The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-09
SMALL STRAIN OF INDIAN BLOOD.
Strong Inducements Found For
Claiming Tribal Relationship.

Strong Inducements Found For
Claiming Tribal Relationship.
Washington Letter to the St. Louis Globe
Democrat.
There are TOO many white Indians The
increasing value of The reservations, the
distributions of great sums of money by
the government to members of tribes, the
development of splendid educational inst-
buttons for the exclusive benefit of Indian
children. these and other advantages have
had the effect TO draw back into tribal re-
lationships thousands whose title daRends
upon a small strain of blood @Saese
changed conditions are stimulating mar
riages between white men and Indian wo-
men. and between Indian men and white
women. In the Indian school at Lawrence,
Kan, can be seen b,ue-eyed, fair-haired
little Indians receiving living, clothing and
education at the cost of the government.
The same is true at Carlisle and at Hamp-
ton and at all of the Indian schools The
richest people per capita in this country
are the members of some OF these tr.Des.
The problem of the five civilized tribes IS
complicated by the presence of too many
white men who have married Indian Wo-
men, to the great advantage OF their per-
sonal fortunes. 1t is enough to bring tears
to The eyes of craven image to near
these men talk of the wrong of the poor
Indian. Gov Brockmeyer of Missouri
went down to the Indian territory some
wears ago to transact business with one
of the tribes When he came back, after
having driven a hard bargain for his ell
ents, he commented on the people he had
dealt with.
INDIAN said he "Those fellows are
not Indians. They are mighty smart yam
KEGS tanned a little"
The new superintendent of Indian
schools is impressed with the growing
numbers of white Indians, and he calls
the attention of the government TO them
in forcible manner.
inspecting officials" Superintendent
Mailman says, ARE frequently embarrass-
ed on visiting boarding schools by the DIS
covery that among the children there are
many who apparently have very little In
dian blood, If any. On inquiry, these chill
dren claim q Slight degree of Indian piood
varying from one-siXteenth to one-siXIy-
fourth In a number of instances, now
ever. it is found chat they are the chill
dren of white parents who were adopted
into the tribe perviOus to the census Tor
registering its members. In most cases
the parents of these children are sufficient
" well-to-do and able to provide for their
education.
For a number or reasons the presehce
of these white Indians in the schools Is
liable TO become a disturbing element
either through the greater natural tur-
bulence of the white blood in their veins
or through fancied superiority of race
Moreover, these children, upon graduation,
may seek employment in the Indian serv-
ice and gain admission thereto without be-
ing subjected to the civil service eXamina-
ton, which stands between other whites
and appointment.
ION technical grounds all this may be
correct. but in equity ID seems 10 hold ele-
mepts of unfairness both 10 the real IN
dams and the white citizens of the United
States, who pay the bills for the education
and maintenance of these people. mas
much as there seems to be no remedy Tor
this in existing laws it is imperative that
congress should at an early date indicate
by statute what degree of blood shall con-
stitute an Indian, and to what extent
adopted Indians shall be entitled to gov
ernmental support in matters of educa-
tiOnr