New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-18
SOMETHING NEW FOR THE INDIAN

SOMETHING NEW FOR THE INDIAN
Among the notable charitable requests OF tie
dov ,vo must not overlook that Of the late Judge
Ambrose Perkins, of St. Paul, MINI. Judge
Perkins's Offering In the name OF philanthropy
is not only noteworthy for its great Size
81 600. O0O-but for the fact that 1t branches out
in an entirely new direction, thus pointing ou'
a field for other wealthy men charnaoiy us
no-ed Judge Perkins did not found coilegc
nor library in his native town. Neither uiu
he endow a hospital or establish any sore Vi
home or asylum lie rather turned his attention
70 the former owner OF this country, the hdiah'
lie had taken deep interest in the red man lor
years lie had examined every scheme ior 'ne
amelioration of the condition OF the nopic Savage
from the repeating rifle Of the settler 70 'he ue"
Of patcnt-leather shoes advanced by coniini''ee
Of Boston ladies. lie had taken up aiiKe 'he
Calling gun of the standing Army ana 'he ei"o'
NJ the Philadelphia Indian Rights Associauoh'
and he had rejected them all. Judge rerkihs
long ago became convinced that wnat Ihe ihui,A
really needed was not the fiIearm, the white hecH
tic nor the Sabbath reading matter lie oeoiue"
that what the copper-colored gentleman oi .no
forest and the plain needed more IMAM any ~ihs
clse WAS soap. Judge Perkins therefore resoi'eu
to place a piece of soap in the mana Oh e'ciy
Indian in the United States, and drew Dis VIII
accordingly.
The peculiar bequest Of Judge Perkins CANNOT
fail to attract much attention and probably some
crit;c,sm. But il must be borne in mind when
bestowino the latter that the Judge had had much
experience with the Indian. The Judge should
have known what the red brother needs, ana IL
he saws it is soap great many people VIII not
be inclined TO question il. Indeed, many VINO
have made a study of the Indian will, we believe
bo found to agree wholly with the Judge. what
the Indian needs is a civilizing influence. Inc
favorfte weapons OF the early settler and OF the
REGULAR Army, while eminently calming, are en-
tirely too deadly. Literature is found to nave
but little effect upon him, as he Is lhchneu W
Use books for fire-wood, and to wad MS shotgun
with tracts and weekly newspapers OF al eicNa'iis
character New clothes and farming implements
and house furnishing goods seem 10 90 puU l''ie
more for him he is apt to laugh at ana refuse
TO wear tho first named, and to exchange inc
others for the hot and rebellious liquors OF thc
paIe-face Even education does not seem to htt
him as could be hoped, having, usually, httie OF
no effect on his moral or social nature. Inc
spectacle of young red brother who can reao
Sophocles in the original stealing the postuauer
dog for soupmeat is not an edl1ylng one. Dut
soan ia quite another thing. That lie needs it
there can DC no uOuDt, tndo io WIN "" "' ''"S"
for him as Judge Perkins expected can only be
told by giving it a fair trial. Soap VIII come 10
the Indian as a complete novelty. AT present
he knows more about the procession of the
eouinoxes than he does about soap. lie Will have
hard work to dispose of it except III the right way
He cannot eat it, it will make but indifferent gun
wadding and he will find it difficult to barter
it for liquor, since the dealers in this substance
in his immediate neighborhood are almost M
yariably as little acquainted with the peculiar
virtues of soap as he himself is. On the whole
we believe that a new day is dawning Tor the
North American Indian.