The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-27
SAVAGES LUEATICS
THEORY OF DIR. DANIEL G.. BRIN-
TON, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
PENNSYLVANIA.
THE PROOFS He ADDUCES.
NATURAL LAWS APPEAL TO ALL
FAIR MINDS, HOWEVER
IGNORANT,
BUT NOT TO SAVAGE MINDS.
lnnumerable Striking Instances Ex-
tst to Show Incapacfty in
the Indian
BUT NOT TO SAVAGE MINDS.

|
mind. OF late his attention has been
particularly attracted to the pecuIiari-
ties OF the savage races, and after a
thorough study Of the subject he is
prepared to maintain his theory that
the mind Of the aborigine differs so
widely from that of the civilized man
that insanity is the only term that can
be used in describing 1t.
whether or not the basic principle Of
the mind is the same in the savage
and the civilized man matters not. The
| fact remains that it's workings are Of a
totally different nature. Men may differ
In opinion, but natural laws appeal in
the same manner to every sane per-
son. 1t is only to the mind unhinged,
or originally imperfect, that natural
laws have no meaning, and that actions
in direct contradiction to them ensue.
1t is explained that education is not
necessary to develop the mind regard
ing natural laws. An ignorant person
knows fully as well as the most highly
educated that fire will burn him; that
If he attempt to hang his coat in the
air 1t will fall to the ground; and that
II he dig from the earth, he must have
hole in one place and a mound in an
other. And it Is upon this basic prin-
ciple that DR.. Brinton POUNDS his as
sertion that savages are insane.
1t Is explained that the savage, even
after reaching the age Of maturity.
conducts his daily life much in the
manner Of a child. His reasoning is
incorrect his expectations absurd and
his actions those Of a maniac, often
accompanied by violence absolutely un.
called for by any code Of ethics or
morals which can be conceived by a
mind in tact. And these workings of
the mind, and the consequent actions
which result therefrom, are in no way
fallacious to the savage himself. To
him his mythical dreams are realities.
and he lives his life in the same manner
as the pauper lunatic who fancies him.
self monarch of continent.
Dr. Brinton says in support Of his
theory:
1.-THE mind Of the savage is singularly
d1fferent from that Of the cizilized man,
Most of the frequent misrepresentation
OF the conduct Of barbarous tribes arise
from misunderstanding Of the work.
1ngs of their intellect
some writers have taught that the
savage acts and reasons like a child
OF eight or ten years among ourselves.
so he does in some respects, but in
many others the resemblance is faint
or absent. German physician, On
the other hand, has lately argued thai
the savage in his mental acts reveals
such lack Of reason and moral sense
that MS analogue in cultured states
is to be found among the insane only.
"A few examples will illustrate what
l mean. When a native Australian Is
hunting at distance from camp. and
perce1Ves the sun will soon set. he
makes a ball of clay and puts it in the
FORK OF tree. for he believes that this
Will retard the motion Of the sun long
enough for him to reach camp before
dark
SOME STRIKING INSTANCES.
Capt. Clark, of the United States
army, saw some poles with women's
apparel on them near a Mandan VIII
lage, and asked what they meant.
If you observe the sum- replied an
old chief, you will see that he stops
three times in his daily course, once
just after sunrise, once at midday,
and once just before sunset He stops
to smoke pipe in three lodges, where
dwell certain immortal women We
offer them these clothes, that they may
speak a good word to the sun for usi'
Now, in both these instances the
shghtest accuracy Of observation
would have proved the error of the
theory on which the action was based:
but the savage mind declined the at
tempt
ITO the savage there Is no differences
between the reality Of his dreams and
his waking life. One is Just as real "a
the other. His dream life is more i'm
portant, as in it his soul travels widely
and even visits the abode Of departed
souls and converses with the gods The
Interpretation of dreams Is always a.
prime point in savage life. A traveller
reports of a Siberian tribe that when
a man dreams he has been united with
any woman of his village it is her
hounden duty to consent.
His emotions are far more important
to savage than his reason. His feelings
govern him in all his actions. He loves
( to excite them by wild dances, fasting
and stimulants. The visions he thus
cultivates make up his religion. Thus
he communes with his tutelary spirit
or guardian angel, and the deities Of
his tribe.
"He has no real notion of what we
mean by morality. Personal holiness
to him means observing the ceremonial
law and the tribal customs 1t is as
much and as highly moral for him to
hate his enemies as to cherish his
friends. Every one is an enemy to him
who is a stranger to his tribe. Person.
al conscience he has none; nor personal
responsibility. He will sacrifice any
thing for his clan, but owes no allie
glance to any abstract notion Of truth,
There are several other students of
ethnology who agree to some extent
with DR.. Brinton in his diagnosis Of
the savage mind, though none has been
bold enough to make the absolute as
sertion Of insanity. There is no doubt
that to the savage, as to the insane,
there Is no distinction between the Idea
and its reality, that the law Of causa-
lily is restricted to it's narrowest sem
suous limits, and that logical processes
Of thought are constantly violated.
Prof. Pinsero, of Palermo, who Is
regarded as an authority on the sub
ject, advances the theory that early
man was mentally lower than the an
thropoid apes, for they, he said, had a
religion in serpent worship, while ear
ly man had none.
The question Is regarded as most inn
pcrtant to this country. The develop
ment of the Indian Is watched with
great interest by the United States gov
eminent and, If 1t be proved that the
savage is insane, 1t may be necessary
to establish an entirely new system
OF education to eradicate whatever fall
Ia cies may yet Hnger in the mind Of
the redSkin.
DR.. Brinton, In connection with other
specialists at the University of Penn
sylyania;rfs at present engaged in fur
ther research in this field. and once
the theory is scientifically upheld, the
results will be made known to the
several governments interested.
British authorities have shown the
dveliest interest in the Investigations
up to now, and before long the Brit
ish Medical society is to take the sub