New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-28
battle, and yet the thought does shine dimly

battle, and yet the Thought docs shiho uii"'
through:
There seems TO be no reason to question that' al
though progress rapid still the transformation Oh
he indian character and habits steadily progressing
and that with continuing benefccncc I'm the treatment
NJ them by the Government It need not fall to the io
Of this people inct upon them the GROWING act ol
Injustice by their humiliation, but they may yct DC
nodded into civilized form, embraced within the fods
OF society, and elevated by enlightenment to a con-
dIton of development and happiness which shall to
some degree atone In the Indians Of the future for the
Injustice which has been suffered by the Indians of
the past in their contact with white men. The meas
urc OF progress attained necessarily corresponds to tho
intelligence energy and steadfast uniformity with
which their treatment and the work of their alienation
are prosecuted Thus II happens that we have now In
some parts OF the country Indian people who are self
supporting ofentlmes industrious and successful to
gratifying degree, who have established TO a demon
siraton the possibility Of the race for the reception OF
all the beneficial influences and requirements OF
civilized life WHILE on the other hand, there yet re-
mains some who troglodytes in barbarism. And
among the various tribes shaded tho differences be
tween these two extremes The varying conditions
depend also to considerable degree upon fortultous
circumstances which have operated eiil.er TO debar,
to limit or modify the attempts hitherto addressed to
their amelloraon.
If Colonel Villas had only left the words to
go their own way, his report would never have
talked about Indians being nodded into civil
lied FORM" or being elevated by enlighten
ment to a condition of development" nor have
held out a prospect of atonement imp the
Indians of the future, when doubt those
amiable persons would prefer that the atone
ment should be to them, Neither would he
have said that the progress attained by the
Indians depends upon the way in which " the
work of their alleviation' is prosecuted. How
can an Indian be "aleviated"? We are not
now addressing the wild men Of the frontier,
who claim that the best way is a treatment of
cold lead, taken first externally and then in
ternally. but distinguished statesman. Why
should the possibility Of selfsupport for the
Indians have been established to demOnstra-
tiono? If they have established" it, they
have surely Demonstrated it. Is it quito
proper to speak Of the reception" of " ac-
quirementS"? What are "trogodytes in bar
barism,n and wouldn't some other less eX-
pensive combination Of words do just as well
But there is structural weirdness in Colonel
Vilas's style, to which detailed analysis does
not do Justice, and which can only be appre-
cated when it is contemplated at large Many
other examples might be given, but we forbear.
We can almost regret that the series of reports
from the Secretarys hand has come to an end.
Nothing is such test of character as adversely
and when he gets firm grip on the English
language it has fallen upon hard times. Then
we admire more than ever its magnificent quail
tiles. 1t may emerge from the conflict di-
shevelled, limp, bedraggled but it is game to
the last, and never says die