Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-03-06
RED TRIBES IN
ALASKA PASSING
Increasing Death Rate Is
Threatening Race With
AnnihilatiOn

" d0hAhNAohs ~ - haANh p" "
national bureau OF education has ask
ed congress for an appropriation of
s7O. 900 for additional medical work
among the natives OF Alaska. Tver
since the Indians OF the western
plains stopped going on the war path
philanthropists have been at work
among them seeking TO decrease the
death rate and 10 make the one time
warriors and their squaws aud pa
pooses observe the white mans safe
guard against disease The result
has been that the Indians within the
United States proper are increasing IN
numbers.
The Alaska Indiana, however are In
p'tlful condition notwithstanding the
efforts OF the bureau OF education
which has charge OF the work there
10 aid them IN every way. Alaska IL
q long way on and the condition OF
the tribes there does not appeal TO the
residents OF the United states so
strongly az does that Of the Indians
who are Al the doorstep II Is said
however. that congress Is likely 20 b.
come alive 10 its responsibilities and
that the condition Of the Alaska tribes
will be materially bcttered
Dr VI n Foster. past assistant sur
xnon ip Tho pttlIt. H.afth md ma = No
hospital service has recently return
ed from Alaska where he was sent 20
make a survey Of the health oondi
tions OF the country llls report has
q good deal in IL to make Americans.
and members OF congress especially
think OF the duty OF this country 10
b. Northwestern wards. many Of whom
are suffering physical disabilities be
cause OF the enoroachment on their
country OF the white master
Population Rapidly OSln6llns,
In the report OF the bureau OF edu-
cation II Is said that no Indians a. all
will be left In Alaska In sixty or seven
" years unless the government A.
once takes vigorous measures 10 check
disease among them Or Foster In
discussing the decrease IN the native
population says:
owing 10 the usual lack OF vital sta
tistics IN a pioneer country such a.
| this. the exact facts on which 10 base
an opinion have never been available
/ and most Of the statements have been
mere coniectures Al Sitka accurate
records have been kept by the
churches. aud they show that FOR -
Rod a. Ave years and seven months
the annual birth rate has been 1e3
per thousand and the annual death
/ rate s54 per thousand During this
period. with an estimated population
OF 400. there we're % more deaths than
births
The returns OF the United States
census bureau show that In the last 10
years there has been a decrease in
the total Indian population approx
mately equal 10 II per cent. or y
per cent per year This corresponds
very closely 10 the rates as figured
AZ itka and they may be taken as In
dicating fairly correctly the rates for
the whole country The death rate In
the United states varies from : or :
per thousand 10 81 per thousand de-
pending upon the locality An aver
age death rate may be placed at 90 to
20 per thousand
The very unusual mortality in Alas
Ia S54 per thousand. Ia 10 be- attrib
uted largely TO pulmonary tubercu'
losis and unless Il Is checked In some
wa II will result In the extinction OF
the natives in 60 or 20 years For
tunstely II Is counteractcd 10 Ger
tain extent by an unusually large
birth rate but the birth rate will
probably decrease 40 time goes on
e.