The Detroit times., 1910-07-20
INDIANS HOPE is IN
WEDDING WHITES
--MRs. coRT MEYER.
Woman Who Has Educated the Red
Men Tells How To Solve the
Problem.


dams says Mrs. cort Meyer. OF
Seattle.
Until very recently Mrs. Meyer was
Estell Reel. superintendent OF Indian
echoole for the United States. She bad
about 300 schools In her charge, 5000
employees and teachers, and between
81. 900 and 10000 Indian children.
'sNow I'm Just the wife OF Mr.. Cort
Meyer" she explains. But the people
who are interested in the education
ana the saving of the Indian believe
that Mrs. Meyer, besides being the
wife OF Mr.. Meyer, is entitled also 10
the distinction Of being the woman
who has breathed wisdom and inspira'
ton into the native schools and Won
the unqualified admiration and conn
dence OF her red brothers and sisters
She Is a remarkable woman. Inc
mere fact that she has gained the con-
fldence OF the Indians proves this, Tor
the indian has had only too bitter
cause to suspect the white man bring
ting 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 OF
many difficulties, sense OF humor
and an exquisite devotion to duty. Yet
despite the splendid things she has
accomplished, Mrs. Meyer Is the
whole-souled, absolutely unanected
westerner charming In manner. simple
la tastes and sincere in sentiment
LET the Indian and the white inter-
marry" she said 'It Is the salvation
OF the Indian and 1t doesn't hurt tho
white. The chances for happiness, as
in any other marriage, depend on the
individual man, not on any funda-
mental qualities OF either race.
indian q Good Parent.
Il have known many Indian-white
marriages, between cultivated, splen-
did people. and the marriages were
very happy. 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 q very
good parent. He never strikes his
child and seldom scolds 1t.
"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 can't tell an Indian
to do thing and let 1t go at that. You
must do the thing yourself, whether IL
Is washing or cherry picking-just to
show him that you aren't ashamed to
do It. Then he feels that the work
isn't beneath his dignity.
He used TO relegate much OF what
we call mems work to the squaw. In
his sQuaw. On the reservation where
I live now few miles out OF Seattle
--its name il Toppenish--the Indian
woman used to ride several feet be-
hind her husband taught them pet
Toppenish rides beside her husband.
Whisky He RulnatIon.
whisky Is the ruination OF the red
man. Oh, II 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 I stood up and swore
that | would do my best for the In
dams. after President Mckinley had
approved me. thought to myself:
oh. what am going into? But even
then didn't realize what frightful
hold drink had on the Indians.
They get drunk, kill some one, and
then commit suicide. After shooting
amy one the Indian invariably kills
himself. Not long ago cart drove
by our ranch with an old squaw In II.
Minnie was taking ON dreadfully and
learned from the driver that her
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 Just the moment for a tenn
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, Whats the
use In lecturing them? They won't
pay 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 an In
dian sound asleep. sitting bolt upright
In 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
q piece white man headlong I'm the
mud and snow, dead drunk. He
couldn't stand.
Men Charles been In town he
said. The wretch had bought the
whisky. taken more OF it--whitemap.
iike--than he had given the Indian.
and got them both SO fuddled they
couldn't ret home. But see the faith.
fiilness 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.
but he wouldn't 20 away and leave
him.
Lack OF Initiative is the great fault
Of the Indian. He In phlegmatic. not
given 10 enthusiasm. and not talkatIye
Indian girls make nne nursemaids
They are faithful as big Newfoundland
dogs. but when yon once teach then
10 do thing n certain way they car
never do II any other way. They
cant Invent short cuts.