Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-04-08
THE PASSING OF POOR 10.
North American Indians Are Rapidly
EpAinm Avyav

Fading Away.
Congressman Cannon, of Danville, In
his speech before congress ON the In
dian appropriation bill, recently
prophesied the extinction Of the In
dian race within so years. Dr.. Carlos
Montezuma, of Chicago, who is a full
blooded Apache, agrees with the llli-
nois representative in the proposition
and expresses the belief that four or
five decades hence the Indian question
will have found its own solution. The
Indian is far more susceptible to civiliz-
ing influences than the Ethiopian race,
DR.. Montezuma's belief is that there
will be comparatively rapid amalga'
nation Of the Indian race with the
whites. He points out that, while ten
years ago the population. of full-blooded
Indians far exceeded the half-breeds,
those who have mixed blood now great
ly outnumber those who boast full
blood.
Mr.. Cannon in his speech advocat'
ed the breaking up of tribal relations
and expressed belief that so long as
Indian territory was permitted TO ex'
ist as now organized the Indians would
not progress. He considered the sys'
TEN poor and resuitless and advocated
some change by which each adult In
dian could be assigned certain tract
Of land in severalty. In ali these con-
tentons DR.. Montezuma indorses the
stand taken by the Illinois congress
man. and he agrees with him fully il
the further statement that education i:
lost upon the young Indians who are
returned 10 their tribes.
Mr.. Cannon says: They drop back
to the condition of the tribe from which
they came. They do not lift the tribe
up; the tribe pulls them down" DIR
Montezuma says this is unfortunately
true. The returned student is the sub
ject of suspicion and ridicule. and tht
Indian is as sensitive TO il as the highes
race on earth. In the march Of Chris
tianity over the western world, DIR
Montezeuma points out, the conversion
of every nation-SaXon, Celtic, Gotl
and Norman-was effected by teacher
from strange lands. So it is with th
Indians. The educated Indian canno
return TO his tribe and be teacher 70
they will not accept him as such. Dr
Montezuma's conclusion is tIaat tn
best place for the educated Indian is i,
the east, apart from kin, and that tn
solution of the Indian problem lies i
this slow but sure bringing into ciyiliza
tion of individual members of the dy
ing races.
But DR.. MomeZuma takes issue wit
Mr.. Cannon at the point where the lat
ter attacks the Carlisle school and th
lesser fnstftuiions established by III
goyerrHientfsy educating the aboril
ines. The Carlisle school. he say
has done more good in proportion TO il
sphere than any other educational il
siitution in the United States. The VII
dom of the methods adopted by il
founders has been proved by decaGes {
experience. The basic idea of the Ca
Isle institution was the removal of th
pupil from every association and SUI
rounding of his barbarian life. IT too
him from the wilds Of the forest an
placed him in the midst Of civilization
In that respect it far excelled the rese
yation schoolhouse. whose work wa
hampered by the conflict between il
aims ard the barbaric tendencies an
associations of the pup.I. However, d
Montezuma was ready to agree. III
good results of five or more years trail
ing al Carlisle would count for naugf
II no better future than return to h
tribe opened TO the pupil.
Yes" said DR.. Montezuma, "let II
tribal relations be forever severed. i
the Indians lose their identity as pc
pie, and let Them become part, irsteG
of ward, Of this great nation. Why
he continued, laughingly. some Of Il
best families of Chicago are proud
their descent from Pocahoutas. Pc
haps a hundred years herce direct lin
age from Spotted Tail or Ittle-Ma
Afraid-of-llis-llorse' viii be the boa
Of some OF our first citizens"
DR.. Montezuma was born in Arizol
and was captured from his tribe by Il
Pumas when five years old. The ca
tors sold him for $50 TO Mr.. Gentle,
Chicago. and he was reared in III
city. attending the public schools. Fl
ishing at the state university ard lat
acquiring his technical training in CT
cago Medical college. The civilizat.'
of his people is his highest wish.-Cl
cago Post.
L ns.il IsIa al Al m