The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-19
INDIANS HOPE IS IN
WEDDIhG WHITES
Z MRS. cORT MEYER.
Woman Who Has Educated the Red
Men Tells How To Solve the
Problem.
MRS. CORT MEYER.

= uoh are the only hope for the In
dians, says Mrs. Cort Meyer, OF
Seattle.
Until very recently Mrs. Meyer was
Esteil Keel, superintendent of Indian
schools for the United States. She had
about 300 schools in her charge, 5000
employees aud teachers, and between
10000 and 10000 Indian children.
Nov I'm just the wife of Mr.. Cort
|, Meyer" she explains. But the people
VINO are interested In the education
and the saving OF the Indian believe
that Mrs. Meyer, besides being the
wife OF Mr.. Meyer. Is entitled also TO
the distinction OF being the woman
who has breathed wisdom and inspira-
ton into the native schools and Won
the unqualified admiration and conf
dence OF her red brothers and sisters.
She is remarkable woman. The
mere fact that she has gained the con-
fldence OF the Indians proves this. for
the Indian has had only too bitter
cause to suspect the white man bring
ing gifts. Through the heat OF sum-
mer and the biting cold OF western
winters, she has driven or ridden from
one isolated schoolhouse Ia another,
encouraging here, making innovations
there. but always displaying the same
unfailing tact and sympathy. A lively
= sense OF humor has helped her out or
many difficulties, a sense OF humor
and an exquisite devotion TO duty. Yet
despite the splendid things she has
accomplished, Mrs. Meyer is the
whole-souled absolutely unaffected
westerner charming in manner, simple
In tastes and sincere i'm sentiment
let the Indian and the white inter.
marry" she said. 1T is the salvation
OF the Indian and II doesn't hurt tho
white. The chances for happiness as
In any other marriage, depend on the
individual man, not on any fuDda.
mental qualities of either race.
indian a Good Parent.
II have known many Indian.white
marriages, between cultivated splen-
did people. and the marriages were
very happy. i have not observed that
the children were rejected by either
the Indians or the whites. and some
OF these couples are living in New
England. The Indian makes very
good parent He never strikes his
child and seldom scolds IT,
But, on the other nand, the Indian
youngsters are not so mischievous as
Americans. They play around like
little animals, but they are quiet.
Industrial education, learning the
dignity OF labor, Is another hope for
the Indian. You cant tell an Indian
10 do thing and let II go at that. You
must do the thing yourself. whether IT
is washing or cherry picking-just 10
show him that you aren't ashamed TO
do il. Then he feels that the work
isn't beneath his dignity.
"He used to relegate much OF what
we call mems work 10 the squaw. In
fact, ehe didn't think very highly or
his squaw. On the reservation where
! live now, few miles out OF Seattle |
its name Is Toppenish-the Indian |
woman used to ride several feet be.
hind her husband | taught them pct |
ter than that, and now the squaw at |
Toppenish rides beside her husband |
Whisky His Ruination.
whisky is the ruination Of the red |
man. oh, If could only get those In
dams TO leave whisky alone. Men and |
women both drink. and it's poison to /
them. Twelve years ago on that hot /
June day when | stood up and swore |
that | would do my best for the In
dams, after President Mckinley had |
approved me. | thought 10 myself: |
then | didn't realize what a frightful /
hold drink had on the Indians.
"They get drunk, kill some one, and
then commit suicide. After shooting I
any one the Indian invariably Kills
himself. Not long ago a cart drove
by our ranch with an old squaw in IL.
Minnie was taking on dreadfully and
7 learned from the driver that lfer
young Observation-Disclosures always has \
young husbands, and she has had
many of them-had just killed a man
and then shot himself.
Minnie was driving into town for
the coroner Several of her husbands
have died in fights or accidents. That
wasn't lust the moment for a TEN.
perance lecture, but | could hardly
keep from telling her that as long as
the men got whisky these things
would happen.
my husband laughs at my temper.
ance lectures. He says, WHAT'S the
use I'm lecturing them? They won't
nav any attention when they're sober,
let alone when they're drunk.
Asleep in Wagon.
why, | was driving through the
snow drifts with the doctor one sting /
ing cold day when We came on eff In.
dian sound asleep, sitting bolt upright
i'm his wagon. We shook him awake,
and started the horse toward his
home. After a few rods the Indian
stopped the horse and went asleep
again, bolt upright.
Il knew something was wrong, and,
sure enough, we found down the road
n piece a white man headlong in the
mud and snow, dead drunk. lie
couldn't stand.
"'Men Charles been In town. he
said. The wretch had bought the
whisky, taken more of it-white-man-
like-than he had given the Indian,
and got them both so fuddled they
couldn't get home. But see the faith.
fulness of the Indian. He stopped
his horse because he wouldn't desert
his white friend. He was too drunk
TO know enough to help the fellow,
hut he wouldn't go away and leave
him. o.
Lack OF Initiative is the great fault
OF the Indian. He Is phlegmatic, not
given to enthusiasm. and not talkatiye.
Indian girls make fine nursemaids.
They are faithful as big Newfoundland
dogs. but when you once teach them