Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-23
THE INDIAN RELIGIOUS OUTBREAK

There is tragic ea-nestness in the false
Messiah-wOrshiping, ghost-dancing fanati-
cism of the disturbed Indians which should
make the Government extremely careful not
to resort to extreme measures which precipi-
tate bloodshed. 1t is timely to allude to
this, because we see General Miles charged
in some quarters with being anxious 10
bring on an Indian war.
Between ordinary deviltry, such as in
spired Indian disturbances many times in
the past, and violent even though mis-
taken, religious emotion, as now shown,
there is vast difference, to which some re-
spect must be had. Religious belief, whether
among the savage or civilized, the enlight-
ened or the unenlightened, whatever errone-
Gus forms it sometimes takes, commands for
bearance to the last degree. Besides. it is
not these poor semi-savages of our plains
who alone have exhibited fanaticism in their
religious professions. At various times, as
history exhibits, sects of white people pre-
tending to the lights of civilization have
shown frenzy almost as wild as that of the
ghost-dancers. When Short Bull. one of
the prophets of the false Messiah of the In
dians, tells his followers elaborately how God
had urged them "to be afraid of nothing" I"
that I'VE are the tribe of Indians and the
only people who live sacred life; that
''the earth will shlver and destroy the
soldiers; that whatever white men tell
you do not listen to them; and ''my friends
and relatives, all this is straight and true,
there is the tone in the assurances which
false prophets are accustomed to use. His
tory records how time and again the pale
faces" themselves have been moved by such
appeals to holy wars, mutual hatred and a
spirit of fanaticism, than which nothing
could be more at variance with the religion
of Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose
good fortune of the whole race that the
spread of intelligence has led among them
to better understanding of the Divine in
junction and purpose.
When the Indian goes to fighting out of
the mere excess of animal spirits inspired
by either bad frontier whisky or race re-
venge, no sympathy is wasted when he is
caught and sharply punished. But
the outbreak Of spiritual fever
among these remnants of the Aborigi-
mes is, seriously, another sort of disease
which calls for gentler and more patient
treatment. 1t is no pleasaEter to be toma-
hawked by q savage who fancies he is obey
ing Gods command than to fall under the
butchers knife in other fashion, so the Gov
ernment's hand should be prompt and
strong to restrain. But there is enough
humanity and fairness in the country to
reprobate any attempt on the part of the
soldiers to provoke the bloodsbed, the pre-
vention of which should be their sole func-
tion. The rage of blind or stupid fanaticism
passing under the name of religion is not
such new thing but that it is we'll to make
whatever allowance is possible for the
frenzy which has broken out so unexpectedly
among the Indians whose opportunities to
know better have been none OF the best. II
the Government sees to the protection of the
white settlers the Indian craze will soon die
out, and in place of harm resulting the
greater may be the opportunity to teach
them of the true Messiah who came with a
message of peace and good will to earth.
The occasion is one where the ignorance of
an unfortunate race pleads against any more
violence than is necessary for restraint.