The Washington times., 1904-01-07
MAY ALLOW ESKIMO
RACE TO DIE OUT
AlaskanS Said to Favor This
Policy.
GENERAL FUNST0N'S REPORT
stupid, Lazy Animals" Says Com
mander of Department Of the
Columbia.

Should the Government allow the
Alaskan Eskimos to die out as race OF
hrnan beings not worthy of prcserva-
tion?''
Ibis is the question which Gen. Fred
Funston says men best acquainted with
conditions i'm Alaska are debating. ana
scme who have studied the matter take
the affirmative
The question is referred 90 by General
FUnston. commander of the Depa rtment
OF the Columbia. i'm his report To Assist
ant Secretary oliver, Of the War De
partment. in the following language:
People who are acquainted with the
sEskimos differ among themselves as TO
the advisability Of artiicially bolstering
up and trying 10 perpetuate the exist
ence of race which has more in COM
mon with the lower animals than with
civilized beings. The Eskimo is of a low
order of intellect. entirely shameless in
his sexual relations, indolent. and gross
anS filthy beyond description i'm his per
sonal habits This does not in any way
apply to the Alaskan Indian, who Is
vastly superior"
Eskimo a Child.
Speaking OF the proposition to give
assistance to the Eskimos. the report
says:
Under no circumstances should ra-
tions be distributed gratuitously. So far
as their mental development is con-
cerned the Eskimo is a mere child. and
should be treated as one. He should be
compelled TO obey. and his own whims
and wishes ignored
General Funston takes direct issue
with Governor Brady, of Alaska, and
others who attribute the destitution OF
the Eskimo TO the recent invasion Of
white hunters The destitution prevail
ed years before the gold hunters invad-
cd the frozen domain of the natives. and
was due to extravaganza and gross
recIlessness Of the natives coupled
with laziness. and indifference.
Object to Hard work.
On this subject. General Funston says
I'm part:
When I was in Nome. where I spent
week in August Of this year. Eskimos
men. women. and children-were lott
ering about the streets apparently with
no aim or purpose whatever. About 500
of these were camped on the beach in
the town and spent their time i'm idle
ness in the season wnen they should
have been laying in a supply Of salmon
for their winter use. The only pretense
Of earning a living was by hawking
about the streets carved walrus tusks
and other souvenirs and curios None
of the hundred or so able-bodied men
among them was doing any labor. and
this at a time when $ per day was the
minimum wage for unskilled labor in
Nome
The Eskimos' great opportunity how
ever. comes In the winter season when
supplies have TO be hauled by dog sleds
from Nome and other towns 10 the
miners. this being a form Of labor emil
nently suited 10 him. as he has the sleds
and dogs and knows how to use then,
and endure the cold. But this work is
done largely by white men. because the
Eskimo prefers idleness to labor. II
cannot be expected that such a peopIs
viii be other than dependent. They viii
have 70 be controlled. and if possible
compelled 70 work. at least enough 20
supply themselves with food and cloth
in-.
Il was unable to visit the reindacr
station at Port Clarence. and conse-
ouently cannot speak of the success of
that institution from personal kuovvI-
edge II is the general opinion Of most
of those whom / interviewed that this
enterprise viii, under favorable condi-
tons, remove any cause which may
now exist for destitution among those
people; but the work is necessarily slow.
and IL must be years before the reindeer
can be in general use throughout such
portions of Alaska as are suited to il
AS rule the Eskimos are SO tridirp
and improvident that the work is done
under discouraging circumstances.
Stupid, Lazy Animals
The west and north coasts of Alaska
and the islands adjacent. are inhabited
by Eskimos. or. as they are known
locally. 'Mahlemutes Their number is
not known TO any degree of certainty.
but is estimated at 20000 They live en-
tirely on the coast. and do not pene-
trate any distance into the interior
owing chiefly To the labor of mission
aries, some Of them have acquired a
degree Of education. but so far as their
mode of life is concerned. and the
mental and moral condition Of the race
as "A whole. they may be considered
savages Of a rather harmless and not
particularly edhying type.
They are goOd-naturod stupid and
lazy animals. devoid Of what civilized
people call morals, and Of an extremely
low order OF intellect These character
istics, Of course. do not apply 10 some
OF the younger generation who have
been improved by the efforts of teach
ers and missionaries. Some persons who
live i'm Alaska. however. claim that edu-
cation affects the Eskimo. as il too
often does the Indian. making him vain
and unreliable, with a distaste for
manual labor. / do not feel competent
TO express AN opinion on that subject.
II II is thought desirable 10 perpetuate
the Eskimo, General Funston saws he
should be rounded mp i'm agencies. ruled
with a strong hand by white agents.
compelled Co work, and be strictly pro-
hibited from visiting the towns of the
white men.