Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-05

hsse b-en asked . -. forth what
cfansrs are iikrs, q take place Ia the status
oi the Asnerioan Intitsllz daring the coming
csntury i: must b; confessed that ! nave
cs1sstsrahly less eot ldcnce Ia ny prophetic
ability than bal before the lart presideu-
tizl eIecr:or. hut - no our OF the c5.eo.oC0
I~s.le Of this eoGnfry viii ever know
vhsthsr ny gsophc;y proves true or false
nay veature - indrize my imagination
with some eezrr- II inapnnity.
The number q Indians al the present
time Is about $4,000 A hundred years
hence they viii number a million Or -.
he Increase hclng due 10 tho cessation II
wars. The spread u intelligence and moral
ify. the Improvement OF hygienic eondi-
tens. tke disappearance Of the medicine
raau. the better food supply ard the utter
rlarrtage with whites
Meanwhlle some tribes viii become Who'll
Is extinct. leaving scarcely a trace Of their
hlsaory outside OF the records Of the Indian
lsirau Other tribes. like the Sioux ard
Navajo. win rapidly Increase and viii ~
ta:a most u thar characteristic traits The
PEBBLES of New Mexico. who are rejecting
50 successfully the efforts II the govern
rlens ia their Behalf. viii contleue 20 be
fnvori,c people for ethnoln.sists and self o.
tvacizri journalists who find pleasure and
profit Ia basbarissn.
There will be here and there wandering
hands OF blanket b<sggars-aboriginal
trnmps- perpstnating the shsurditirs and
enorI1ities q Indian lie ekher "a profes-
sssn "a as a prcsilsntlal object lesson for
students II history. who will thus be able
10 form fair estimate q tie great work
that the Indian bureau has wrought Ia
he tribes will disappear and the a.yer-
dis become a thing Of the past. thus Dis
Kissing Of the much abused Indian agents,
whether civilians or army officers The
friction between the interior and the war
departments will he produced by other
causes. and army officers. having no longer
an excuse for trying 70 run the Indian Of
acc. viii seek other fields for the exercise
q their talents. Further. the said Indian Of
dcc-that insxhanslibie source Of news
when al sources faii--wiil be forever
closed. the Indian commissioner will have
rest. ard the Catholics and penny -a-liners
on mischief bent Will have 20 hunt for other
targets
The great body Of Indians viii become
merged In the indistingusshabie mass Of
oar population. ard there will spring up a
lew arissocTscy. claiming distinction by
rsAson Of Indian descent. TO be able 10
trace ones pedigree back TO some great
warrior or bi., chief. or 60 have the right to
claiEn dsscen, from one OF the first gTsda-
AS u Carlisle. Viii be almost as desirable
as % bsioug To New Yorks Four Hundred.
Many Indians viii achieve distinction as
orators. poets. fnanciers and inventors.
Some II the inest poetry ever pcnned viii
find it, inspiration and material Ia Indian
history, and whole generation % novelists
will win fame ard fFvor by stories whose
leading characters are Of Indian decent.
Clicsxs university viii proudly boast IL
an Indian laboratory devoted TO Indian
LIE and language.
An I1dian vii. command the United
States army. and another will b. our min
istsr % Spain and have the honor Of invit-
lax the royal party to attend the centennial
fair 10 be held In Denver Ia 1919.
With tie dlsafpearsnee Of the Indians
will DISAPPEAR the Indian Rights associa-
tiou. or IL Will turn It's ever watchfui eye TO
the condition q the perhaps still heather
Chince And tae army viii gladly abandon
the plains and take up it, permanent abode
Ia ;hs ever desired haven Of Washington
THOMAS J. MORGAN,
Commissioner q Indian Affairs