The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-03-18
"A LIFE FOR A LIFE"

The rector of the EpiScopalian church will refer in his sermon ihiS morning to the murder ot Mr. and Mrs. Horton by ihe Indians who arc now under arrest. What the reverend Eentleman's text will ee. or what the nature of his reference 10 the ,ase now in Subiudice. and. therefore not prope.k a subject of popular comment may depend. and we hope not too much SO. urOn the inspiration Ot the oecaslCn. For Mr. Cameron breaches extemporane- ouSlv.
 The hope Is expressed for the simple reason that in the carly days ot the settle ment Of America the accepted axiom was that "the onlv good Indian Is a dead ln- Iian." and this, unfortunately, has become one oi those ,rite swings that are parrot ike repeated without though, or knowl- sdse and have thus been kep, alive,
 Certainly it does not apply 10 the h. dianS of Alaska. lt Is true that they made strong opposition against Sllka shortly lfter the transfer of Alaska to the American government. But IS that anv' thing to discredit them' Suppose Eng land, instead Of fighting her rebelllous subjects Of this country over a hundred wears ago, had sold her American posses slons 10 some other Ruler by Divine Right, would the memory of the patriots who fought against English oppression be any the less cherished had they fought against being transferred and being made subjects of some other power?
 Turn from this to Alaska under Amer iesn rule, and every American who came here having at the tip of his tongue the old saving. There is no good Indian ex' ,ept a dead Indian" How many eoToner's verdicts would have been rendered in that splht-lf they had thought |, worth while lo hold anv-ln the early days
 But the old timers of Alaska will tell YOU tha, the Indians of the district have always been very tocile, and that there never has been any danger from them eN- ,ept from the very reason that led 10 the killing Of Horton and his young wife. Let US look calmly at the facts andt he surrounding circumstances; and, while not in any way preiudging the case that will soon be under trial in properly constitute ed court. glean from these falts and cir cumStanceS what will tend 10 lessen any racial prejudice and enable us to view the shocking affair imp1rtiilly and with cold bloOted justice.
 Do not take it for granted that this crime was premettatet, but even if evi- dence should prove this there IS something Co say. Misguided as these Indians were, their action was based upon a similar law Co that Of the Mosaic, and which Is the basis Of our modern law-"A Life for a Life" And R was the knowledge that this wis the most observed Of sll the ten cts Of the lndiln's pellet in whith the old timers saw any danger Of Sanguinarv ac- ton on the part of the Alaska Indians.
 This life for a life doctrine was accepted and followed in itS broateSt sense by the Alaska Indians. lf by the hands ot a white man an Indian met his death, 'etri- button was to be taken on the murderer if possible, and failing that upon any other whito man. Anj the Indian 10 deal the blow was the nelres, relative Of the de- ceased. In this their religion, or what we term their superstition, the Indians have been firm and jealous. and possibly among no aborigineS of the world i' the strict ob- servancs of ancient custom, the basis of religion faith. SO explicitly followed.
 There are reasons for this which are ap- parent and need no, be gone into. The story of Kindeshon's wife, written bv the brilliant Mrs. Willard, wife of the hrSt missionary 10 Haines mission, contains graphic description oi the war between the Eagles and the Ravens, or Inc Chilkats and the ChilkootS, whieh was kept up until the belligerent clanS of these two powerful tribes were almost exterminated. This started from the killing Ot one single Indian and the following out of the relig' ious tenet which we call superstition.
 The zeal the Indian shows in his Stric, obseryance of these ancient customs, relig- ion, or superstition, is an intiee to what he would do were he 10 embrace new re- ligion. It would tranSmute him Into the material of whi>h christian martyrs are ma .. And it may be that Jim Hans Is one. \, sooner has he been made a. qulintet with the teaching of the chris u.n religion, and the laws that are based upon n. thIn he sacrifices his whole fu- ture, thlt Of hiS family and his closest tribal friends, to his entep,lon ot th' principles oi thiS new religion. And ir this great fact there is material for anN number of sermons, sentimental or dog malic, pathetic or damnatorv, orthodox oI heterodoX.