The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-05-11
INDIANS INCREASING.
UNCLE SANS WARDS PROSPER.
ING IN MANY WAYS.

Like OToIndry ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS &c
and House Both Have Indian Repre-
sentatives.
A favorite theme for orators is the
pathetic passing of the Indian. 1t
will not doubt be disappointment to
We'll meaning speakers to learn that
instead OF declining numerically the
Indian is now actually increasing in
numbers. That is what the Stats
ticianS say.
1t has never been definitely deter
mined just what was the greatest
number of Indians in America when
they were unmolested. Some authori-
ties say that the number could not
have exceeded million, others assert
that it could not have been more than
100000, and still others contend that
there were never more than 50o.oOO.
At the present time there are about
$4,000 members of the red race in
the United States. There are Indians
in eighteen States and three Terri
tories, exclusive of the Indian Terri
tory. Nearly all the tribes are west
of the Mississippi; in fact, most OF
them are beyond the Missouri. There
are 1856 reservations in all. In the
northwestern part of New York there
are about 5000 descendants OF the
great warrior tribes living on eight
reservations.
Today there are $4,000 Indians
who wear citizens dress in whole
or in part, and 10000 who can read
and speak English. There are $4,000
Indian families now living in COM
Portable modern dwellings,. When the
Government first began supplying the
Indians with houses it often proved
a difficult matter to keep the old war
riors in them. They would take pos
session in the best of faith, but the
call of the wild would soon prove so
insistent that they would stable their
horses in Uncle Sans nice little
houses and go back to their tepees.
But when an Indian once gets install
ed in house he doesn't like to have
any changes made in it.. No matter
how large his family may grow, or
how much money generous Uncle
Sam may give him, he insists upon
remaining in his original one story
shanty.
The Cherokees, who tracked De So
to's footsteps for many weary days
while he was marching through the
Southern forests and swamps, and
lot nrf n
Georgia, are the most advanced in
civilization and the most eager for
education, spending 100000 a year
on their schools and colleges. The
Chickasaws have five colleges with
400 students, maintained at a yearly
cost of $4,000. They also have thir-
teen district schools, costing $4,000.
The Choctaws have $50 schools, in
some of which the higher branches
are taught. The Seminoles, one Of
the smallest tribes. have two schools.
The Creeks have ten colleges and
sixty-five common schools, with
total attendance of $500.
The Indians make strong religious
showing. They have $50 church build
ings and a total membership of about
10000. Two Indian chiefs who be-
came converted to the Methodist
faith, and who were later licensed
to preach, were Ma-Nuncie and Be-
tween-the-Logs. Father Negahrquet
is said to be the only living fuliolood
Indian who is Roman Catholic
priest. He studied in Rome, and upon
his return to this country said mass
in the big Catholic church at Okla
homa. This was the first mass ever
said by a fullblood Indian priest on
American soil. He is now working
among the people of his race in Okla
homa and Indian Territory.
Charles Curtis will enter the United
States Senate as Senator from
Kansas, and will be the first repre-
sentative of the American Indian in
that body. Mr.. Curtis is not of pure
Indian lineage, but his mother be-
longed to the Kaw tribe. He and
his five children have received allot-
ments of Shawnee county land in
settlement of what Uncle Sam thinks
he owes to the race Mr.. Curtis has
already served fourteen years in the
House.
! Adam Monroe Byrd, representa-
tive from Mississippi, is also Of In
dian blood. He traces yhis ancestr
through long line of distinguished
Cherokes chieftains. He has the high
cheekbones, copper skin and straight
hair which indicate the blood Of the
original American. and he has often
been taken for dressed up" repre-
sentative Of some Western tribe to
the Great Father in Washington"
The foremost Indian in public life