The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-12-16

The American Indians are not q de-
cadent race. but on the contrary, are
a growing people, with promising
future, according to the opinion OF
Cato Sells, former commissioner OF
Indian affairs.
The prevailing belief that the
American Indians are steadily declin-
ing in number is described by the for
mer commissioner, as q "fallacy."
The misconception that the American
Indians are in imminent danger Of
extinction is probably based upon
the opinion that in pre-Colonial days
the native population was much
greater than at present. As mat
ter of fact, it has never been anthem
tically determined just how many
Indians were in this country at the
time of the coming Of the white man.
and the most generally accepted fig
ures are merely estimates.
"The Indian population at one time
was apparently diminishing; at an.
other time it was fixed; but it has
never been decadent," Sells de-
clares.
Active imagination and adventur-
Gus spirit characterized the age in
which America was discovered. 1t
was an age of exaggeration, when in.
formation grew out of fancy as well
as fact.
Pioneers Legends.
The pioneers in this country, as
they learned of the vast eXpanse OF
territory beyond their settlements on
the Atlantic coast, became imbued
with the idea that Indians swarmed
in countless hordes over the enorm-
Gus stretches of forest and plain. Ma.
turally, the legendary lore Of an i'm.
mense Indian population during CO.
lonial days became the general be.
lief of succeeding generations and IL
the prevalent opinion today. But
according to Sells, neither exact
knowledge nor reasonable deduction
sustains this widely-existent belief
The first federal census of the In.
dian population, taken in 1850, was
largely an estimate and is supposed t.
have included many Mexicans and
aliens residing in Indian country al
the time. in view of the fact that the
census of ten years later showed a
decrease of approximately 10000
Indians.
The Indian population of the Uni.
ted States in 1910 was 304,950 and IL
1920 it was 336,337. and increase
in the decade Of 1887. The ouly
year in this period in which the In.
dian population failed to record an in.
crease was the year of the Spanish
influenza epidemic. This is the opin'
ion of Sells, is conclusive evidence
that the American Indians are fal
from the brink Of total extinction.
When the white man came to this
country the Indian was an untamed
uncivilized savage. Gradually, as the
white man increased in number in the
newly-ddscovered continent, result
antly expanding throughout the coun
try, the Indians were thrown into con
slant contact with the new civiliza
ton. Detrimental to both reds ane
whites for many years, marked By
terrible slaughter and bloodshed, this
contact brought about a slow blu,
sure change in the life Of the rec
man. Slowly, perhaps against hi.
will, the Indian inevitably absorbed
the white mans civilization, his bat
and good characteristics, until he be
came an established part in the every,
day life Of the nation.
Times have changed. Today the
Indian is one of the least trouble
some of all the various human ele
ments that constitute the population
of this great country. The India1
race has progressed amazingly. From
wild, savage existence of severa
hundred years ago, when tribe Tough
tribe, bands fought bands, dissensiol
and conflict surged over the land, al
impelled by the impulses and desires
of savage life the Indians have be
come for the most part peaceable
law-abiding citizens.
The old-time paper-backed dime
novels containing the thrilling an,
familiar: Bang! Another Indial
bit the DUST" are today on the shell
with ancient-history volumes. N
longer is the Indian a barbarous saw
age, lusting for blood. but prim
factor in Americas industrial and ae
ricultural activities.