New-York tribune., 1903-07-25
AMERICAN ETHN0L0GY.
What Has Been accomplished by
Bureau DeUoted to 1t.
TFRoM TIE rRIpuNE nuREAu.l


Washington, July 24-with a history of the
North American Indians. already acknowledged
by the scientific world TO be the most accurate
and comprehensive chronological account of
primitive race. completed, will the Bureau of
American Ethnology have further reason for
being?
This is a question to which a subcommittee
OF the next Senate Appropriations Committee
will be forced TO give careful consideration. Sen
ator Hale has already shown serious opposition
TO the continuance of the appropriation. varying
from $4,000 TO 500 600 year. Senator Platt, of
Connecticut, a regent of The Smithsonian Insti-
tuition, has indicated to the Senate committee
zhat the present work of the bureau is almost
complete and other members of the Senate are
known to believe that its mission has been
Virtually accomplished.
There is question but that when, in the
late 70s, Major Powell organized. with the
consent Of Congress anG under the supervision
of the Smithsonian Institution, the Bureau of
American Ethnology, he had in view the sole
purpose Of collecting evidence and information
end reducing them TO a systematic anthropolog-
5cal history Of the North American Indians And
IN connection with this aim it is gratifying to
learn that Notwithstanding the wealth of intel
lect and unlimited funds devoted TO the allied
sciences Of anthropology and ethnology in the
Old World, it has remained for the New for the
United States. to produce the most perfect
astrological history thus far given to the scien-
tifc world, fact gratefully acknowledged by
numerous scientific bodies. and further shown
by the generous praise bestowed upon it by for
eigners whose own lives have been devoted to
similar work.
That the most interesting study of man is
man is clearly demonstrated by even a cur
sory examination Of the work thus far accom-
plshed by this bureau, and even from a purely
commercial point of view the fact that complete
sets Of the bureaus publications sell over the
counters of second hand book stores in this
country and abroad for from 500 to 1925 each.
and single volumes for never less than 81 each,
furnishes tangible evidence Of the value of its
work
In these works the Bureau Of Ethnology has
accurately described the manners customs ira
ditions and languages Of the Indians 1t has
demonstrated the existence of 10000 languages
and has reduced them to seventy linguistic
classes. It has clearly traced throughout the
Indian customs the patriarchaI system so accu-
Tately portrayed in the Old Testament. It has
created system of comparison in terms of
language" a universally acknowledged stand
ard throughout the scientific world. 1t has pro-
duced new and valuable evidence in support of
the thesis that mankind advances toward what
is termed civilization through four successive
stages-the savage in which the entire concep-
uon Of law is based on maternal kinship, pater-
nifty being usually unknown; the barbarian. in
which the kinshp of both parents forms the
basis Of all law; the patriarchal, or semi-cvil-
lied. in which tribal rights take precedence over
those Of the individual, this being the most IA
miliar stage of own Indians. and the So
called civilized stage, the community which
recognizes and, at least to some extent, respects
the rights of both nations and individuals with
individual territorial rights and privileges.
Having thus availed itself of the material
easily accessible the evidences of the develop
ment of primitive race. existing at the very
door of modern and energetic civilization, the
Bureau OF Ethnology has famlarized itself
with the mental process of this race. and is now
primitive mind up 20 that mental attitude de-
Scribed as modern civilization.
But. as } as been said the work outlined is
almost completed, except that no history is
ever complete, and the question of the hour
Is 10 Mhat next VIII II turn its attention? The
answer promptly presents itself The Indian
and the Caucasian have not lived so long in
JuNtaposiuon without an internlXture of blood,
and type almost worthy to be called race,
Inc mestizos has been the result. The extent to
which the mestizo exists in American society
i probably realized by few who have not
studied the subject. And yet il is a fact that
hardly an American Congress assemblies with
out several representatives of this adnixture of
races Probably the most striking representa-
tive OF the mestizo in the public eye is President
Dlaz OF Mexico, a born leader, combining in his
views the fire and energy Of the Indian with
1jle Intelligence and refinement OF the white
man What then, are the results of ad-
the fecundity the viability, the mental and
physical characteristics? Science can give no
answer now. Perhaps when the Bureau of
American Ethnology has turned it's attention to
this subject a satisfactory answer will be forth
coming
The negro in this country represents an
other interesting problem to which the bureau
hopes in time to devote its energies. Each year
the census represents less and less accurately
fhe negro population of the United States. Ac-
cording 10 its figures all men with African
blood in their Veins are negroes, and yet it is
doubtful if one-half the number enumerated are
pure Africans. Some authorities maintain that
the admiNture Of negro and Caucasian blood re-
cults in steTility. Others vigorously contest the
proposition, but scientific study of the sub
5ect has YET been made. nor is it likely to
be until the Bureau of American Ethnology
tends its scope take in this problem also.
Still another interesting problem is presented
by the progress of the Japanese and the devel-
opment OF the Chinese. Legislating from large
~ sentimental reasons. Congress has excluded
the Chinese. The japanese are still free to
enter the United States. What viii be the
eventual result of the admixture of MOngoan
and Caucasian blood? Which will survive?
What mental and physical characteristics
will result? What viii be the effect on that
development called civilization? Even this brief
outline OF A few Of the problems which remain
10 be solved clearly indicates how far from
completed is the work Of the Bureau of Amer
Scan EthnolOgy. and partially answers the Oues-
fion 10 the further excuse for its existence.