The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-31
The First Families Of America
BY FREDERIC J. HAskIN

age. The Indian shook hands with
him, and invited him to visit the
pueblo on the next day. AS they drove
out the Indian said:
You are my brother. AS soon as |
shook hands with you, knew that you
were my brother"
He led the white man into his house
and bade him be seated.
Entertained by an Indian.
This is your house." he said.
Later he asked the white man if he
would like to hear some Indian music,
and getting an affirmative reply. he
sang native song of his own compost
| ton. He was an ideal host, courteous
and sincere. He did not apologize nor
| bluff, nor indulge in elaborate and
mendacious protestations which make
up such a large part of our own COM
pany manners.
The Indian is a moral man and he
| perceives the fact that the real foun-
dalton OF all ethics is honesty He
believes in keeping his word. What
an Indian says he will do, he does,
| even though the matter is of no inn
/ portance. An Indian was visiting
friend in town when he suddenly
noticed that his horse had strayed
away. He went after it, saying, I'll
be back"
He came back about five hours
later, in the middle of the night, and
walked his host. His only purpose in
coming was to keep his promise.
OF course not all Indians are so
ouixotic, nor so honest. There are
crafty Indians and weak Indians, just
J as there are weak and crafty men
among all other races. The point is
that absolute honesty is a real moral
: ideal to these people, while among US
: it is only a nominal ideal, falsehood
and fraud being indispensable parts
of both our social and our business
: system.
The Indian is also a sincerely re-
I ligious man. He has long had a re-
2 ligion of his own, which sees and wor-
: ships the divine will in all the phe-
e ! nomena of nature. When the Span
S iards came along they baptized him a
e Christian and built Catholic church
i in each of his villages. Ever since
l. then the Indian has had two religions
e He still holds his pagan dances and
S ceremonies, Just as he always did, and
|. he goes to the Christian church also
s though he is not a regular attendant
e of mass
|, There is only one God" he says
e In church, in the woods, with his
# prayer sticks before him, in his un-
foreground chapel, he is communine
= with the same Great Spirit To him
= this great spirit is real and near God
is just as perceptible personality tc
him as his wife. He is incapable OF
e doubt. Every day he sees the hand
n of God in hundred natural happen
5. ings His God is a God of love. The
1t Pueblos have never been warlike In
l. dians and they fight little amone
n themselves. They honestly believe
Is and practice the primitive Christian
n gospel that strife is futile
n I'VE pray for everything on earth
e for every living thing" a councillor
ID of the tribe said. I'VE pray even TO
a stray dog that comes to the pueblo.
There is never any suspicion of can
1t or hypocrisy about an Indians relig
ID ion. His sincerity is child-like AM
al obvious.
If Such are the Pueblos, the only In
ID dians which civilization has not great
ID ly changed, at their best There ar
e. Indian scoundrels and loafers, just a
lg there are white ones. But the Puebl,
ut Indian at his best is a man worthy o
lie any ones respect. He is a clean an
" honest man, and a man of principle
s. He is kindly, good-humored and tolel
lie ant. He knows how to enjoy life H
or has faith without bigotry. He make
We one reflect that if dignified and happ
Id human life is the object of our labor.
than our civilization is a questionable
n success. The poor Indian gets alon
IN remarkab bly, well without il
an I Add;a TraIon &c ro-... -. :,