The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-04-19
AMERICAN INDIANS IN 1898.
Indian Commissioner Morgan Believes
They VIII Be Quadrupled in Number.

have been asked to set forth what
changes are likely to take place in the
status of the American Indians during
the coming century, says Thomas j.
Morgan, Commissioner of Indian At
fairs, according to the St. Louis Star
Sayings 1t must be confessed that
have considerably less confidence in my
prophetic ability than had before the
last Presidential election, but as no
one of the 65,000,0 people of this
country will ever know whether my
prophesy proves true or false may
venture to indulge my imagination
with some degree of impunity.
The number of Indians at the present
time is about 25O,000. A hundred
years from now they will number a
million or so, the increase being due to
the cessation of wars, the spread of
intelligence and morality, the improve
ment Of hygienic conditions, the dis
appearance OF the medicine man, the
better food supply and the intermar-
riage with whites.
Meanwhile some tribes will become
wholly extinct, leaving scarcely trace
of their history outside of the records
of the Indian Bureau. Other tribes,
| like the Sioux and Navajo, will prob
ably increase and will retain most of
| their characteristic traits. The Pu-
eblos of New Mexico, who are reieot-
ing so successfully the efforts of the
Government in their behalf, will con-
tinue to be a favorite people for ethno-
! logists and self-estracized journalists
who find pleasure and profit in bar
barism.
There will be here and there wan
dering bands of blanket heggars-ab-
original tramps-perpetuatin the alb
surdities and enormities of Indian life,
either as profession or providential
object lesson for students of history,
/ who will thus be able to form fair
estimate of the great work the Indian
! Bureau has wrought in helping to re-
deem the great mass of them.
The tribes will disappear and the
agencies become thing of the past,
thus disposing of the much-abused In
dian agents, whether civilians or army
officers. The friction between the In
terror and War Departments will be
produced by other causes, and army
officers, having no longer any excuse
for trying to run the Indian Office,
will seek other fields for the exercise
of their talents. Further, the said In
dian Office-that inexhaustible source
of news when all sources fail-will be
forever closed, the Indian Commits
sioner will have rest, and the penny
a-liners on mischief bent will have tc
hunt for other targets,
The great body of Indians will be-
come merged in the indistinguishahle
mass of our population, and there will
spring up new aristocracy. claiming
distinction by reason of Indian descent
To be able to trace ones pedigree back
to some great warrior or big chief, OIL
to have the right to claim descent
from one of the first graduates of Car
Isle, will be almost as desirable as tc
belong to New York's four hundred.
Many Indians will achieve distinc
ton as orators, poets, hnanciers anC
inventors. Some of the finest poems
ever penned will find it's inspiration
and material in Indian history, and
VIII ole generation of novelists will viii
fame and favor by stories whose lead
ing characters are of Indian descent
Chicago University will proudly boas
of an Indian laboratory devoted to In
dian life and language.
An Indian viii command the United
oCaGes army anu anoIner VIII pe ou
Minister to Spain and have the homo
of inviting the royal party to attenC
the centennial fair to be held in Den
yer in 1892.
With the disappearance of the Indi
ans will disappear the Indian Right
Association. or it will turn it's eve
watchful eye to the condition of th
perhaps still "heathen Chinee" and tn
army will gladly abandon the plain
and take up its permanent abode i
the ever desired haven of Washington