Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-02

dCteu rs 1uU-ETOWn men, me tne0v
Of Father Duncan that the Metlakafla
Indians are still mere children. and
can only he treated as such, is cer-
tainly well contradicted by Mr.. Car
penter himself. who speaks of tho
same Indians as attaining to an adj
vanced state of civilization and in.
telligence"; ARE now aspiring to- a
higher education and to full Unitsk
States citizenship
The council of Metlakatla furti,eP
wishes to say that il the proper -.
thorities had not stepped into the prek.
ent AFFAIRS Of Metlakatla as they d6.
and as they were asked to do by tAe
M Menid haxs PEOPLE ss.n Father Duncan
from this community by the Indians
themselves over two years ago. The
entrance of the government here saved
MN. and at the same time Gained
down and controlled the growing in
dignant feelings Of the Metlakatla In
dams against Father Duncan
Denies People Are Ungrateful.
The attitude OF the Metlakatla people
toward Father Duncan looks as IL they
are ungrateful to him. We are we'll
aware that this is how the public gem
orally views the situation here. But this
is not the case at ALL Very far from
1t. Where can you find on the whole
american continent any tribe OF Indians
that does not record its sincere thanks
TO its friend and benefactoro One nat
ural characteristic Of the Indian is
that he never forgets any one that has
made sacrifice on his behalf Is our
schoolboy story Of Pocahontas protect
ing an endangered lone and helpless
whlte man an invented story
But the present attitude OF the Met
lakatla Indians toward Father Duncan
has been unjustly created and nursed
by Father Duncan himself He could
have easily nipped this in the bud by
recognizing the growth. the manhood
tons of his Indian people. BUT he did
not do so. He gave plenty OF oppor-
tunities for the unfortunate situation
to take root and grow. 1t was i'm his
power to make things right, but he did
not do so. He did not wish, nor try. to
do 1t. The carbuncle has been allowed
to grow without medical attention ana
today 1t Is very painful to Father Dun
can and painful to the Metlakatla In
dams. The correct solution of the
Metlakatla trouble, in the Judgment OF
this council. and in the judgment of the
preceding similar body. is the speedy
and complete retirement of Father
Duncan from the Metlakatla work and
his absence from Annette Island. -.
M
Cannibalism Rated Myth. an
The stories of cannibalism, the at!
the Indians. and similar stories like
that, recorded by Mr.. Carpenter
cause much amusement among the Met.
lakatla Indians. especially among tho
few old men that are still living. and
who were young men when Father
Duncan first came to Fort Simpson 81
c., in 1857. These old men brand
Father Duncan's stories as a stretch OF
the human imagination. They ara .
mere fabrication, especially the can
nibal stories. 7TH
From Lower California to the Arctic
regions on the Pacific coast. in the days
of the early Spanish explorers. in the
days OF Vancouver and Nitus Berirk,
long before Father Duncan and his co.
workers came. history does not record
a single instance Of cannibalism among
the Indian tribes of the whole coast.
The reports Of both American and Brit
ish travellers and geographers do not
speak of the cannibalistic life and pracs
tees of any Of these Indians. rsS
We do not deny that we were hea-
then people when Father Duncan first
came to US. We were bad. very bad.
that the other Indian tribes of North
America were bad. Many of our cusa
toms were hideous. The introductfoK
of rum and firearms among us Shy
white people added a great deal to our
degradation. z
Father Duncan, together with the
other English missionaries and teachc
ers that came with him at the time,
did do a good work among us. All this
belongs to their credit. We have over
and over again thanked them for their
good work. We have baen very faith
full and true to them. aJT
Self-Sacrifice Is Recalled. 81
1t must be remembered. however. that
it was the self-sacrifice of many a poor
Christian in England that made pos
sible the gathering of funds for the
beginning of the work in 1857. and
which was carried on till the fall OF
1882, when Father Duncan was diS-
charged by the Church Missionary 50:
ciety. And the Indians themselves did
very well in leaving the ways of their
fathers SO quickly and so easily ana
becoming adapted to the new conditions
Of things. The British government
brought Father Duncan from England
on a warship and landed him In British
Columbia, protected him all the way
through. clothed him with magisterial
authority, and the Metlakatla Indians,
to tell the truth, were almost literally
whipped into the kingdom of Heaven,
We wish to conclude these words by
saying that since we came into this
country in 1887 we have learned to
love and respect the flag that floats
American authorities and people that
have helped us. and are helping US. I.
Aside from our craving for higher
and better Christian life, we are long
ing for those things in school that make
for Individual usefulness and efficiency
those things that build up good char
acter and kindle the flame of patriot
ism in any ones life.
Want Chance to Demonstrate.
Give US good school, and we can
show to you that an Indian has just as
much ability to do a few good things
for his country. and be humble about
his attainments. as any other race un-
der the American flag. We are also
anxious for the knowledge of an honest
business. iS'
Yes, we are craving for these and
few other things. Give them to us. Or
better, perhaps, give us an opportunity
to earn them ourselves. This is the
earnest cry Of the Indians of Met1a-
katla today. EDWARD MARSDEN.'
Of the Council of Metlakat.
la. Alaska.
March II. 1916. "''
Whneo Heod2 ,a,s