New-York tribune., 1902-10-27
PRIMITIVE INDIAN WOMEN
THEIR INDEPENDENCE GREATER THAN
THAT OF MANY PRESENT
DAY SISTERS

The Indian woman was never slave" sad Miss
Alice Fletcher yesterday. Miss Fletcher read a
paper before the International Congress Of Ameri-
osnists last week, and is said TO know more about
the plains Indians OF the present day than any
other woman.
The Indian woman IN her proper environ
nent" she continued. before the Indian spirit had
been modified by contact with the whites had po-
sition relatively higher than that Of civilized
woman. There was merging OF the Indian
woman in marriage, as there has been with the
women of civilization She remained a distinct
personality. Any property OF which she was pos
sessed continued TO belong TO her. She remained
member OF her own clan and in the clan descent
Vas reckoned through the mother.
In the original and natural condition Of the Ind
ans there was fair division Of work. The man
was the provioer Of raw material and the defender
Of the home The woman was the conserVe- OF life.
Within the circle OF the home all the arts fol-
lowed; the preparation OF the food, the making Of
the clothes, the weaving. the basket making, the
pottery making. and ali the agricultural work
She was the owner Of whatever she made. The
household goods and the crops belonged TO her.
Among some Of the Eastern tribes the women
owned the land and any transferrence OF it had 10
be confirmed by them. The Indian woman had
many songs and religious rites OF her own, and a
definite recognition individual
A wIFE's POSITION TO-DAY.
Contact with the whites has reduced the Indian
Eonan to a lower position. do not mean materi-
by the of her II is a time of transition.
Of shifting and changing; and the brunt OF the
change falls upon the women. The mans occupa-
ton a hunter is gone, and he is taking the
Woman's occupation OF farming; change that took
place with our ancestors at remote period.
This confines the woman TO less remunerative work.
She becomes less important person. and owns less
property, and furthermore she is confined indoor
and less healthful occupation In her new position
her existence is merged in that OF her husband He
the owner, both nominal and legal Of the family
property. And his estimation OF her has suffered
a corresponding change Unfortunately, good deal
Of the Indians contact has been with the less
favored specimens OF own race, and his accept
ance OF the civilized attitude toward her has been
modelled on their prejudices-
Furthermore, live according TO certain ideali-
zatons OF civilization. II you 10 map civiliza-
ion out in hard and fast lines like checkerboard,
and drop IL down over Us. # would not NJ. Condi-
tons shade OF and interningle they have lost their
crudity; laws and even customs and prejudces have
lost their brutality through the gradual softening
OF Interpretation. But the Indian has not had the
time the opportunity grasp these OSCILLATIONS
Of civilization He accepts IT In its hard ana fast
lines It's bald ugness. and the result is hard upon
the Indian woman
Miss Fletcher is sober but deep enthusiast over
the possibilities Of the Indian mind.
JUDGE BY POOREST TYPES
We Judge the Indians" said she. ''as would
never permit any one TO Judge our own race; as
Judge them by their lowest and most unworthy
specimens We take the most ignorant types loaf
ng and begging around some ttfS he rberc
are to-day hundreds OF young Indians men ana
arc educated COMPETENT. and successfully carry
ing professional and business life IN our various
cities II is by these their best specimens tnat lhe
race should be judged just as We demand that We
0 Tqoged oX our 1ess ss abe e GaTa winnebago girl
who IS q successful illustrator IA BosloI
spons,bSe nosition OF fed matrGn under the gov
eminent. There is Gertrude summons ST. gal i 9I ~
There are between one hundred and two hundred
living as sT,iSts writers teachers tranet
nurses AS for the young men they are are toSRo s & q
ness / know one young Indian who is division su
Tbsir fItu1eg There IS but one answer. Com
pare 100000 and $4,000. There IS no fut1re @ l"l
people e1i e1''i' S'''9's
MRS seller ON CENTRAL AMERICA
Mrs Seller Of Berlin wife of the eminent Ger
man Americauist has probably seen as much &C
tual roughing il on the frontier as any "olhai
living Speaking OF one OF her many Journeys Il
Central America, she said 10 a Tribune represents
we oaxaoa 70 the city ys3tH Of SsTs dr
on horseback In a straight line We oCcuple' @
eree months N the 5SurRSy s spenp Rabuay from
tlsht 70 ten hours day on on no % ~. cnlld II v,
came 10 a village we would find the Alcalde wn
The ~ S ~ - enm@unity room Each village ha
community for public uses % ooS tiol
OF stra6eers n was a perfectly bare ana uhlSi
nished room Then we would find some woman i W. ~ -
would cook meals for US. IoItllls am, , - Sood an,
our CUSTOMARY fare. and they were very soOo so,1ol %
sarye.3 adUsra bH TO work II night over
US ln tbe -o,,rTrv We would md ranch nous. =
possible The ranch houses had but one i9oH - ~. ~
BerhaDe litfle kitchen separate from lIS hoL5S
and perhaps not II IL were cold we Aoulo M - nm
IN the one room with the family ~ ~ ~ lu'sTs
Ne would sie.p on the yeranda, whlch IS ai"esS
feature Of the house. ,iobr m
Sometimes We would Nnnd lhf uiss - For.st
villages sometimes the depths oI IN IN li,,i,'
The people very poor anu Pia5Itt I.tar India ms
mosflx IN hsroboo huts. They are elthet Ll.9,,
Irdians who were Hispanlzed soHnt ssiass ma
ago, the latter being OF a ht1" "e
the former
0 HAAS BROS. 44eiIoss. 4aRi5ss