Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-25
THE LONE INDIAN.

the Washington Press urges ''let-
alone policy for the habits and style of
living OF Indians; that In time they will
go down and become extinct by the
grinding force of civilization. Since It
has been but recently decided in an
Iowa case that they are amenable to
federal rather than state laws. and since
smallpox has been developed in the
Tama county tribe people are Inclined
to give them wider berth than usual.
However. as they are sandwlched into
white society in the center of the state,
1t Is difficult to keep from rubbing up
against them. The Washington Press
editor expresses views that will be en-
dorsed by others in saying:
ut ls odd that Uncle Sam should in
sist that reservation Indians in the
southwest shall live in houses instead
OF tepees, wigwams. tents, grass hut,
etc. The red men love their old abode.
The reason given for the order is this:
Living in real house will do away with
their habit of crouching about in the
hollows and timber during the winter
time. in the tepees Again. this kind OF
structure is not healthful. and hun
dreds OF children die every year OF ex-
posure. Again. when the Indians live
in tents they are apt to have more than
one wife apiece. and indulge In their
games and dances, much to the detri-
ment of their moral character.
Who cares how soon they die out?
Wild men, like other wild animals, are
bound to go down before civilization
and become extinct. Only ridiculously
small per cent of them can be tanned
and domestIcated, with profit. The
heather populations all have to go. 1t
is so written down on the iron tablets
of fate. Anchored on reservations, COM
PEELED to work and cultivate land, de-
MED the pleasures of the chase, for
heavens sake let them live in such
shacks as they like best. Why be cruel
to animals? Your COW or horse does not
want TO live in your parlor and sleep
on high Dutch feather beds So You do
not make them do that. Red men don't
care baubee about modern houses, or
appreciate hat and cold water, electric
bells. gas or radiant horseshoes IN
globes, lavatories, carpets. rugs, water
closet, silverware, pianos. registers ana
the like They don't want to come 10
table and eat with fork, spoon, OF
even with knife-fingers are gooo
enough for them. And boiled dog IS
quite to their taste, and they 90 not
want to be bored with napkins, courses
and finger bowls. The fact Is, they hate
orr houses Houses have to be mppped,
swept. busted, and twice year turned
inside out and cleaned. The red folk
save all that by simply moving the te-
pee to new place.
1t is absurd to suppose that they
would be less polygamous In house
than in wigwam. Manners are not
changed so easily by habitat. Natures
folk we mean wild folk, are well nigh
all polygamous. You may count upon
the fingers of two hands all the species
OF animals and birds that are not poiyg-
amous primitive men included. Nature
seems to have purpose III it. And CIV
ilization and religion have to fight that
tendency in modern society-fight the
leading of double life. fight the social
evil. fight the disposition of rich men
to keep mistresses, fight the affinities
and in fidelities, that are the staples and
"motif' of so many novels nowadays.
Practically, modern society Is largely
polygamous yet altho it is housed and
not tepeed.
The Wichita Indians perfer grass
houses. Their architecture is more ad-
vanced than that of any other tribe, but
| they want to go to grass yet. Why not
Ilet them The Comanches, Kiowas
| Pawnees, Poncas, Cheyennes, Apaches
wish nothing but tepees. But the order
will soon go out to confiscate all theii
tepees burn them, and force the In.
dams to live in houses that they hate