The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-08-19

y6t oe f1g1teQ IN the annals OF the law.
But meanwhile the strained relations
between the ordinary citizen and the
missionary still exist, and no one knows
the way out OF the difficulty. The Indian
Is st2ll provided with liquor, even lemon
extract and Florida water. which it is
sad produces something wonderfully
sweet in the way of intoxication. so far as
door goes. And the poor Alaskan knows
no better.
Another burning question is that which
IS dlincuit TO mentiOn-the one which al
ways prevails when the first white man
lnVades the domain OF the aborgine. II
Is that relating TO the ultimate fate OF
the young Alaskan girl ana half-breed.
The law torbidS marriage with the ma
tive. This seemed TO US on shipboard as
unjust. For if there We're men who were
willing to marry these girls they GER
IalnIy ought TO be encouraged instead Of
being forbidden, in view OF the great
wrong which prevails continually even
without the Iormality of marriage. And
so iar as the men are concerned, they GER
taInIy place themselves on a level with
the aborlgines, and by so doing are con-
leSsedly no better than they. Why
should the law protect them, the stronger,
and ignore their vic inns, who are with
out redress? From this view it seemed
unjust.
But not liking to believe that the peo-
pie OF Alaska were lacking in the instinct
o. justice any more than myself ! mad
the courage 10 seek out an attorney at
Fort Nrangel and ask him these ques-
lions. And he expressed himself as much
concerned III these problems, il not more
SO than any OF US. And here is where the
Judge IN Alaska uses his privilege in
reading the law and fitting it to the neces-
slty OF the occasion. While marriage with
halt-breed is not forbidden, ana with
full-blood native is, yet the Judge uses
ms discretion i'll the matter. And if the
sailor or l2ndSman who comes before him
gives evidence OF meaning to remain in
Alaska ana take care OF his Wlie and OIL
spring, then he performs the ceremony
Tor them. But if he is convinced that ne
has no intention Of fulfilling his part as
husband and father, ne refuses. Not be-
cause 1t Is so written, merely, but that
the law may not be an alder and abettor
IN sanctlonlng this hardship which is in
nlcted upon the native woman. And so
saw that there was reason behind the
law.
The missions are filled with half breed
children. You can see at a glance the
German type, the Scotch,th English, and
one tall boy with the carliest of hair,
kinl1ed up in a topknot, showed plainly
his negro parentage on one side Some
way he looked Imaginable among these
StA'i GAlI-IidlItu races, as IL he n2G come
direct from a minstrel show.
The chief Alaskan facial peculiaritv
consists in the high cheek bones and
great width between the eyes. almost un-
canny IN some Instances. The head is
large, the body short and stumpy. To
see pretty profile and complexion on
tall, shapely young lady OF refinement
and believe her 10 be an Alaskan seems
impossible. But a frCnt view discloses
this peculiar width. and amid all the
sweetness and graciousneSs you feel,
rather than perceive, her hyperborean
ancestor.
But what then? Is there any lack, any
mental deficiency in consequence? None
at all. she is as lovely and accomplished
ana even better informed than many Of
our own demoiselleS who boast white
race ancestors back through the Saxons.
" course this IS an exceptional case, but
there IS no limitation in any OF these girls
so far as Intelligence is concerned.
Someone said to me the other day:
"Oh, well, it makes little difference: those
creatures have 40 souls, anyway
IL they have not, neither have we. IN
deed, L never was so close to a souI nor
50 convinced Of the existence of a soul. in
my whole experience as the moment the
tiny Alaskan crone held out her hand TO
me with that beautiful smile on her tiDv
brown faceand yet the PASSENGERS
thought her mummy, a yGritabIe She
" hat IS TO be the result? Is it worth
while for the missionaries to carry on
these establishments Tor the educati0n of
those hali-breeds? Is it well TO rouse
this fever of unrest, that we ourselves
have awakened to our own undoinp. in
these primitive places? Is il wise to in
crease their needs without increasing the
means TO supply those needs? To inn
plant these manifold wants OF civilization
and then leave them to the mercy of
civiIizatiOn-the result is horrible. It's
q problem.
by a mistaken idea Of well-meaning
missionaTies-thes children
are taken from their primitive lodges.
nSny ana smoky, and given pretty white
beds and nice houses and neat clothes
and q pretty fair education-and then
what? No means by which they can
maintain this existence. no way to com
pete with the fierce struggle for survival.
such a girl may occasionally marry one
among her own r&ce, bat he cannot main
tain these civilized appUrtenanceS unless
held up by both hands of the fOsJeyinC
care OF the Government. For, otherwise,
he is merely a hunter and fisher. And
so, as matter OF course, she prefers the
white man. who cannot or will not marry
her.
Thus it is that the evil dav fast an
Alaskan Indian Will be part of history.
Where the white man plants his foot,
there he comes to stay, and all other races
melt before him.
What answer is there to this pitiless
record of inevitable fate? Only one. Let
the evil day be delayed. Let not the
Alaskan be scorched to death by the cleo
trio glare OF our civilization. Let him
decay merely by the course of years.
The Government should take example
from the noble Duncan OF MeIlakatla-
whose name rings now from shore to
shore. He has proved the mettle and
caliber of the Alaskan by his rational
method OF. dealing with these problems.
1t is no longer an experiment OF Dun
cans Indians, it is said: when they are
away from home, they behave like men,
Alaska Should be divided into reserva-
tons, where the natives should be kent
away from contact with the white man
There establish industrial schools, where
they shall be taught TO use their hands
for their own preservation and susie
nance, and learn TO unite in cooperation
among themselves. Teach them practical
truth and morality for their own pres
ervation, and not dogmatic religious
codes Of belief for our own salts
faction. Teach them the principles of
self-government-ves in q council of
as Duncan has taught them
and then leave the rest TO ProvidenceI
Then will the political and moral at
mosphere of Alaska be cleared and
and the betterment of the
white man and the Indian become an as
sured achievement. Otherwise this dis
quietude and unrest and distress to the
verge of bloodshed will continue to the
end of the chapter, and the problem re-
main unsolyed.
ELLA STERLING CUAISIINs.
Fort Wrangel, Alaska, June q, 1892
Mrs. Logan's "Kome Magazine" and
the ewee1z1y Union"