Evening journal., 1903-07-18
American Indians and Indian Amori.

cans.
From the New York Sun.
Prof. Frederick Starr distinguished
anthropologist of the University of CHI
oago, has just reasserted In lecture his
Interesting theory that the Americans are
becoming Indians so far as physical char
acteristics are concerned. lie holds that
the American climate ana physical sur
roundings have produced and are produc-
ing, m this country of Immigrants and
their descendants, variations that tend
to repeat or approach the Indian type.
As an instance of his observations in con-
flrmation of his hypothesis. he mentions
the present representatives of a little
German colony which settled an America
many years ago. lie finds that the mem
bers OF the fourth and fifth generations OF
flaxen-haired folk to begin with show
marked Indian characteristics-blacl
hair, black eyes and dark-colored skin. d"
We quote from Chicago despatch.
which probably does injustice to Prof
Starr. He would scarcely say that black
eyes. black hair and a dark-colored skin
are regularly Indian characteristics. In
deed. some Indians the Chinooks and
Mandans for example are nearly white;
brown.
Prof. Starr asserts that this Indianiza-
tion. n there Is such a word. is going on
among immigrants Of all nationalities
In his view. the Indian is a modification
or development of the Mongollan. The
oblique eyes disappeared, we suppose,
as soon as the Mongol-Indian became
certain which continent he belonged TO
L a. n
America. Now the old American stock IS
having its revenge on its conquerors. The
latter possess the land. but the climate
Is turning them into the favor of the
vanlulshed.
Prof Starr might have cited I'm support
Of his theory the growing American GUS
tom Of not growing hair on the face. The
| Indian had little to start with and pulled
that little out. Now the area Of whiskers
Is still considerable. and II Peter the
/ Greats notable plan OF raising revenue by
taxing the raisers of boards were adopted
In these United States, the proceeds would
still be enormous. Whiskers for revenue
onlyl There is noble slogan" for a
party of progress. But smooth faces are
the fashion VIII not the beard of the
American become scanty and Indian
one excellent physical advantage OF the
Indian has been lost by their suppanters.
They had teeth as white as whales bone.
Wen, the dentists are doing better work
every year and the teeth of children are
better taken care OF. Here again Indian.
ization is proceeding. The small. smmetri-
cal feet Of the American aborlgines are
repeated in their successors In Chicago. q
fact which must have been the germ o
Prof Starr's theory. The strong, mas
sive indian jaws are common. especial,
among college men. but we ascribe tha
maxillary might less TO climate than Il
the additional colume required for TN
emission Of the college yell" itself per
haps borrowed from the Redskins.
Do the immigrants studied by Prof
Starr have the prominent cheekbones'
b which are linked with 'coppercolored" Il
4 youthful remembrances Of THE Indians Il
the school histories? At any rate. copper
a colored noses are seen occasionally; an
where there Is so much cheek ther
I must be prominent cheekbones behind 81
In short. ample veriicatlon of the ad
mirable speculations Of the Chicago scier
list IS at hand. The gold-haired and th
two-headed will continue for some time
and the red-topped girls sung so raptul
ously by the Texas poets Will mot cease
light the world; but blaelSs the only ha
of the future. II our pilot Starr. is not
will-o -the-wisp. First the AlbinO; the
the Mongolian; then the American II
dian; then the Indian American; so rur
the tide OF color and Of race. DO yc
want to get a glimpse Of your Indaniz,
descendants, of the complete India
American? Write to the Hon. VILLA
90 Joel Stone. 705 Olive street ST. Loul
OF Mo. and ask him respectfully to ser
r. you his photograph.