The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-02-22
The American Indians In 1893.

I have been asked to set forth what
changes are likely to take place in the
status of the American Indians during
the coming century. 1t must be confess.
ed that I have considerable less conf
dence in my prophetic ability than ! had
before the last presidential election, but
as no one of the 65,OO0,OOO people of this
country will ever know whether my
prophecy proves true or false may ven.
ture to indulge my imagination with
some degree of impunity.
The number of Indians at the present
time is about 25O,000. A hundred years
hence they will number million or so,
the increase being due to the cessation of
wars, the spread of intelligence and mo-
rality, the improvement of higienic con-
ditions, the disappearance of the medi-
cine man, the better food supply and the
intermarriage 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 rapidly in
crease and will retain most of their char.
acteristic traits. The Pueblos of New
Mexico, who are rejecting 30 successfully
the efforts of the government in their be-
half, will continue to be a favorite people
for ethnologists and self ostracised jour-
nalists who find pleasure and profit in
barbarism.
There will be here and there wander
ing bands of blanket beggars- aboriginal
tramps-perpetuatipg the absurdities and
enormities Of Indian life either as pro
fession or as providential object lesson
for students of history who will thus be
able to form fair estimate of the great
work that the Indian bureau has wrought
in helping to redeem the great mass Of
them.
The tribes will disappear aad the agen-
cies become thing Of the past, thus dis
posing of the much abused Indian
agents, whether civilians or army off
GERS. The friction between the interior
and the war departments will be produc
cd by other causes, and army officers,
having no longer an excuse for trying to
run the Indian Office will seek other
fields for the exercise of their talents
Further, the said Indian ofice-that in.
exhaustible source of news when all
sources fail-will be forever closed, the
Indian commissioner will have rest,
and the Catholics and penny a-liners on
mischief bent will have to hunt for other
targets.
The great body of Indians will become
merged in the indistinguishable 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, or to have the
right to claim descent from one Of the
frat graduates of Carlisle, will be almost
as desirable.
Many Indians will achieve distinction
as orators, poets, fnauciers and invent.
ors. Some of the finest poetry ever pen
ned will find its inspiration and material
in Indian history, and whole genera
ton of noyelists will win fame and favor
by stories whose leading characters are
of Indian descent. Chicago university
will proudly boast of an Indian labora.
tory devoted to Indian life and language.
An Indian will command the United
States army, and another will be our
minister to Spain and have the honor of
inviting the royal party to attend the
centennial fair to be held il Denver in
1892.
With the disappearance of the Indians
will disappear the Indian Rights associa-
lion, or it will turn it's ever watchful eye
to the condition of the perhaps still
"heathen Cbinee," and the army will
gladly abandon the plains and take up it's
permanent abode in the ever desired
haven of Washington.
THOMAS J. MORGAN,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
DioI-op, WnnS Dfenonco