The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-22
TRAITS OF THE RED MEN.

Curiosities of Character That Puzzle
 the Pale Face Stranged.
 Few white men know how to trade with an Indian" remarked c. E. Ward of this city, who has made study of Indians for ten years vast T once met an Indian with magnificent mountain lion skin. He was willing to part with the ornament, but, his price was too high. offered him $125O, but he indig- nantly refused. Later, on the same day, after I had learned to trade with an Indian. I bought the skin for S1.5o."
 The secret of trading with the Indian, according to MT. Ward, is to appear in- different. The most successful trader is the one who goes with supply of the same articles he is most destrous of buying. The Indian sees that the stran- ger has had experience, and negotia- tions are carried on upon strictly bus mess basis. An Indian refused ten dol lars for bow and arrow. It was bought for one dollar by man who carried several bows and arrows in his hand. This willy Individual leased the supply from a store in order to impress his copper-colored friends, and he suc- ceeded.
 "The Indian.'' said MT. Ward, in speaking of traits of character he has observed in his red friends lis one of the most faithful followers in the world if he has confidence in you. If he takes liking to you. there is nothing you can ask he will not do. If he dis1ikes J1 Indian the better.
 ''The Indian is a very much abused fellow. and he has never been treated as he deserved to be by the white man. His vices are largely the fault of his white neighbors, and one of the greatest dangers that threatens the Indian race is the travelling shows. The govern ment reports declare that the Indians who went to Europe with Wild West aggregations were a lasting menace to their people when they returned home. They had contracted all the vices and none of the virtues of the white men.
 "The nature of the Indian cannot be learned from books. It must be studied by actual contact So far as I have ob- served, all the Indians are Catholics. They graft their own ideas on to that of the Roman Catholic religion, and it is indeed a peculiar mixture. You can't eradicate the Indian nature by any ed- ucation, and it is mistake to send In- dians away to school. They should be educated at home among their own peo- pie, and their progress ought to be gradual. otherwise the whole race will soon disappear. Our government has been in too great a hurry Let the In- dian develop along lines congenial to his nature and something may come out of all the expense and time devoted to the idea is that the Indian is all right, but his ways are not our ways. Let us give him chance and give him time to work out his salvation. A Carlisle Indian gets the swellest head, and one such In- dian may spoil an entire village. He is over educated, but in the end he is worse off than at the beginning"
 MT. Ward says his Investigations show that 90 per cent. of the Indians die of tuberculosis. Whether the disease was introduced by contact with the whites he does not know. This is sub ject that is receiving the attention of the authorities at Washington, and is regarded as one of the most important subjects ot investigation by those who are interested in the survival of the race that once dominated the continent
 The customs of the various tribes is never-ceasing topic of interest" said MT. Ward After a white man lives awhile among the Indians he is gradu- ally taken into their confidence and shown many curious performances. all of which have a meaning to the scien- tist. One summer down among the Apaches I was invited by the chiefs to be present at their great medicine dance. This ceremony has from time immemorial been performed on the