New-York tribune., 1903-08-24
TRAVELLING COSTUME AND WRAP
TEACH THEM TO BE HAPPY"
It Is White Mems Duty to Red Men, Says
Hamlin Garland

If you ask what We shall do for these poor.
heV1dered people. I answer teach them TO be hap
pv" said Hamln Garland, in the course of a lect-
IRE al ChautaUqua, y. Y. on The Red Mans
Changing Heart" Continuing, Mr.. Garland said
I an not anxious TO make the red people clean
ths spittoons OF the white mans civilization I am
not disposed TO make them work merely for the
sake Of working / am only concerned in making
their transition from the old to the new as easy
possible. As l 90 not believe in Anglo-Saxonizng
the world, certainly cannot rejoice when dis
cnctive tribe like the Sioux the Cheyenne disap-
pears with all its chronicles. customs and habits
7 cannot join hands with those mistaken zealots
who would destroy the music the recreation ana
the art Of the red people because they heath
ems. I co not recognize any such word, the con-
Tary, / am working 10 retain whatsoever is beau
ufGi and poetic in the Indian life and character.
! believe III making good Indians. not by clubbing
them 10 death, but by developing their good char
acteristics and retiring those which harmful
DO not mistake me. There are many cruel and
disgusting habits among these people that l would
most vigorously discourage, but there are many
others that counted wrong by the missionary
and the agent which merely harmless, but
necessary the aIlotters happiness a people can
live without recreation, and to ship away their
songs and dances all their native games, would
oe 10 leave them suspended in darkness over an
abyss They nave rlght 70 the observance OF
@ On a 99fs e5ao rShs % Of Se they 90 not infringe
4 do welcome the bitter determine ton on the
4ait oI me agent 10 break the olq men. for when
me olng man loses respect 5Cr his Grandsire he
process OF degeneration has set in in many of these
Reservations The laQs are poor mongrel lot with
cut vitality and without grace skill in any di-
Tecuon. The phrase straight Indian lon
ser applies 10 them lntermarrlage alone viii de-
7icF some OF The smaller tribes. Their lads
leltneF one thing the other. they Dewil-
deTed, without authority, and being taught to de-
me lawless cowboys than after their Sunday
school teacher.
These people must grow into conformity with
The eNterIas of our civilization. Their education
should te along the lire OF their inherited apti-
fuaes. he Navajo should he aided IN his sheep
Hopi ln his schemes Of irrigation and in MS pot
i'IE- The C1eyenre and the Backfoot should be
encouraged as sJoCknen and small farmers They
should ue allowed 10 group themselves in villages
a. lar as possible and along streams wood
Specifically. they should he educated where they
rithmetc'. and If any of the brighter pupils de-
Ere 20 90 10 better schools they should be sent to
nearby public schools normal schools.
To my mind. ambitious plans like that Of Car
Isle are founded lpe0 a fundamental misconcep-
uoa OF the human mind An Indian not a white
Veneer or culture II he rs honest he viii tell vou
So and 'he notion lhat If yoI can educate an the
young people of the NariuGr tribes and send them
t"rfn rnDng fE| whites they viii find
place snH a home Is 90 my mind faIlacy of tragic
outcome. have never found a red man vet no
among 'F "h.t6s- ala De- marry among the
Whites can he nD3 work among the whites
i"- struggle Is eR"rE day more feTocfouS anlopa,
OILY own Workmen. VIII red Workmen succeed
"Aers Our Wprkme1 fa1'' These are vital questions
n he 1ncs Judgement. Nl bn he happy alone or set
a0art troTD his uelehbprs2 Personally do nor he
1e'e the red man viii any real sense take on
Cir-iIIyzr