 years, we find in 1876 that, according to government report, the population has in creased to 21 ,072; and in 1884 to 26, LOO. This shows gain in 65 years QS09-1SS4) of 13, 705, and in AS years QS36-1SS4) a gain of II 100, and in eight years Q676-1S94) 5,0S2 To the above increase should be added the 4000 which perished in the removal of 1888. with regard to which Commissioner Hayt says Qndian report, 1S70: Enforced e1- patriation has probably done more to retard the increase ot Indian population than war, psstilenee or famine; perhaps than all com bined. From the time they Ghe Cherokees) were gathered into camps by the United States troops in May aud June, 1888, till he time the last detachment reached the Arkansas country, which was about 10 months, careful estimate shows that not less than 900 or 4, 800 were removed by death, being on an average from 13 to IT deaths day, for the whole period, out of 8 population of 16, ,000 or one fourth of the whole num- ber' The Navajo tribe are commoy'7 re- ported to have doubled their populat- with in the last 15 years. The actual statistics, as reported by government, are as follows: Pop ulation in 1873, g, Appropriation in 1883, IT, 900; gain in 10 years, 7,S86.
 With regard to the increase among the Sioux, Rev. Stephen R. Riggs, after 40 years of service among this people as missionary, says: "At various times in the progress of our mission-work we have kept life-tables for | q single Dakota village, and always, believe, with the result that the births somewhat ex- cesded the deaths' And in reply to the question, Is the Indian dying out? he answers: ''No sir do not think the facts which are | before us at all justify the belief that the In- dians are necessarily vanishing race" Rev. J. P. Williamson, after life of work and ob- .ervation says regarding the increase of this | same people: Forty years ago the Sioux were
 supposed to number 25, 900, which was prob 1 ably an overestimate as 1t was based on the | number of lodges, the rule being to count 1C l persons to q lodge, which think very seldom
 | the case. Now, 1S7O the Sioux are estimat-
 ed at 1000, though 10000 would probably
 | be a better count, and near the truth as
 | 25, 900 was 40 years ago, which would show an | increase of 60 per cent in 40 years"
 If we turn now from the increase of the l Indian nation as a whole, we find that the
 total number of births for five years Q879- ! 1884 is 17,5SS; the total number of deaths | for the same years, IA, 792; making clear \ gain in births over deaths for period of | five years 3, So5. Again, this gain in popula- | tion is not, many suppose, merely the nat
 ural gain which comes from the decrease of | morality among infants and small children. | While the agency physicians, a better know
 l ledge of the laws of health, better homes,
 | clothing and food, will in part explain this | increase yet the fact still remains that ths | actual birth-rate is also increasing. Refer ring again to the report of the Indian com 1 missioner, we find that the total number of ! births in 1874 was 3, 152, while in 1884 it had risen to 4, ,751.
 How a Railway Train Was Net Rob- bed.
 [Trom the Omaha Railway News.1
 l The recent robbery or the United States Express messenger on the Rock Island road l brings to mind an incident which occurred on the B. and NJ. railroad in Nebraska eight or nine years ago, and although there were no such serious results it was the occasion of considerable excitement at the time. Al. K Minton, the messenger for the American Express company between Omaha and Kear- ney, was noted for his activity and nerve, and, while not of quarrelsome disposition, he was quick to resent an insult.