The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-14
AN INDIAN RENAISSANCE.
4 Startling Theory Set Forth by n
University Professor.
(From the Kansas City Starr

H-sairtahS iucoEyl Set Z oEth ny II
University Professor.
Z CFrom the Kansas City star)
The fascination attaching to the study
| Of anthropology is due largely to The room
for conjecture and speculation which it
affords. 1t is not like an exact science,
in which conclusions and deductions can
be made with mathematical certainty. 1t
! admits of all sorts of, theories which ap-
peal to the Imagination and excite the
fancy. What man is now affords no def
mite clew to what he has been or to what
he may become. There is really no abso-
lutte testimony to show that the theorists
who believe in the descent of man from
the ape are any nearer the truth than the
advocates of the idea that an Immortal
soul breathcd into man at the beginning
has always differentiated him from other
animals.
Whatever may have been the origin of
man. the world has of late years grown
| hospitable to the belief that his destiny
was ascendant; that If he was derived
from Simian antecedents he had, under
the most enlightened civilization out
| grown his wild and british instincts. Just
as this idea was becoming fairly crystal
| lied it is really somewhat disconcerting
to learn from Prof. Starr of the depart
ment of anthropology in the University
of Chicago that the North American, that
bright and consummate flower of civili-
! zation, is relapsing into the type of the
! aboriginal Indian; that his face is grow
ing long and aquiline, and that his cheek
| bones are becoming high and prominent.
This change. says Prof. Starr. is observ-
able even among the Pennsylvania Dutch.
who, Of all Americans, were supposed to
be beyond the touch of innovation. 1t is
cited, in support Of this notion, that the
people of France-who, by the way, know
nothing about the noble red man-recog-
nize the Indian characteristics in Ameri-
cans who visit Paris and who are readily
distinguished by the observing Latins,
from Englishmen.
AS the mental organization is CORE
lated with the physical texture, it fol-
| lows that as the Indian features become
more strongly marked in the face of
| Americans, there will be return to the
methods of life which prevailed on this
| continent before the pale faces took pos
| session. This forecast will be greeted by
mingled sentiments of Joy and consterna-
tion. 1t will awaken keen delight in the
| hearts of those romantic individuals who
so profoundly deplore the disappearance
| of the buffalo and the red man of the
| forest. To contemplate restoration Of
| the freedom which was enjoyed by the
| aborigines when their only care was
| hunting and fishing, and when they pur-
| sued the chase over pillows of verdure,
| is to open up picture to gladden. the
| souls of the lovers of nature who are
wearied with the artilciality of civiliZa-
| ton.
| To tne women of America the prospect
| of an Indian renaissance is far from en-
couraging. 1t foreshadows one of those
| sharp recoils which SO frequently attend
abnormal development along certain
| lines. From her present status Of eQuali-
ty with man it would be to the American
woman fearful descent to the servitude
of squaw. After invading all of the
realms OF masculine activity and shak-
| ing off the thralldom of domestic
drudgery. how could the woman of this
country ever consent to bear the burdens
which Indians impose upon their wives
What far fall it would be from the
luxurious drawing room. where the
| American woman now reigns queen, to
the wigwam and the dugout
| 1t appears worth while to enquire
whether Prof. STAIRS theory has any con-
nection with the law of averages. The
American woman has become fired with
an insatiate ambition. She has deposed
and dethroned man in his ancient strong
holds. She has usurped his occupations.
She even aspires to direct the affairs OF
government. Is this proud nation to be
releGated to its aboriginal state to teach
women the lesson Of obedience to man?
Would 1t not DO better for the American
woman to be warned In season, and by
humble repentance and submission to
avert the extreme measures which ap-
pear to be designed to subdue her vault
ing spirit!