Red Indian Mortality.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5477, 7 February 1885, Page 5

Red Indian Mortality.

Thkrk is something pathetic about tho latest statistical account of the Indians in tho United States. Three yoars ago tho onliro raco, who once overran tho continent, numbered 370,000. Of thoso 'iSO.OOO wero in tho Indian reservation, 58,000 of thorn

living in a stato of partial civilisation. Wandering tribos wero 15,000 in number, tho Indians in Alaska 31,000, tho remnants of tho Iroquois 7,000, while of citizensbraves who had abahdoned tho tomahawk and the prairies for more peaceful conditions of life—thore wore 67,000. Of Indians then on tho reservations 50,000 woro supported by tho (iovornment, 47,000 roreived largo appropriations, and 95,000 wore supported by fishing, hunting, farming, aud other small industries, and the proceeds of tho sale of their land. Since thon the taming process has beon gradually going on.

Tho 60.000 children, instead of being dialled in tho warlike wayß of their fathers, aro gradually boiny; gathered into the schools. Tho moro civilised tribes manago their own schools, with tho aid of Government grants. Tho Chcrokees, for instance, have 198 day mclioolh nnd oloron boarding schools, giving instruction in tho Cherokee language, with its nlphabot of eighty-live letters invented in 1527. It is paid that tho Indians show a roal zeal for tho education of their children. Tho Omahas of Nebraska sold part of their laud." for tho purpose of raising money for scltools. Many plans aro projected to complete this work of civilising tho Indiana. Somo atatosmon assort that with an annual expenditure of ten million dollars there could bo provided schools for every Indian child, and that in fiftoon yours tho entiro :.ico would bo civilised and self-supporting. Others advocate- the expenditure .of throo millions in day and boarding schools. Either sum would bo but small in proportion to tho value of the land that onco belonged to them. But with all this fervour for their civilisation the race do not thrive. Each year they becomo weaker in body and poorer in spirit, and illustrate, if evor a crushed nnd broken people did, how hopeless is the struggle of aboriginal races when the whito man invades their land.