THE REDSKINS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10503, 26 November 1901, Page 3

THE REDSKINS.

The Indian "pow-pow" (judging by the names' o£ the chiefs, "bow-wow^ would perhaps be more apt) at Calgary seems likely to rank with the famous Maori korero at Rotorua as one of the most exciting incidents of the triumphal progress of the heir to the throne. The 2,000 redskins seem to have been quite as imperturbable in repose and as deliriously demoniacal in their dance as the Maoris, bat in their demeanour and the comicality of their speeches, in which sonorous phrases of welcome and native petitions for "grub" were strangely intermingled, to have lacked the dignity ot the brown skins of the South. But it is hardly fair to expect dignity from White Pup, Running Rabbit, Crop Ear Wolf, Gull's Head Jacob, or Mister Jim, of the Black-feet Confederation. In an excellent speech, in whiph he laid s. tress on their steadfast loyalty during the rebellion of 1685, the Duke made it clear that the redskins might be Blackfeet, but were certainly not Blacklegs. By the way, it is quite a mistake to imagine that the fndians are dying out rapidly, and that< a. fast-dwindling, insignificant remnant is all that remains of a. mighty race. By no means, if the figures of the Boston Globe are to be relied qn. According to it there arc just as many Indians "in North America to-day as there were on the day that Columbus landed. The number has just b,een estimated at 267,000. There are whole Indian tribes that average richer than the general average for the country. There are Indian poets and Indian statesmen and Indian sgldiers. There is now 'in- the Treasury to the credit of Indian tribes 33,317,955.09 dollars, drawing interest at the rate of 4 and !> per cent., the annual interest amounting to 1,646,485.96 dollars. Beside this, several of . the trib.es have large incomes from leasing and other sources. There are 250 Indian schools of all kinds conducted by the U.S. Government, and an jnprease of 1,412 pupils in enrolment and 1,142 in average attendance is shown.