Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-09
bMER|C)N INDIANS
NOT IO DISAPPEAR
CENSUS ENUMERAToRs FIND
NOBLE RED MAN IS IkcREAs.
ING IN NUMBERS.
OLD BELIEF EXPLODED
By ACTUAL FIGURES
Many Generations to Pass Before In.
dian Is Extinct.-Rate Of Increase
Somewhat Less Than Among
Whites.-More Than Half Of Number
Are Full. Bioods.
Especial correspondence

NdSNlt!StoIl, July s.-.AAtuO Tic ou-
reau of the census, in a report made
public today sees a tendency OF the
full blooded Indian TO disappear alto
gether, the figures which the report
contains show that as matter of fact
the number of Indians, full blooded
and mixed, is increasing.
1t will be many a long year before
poor Lo is extinct at the rate the CEN
sus figures give as to change in popu-
lation and a good many generations
before he is a relic of the past like the
buffalo he used to hunt. For race
which has so long been depicted as
journeying toward the setting sun with
all hope lost the red man may fairly
be said to be doing quite We'll.
Increase Less Than Whites.
Today's hgures show the Indian pop
ulation of the United States, exclusive
of Alaska and insular possessions, In
1910 was 265,6s3, representing an in
crease OF l7,i30. or per cent over the
number reported in 1880 when the CEN
sus bureau made its first enumeration
of the Indians. Thus at the last cen
sus the only Americans whose native
ancestry extends farther back than a
century or two-or three at utmost
constituted less than three-tenths OF
one per cent of the entire population.
The data shows much lower rate
of growth for the Indian population
than for the white: an increasing ad-
mixture OF white blood; decreasing vi
,ality OF full blood Indians. which the
bureau says indicates tendency TO
disappear altogether: increasing at
tendance a school and decreas sing illit-
eracy, an increase in the percentage
of the self-supporting. and decrease
in the number of reservation Indians
In the sense that the Indian seems
to be undergoing process of grad
ual absorption into the white race. the
red man. as shown by these figures.
is disappearing. In the sense that the
total of Indians. full blood and mixed.
show an increased population since
1890. the disappearance theory is lack
ing foundation.
OF the tota! Indian population, "a
SIS or Is per cent. are in one state,
Oklahoma, and 1s0.l07, or so per cent.
in FIVE states. Oklahoma. Arizona, New
Mexico. South Dakota, and California
The Indian tribes are ESQ. comprising
sfty-t-vo linguistic stocks. The most
important tribes numerically are the
Cherokee. Navajo, Chippewa, Choctaw
and the Teton Sioux. These tribes are
the only ones represented by more
than 10000 members each. Forty
four tribes had more than 1000 mem
peis each.
AS compared with whites and ne
groes in the United States, Indians
marry somewhat earlier in life. This
tendency toward earlier marriage is
due, in part at least, to the fact that
the male reservation Indian is as as
sured OF a livelihood at the age OF 10
as he is later in life.
Polygamy exists to slight extent
Out of 494 Indian males living in poly
gamy in 1910, s27 were Savajos.
More Than Half Fuli-B1oods.
OF the total Indian population, 1o0,-
053, or 56.5 per cent. were reported as
uil-bloods. and 93,423. or s5.2 per cent
as mixed bloods. For the remainder
no information on this point was given
but it is probable the majority were
mixed. OF the mixed bloods, over 81
per cent represented mixture OF
white and Indian blood.
An interesting and significant fact
is that children born Of mixed mar
riages are more numerous and more
likely to survive than those born OF
marriages between full blood Indians.
The greater the amount OF white blood
represented in any class OF marriages
the greater the proportion Of surviv-
ing children. The bureau concludes
that the data on fecundity and vital
ity point toward one conclusion, and
that is that the increase Of the mixed
blood Indians is much greater than
that of the full-blood Indians, and
that unless the tendencies now at work
undergo decided change the full
bloods are destined to form a decreas-
ing proportion Of the total Indian pop
uiation and ultimately to disappear al
together"
The occupations in which Indians are
engaged are diversified in character,
ranging all the way from unskilled la
Dor to some Of the highest proprietary,