-
THE VATCIHMAN
I
SRI
A vores drastic plan for abolishing an evil
has seldom been proclaimed than that which
has heen issued in China against the use of
opiunt. The regulations provide thatsnot only
the cultivation of the poppy, but the use of
opium must cease within ten years, No new
ground can he placed under cultivation, and
the amount of old ground devoted to poppies
must be reduced one tenth each vear. If the
reduction 1s not made, the ground can he con-
fiscated.  Tvery user of opium must register
his name and the amount consumed. No one
may buy opium unless he is registered, and
no one may begin to use it hereafter. Those
under sixty years of age must decrease the
amount they use twenty per cent. a year: and
if they do not, they will he punished. Shops
selling opium will be closed gradually. Al
opium dens are to he closed within six montlis.
and owners of wineshops and inns must net
permit smoking on their premises. All opium
shops must be registered, and must sell less
opium each year, and unless their reports show
a decrease of sales, the shops will be closed
There are specinl
rules for the disuse of opium by government
officials, army officers, soldiers. teachers.
others, who must abandon the habit — if they
and their owners punished.
and
are under sixty years of age —in from three
to six months. Tt remains to be scen how
these regulations will be
But the issue of such regulations indicates that
the Chinese are awake to the necessities of
the situation.— Youth's Companion.
EE
PREPARING FOR CITIZENSHIP
THE Indian population of the United States.
exclusive of Alaska, writes Miss A. M. Barnes
im the Children’s 1isitor, numbers 271.000.
Of this number, the {ive civilized tribes — the
Cherokees, Creeks, Chickasaws, Choctaws.
and Seminoles — represent a population of 87.-
I BB a Tn a WN NN Ne
strictly enforced.
TN NT NN
Melchisedece priesthood. Christ is our Iligh
Priest. and he is coming near to men in judg-
ment. He 1s m “his holy temple, the Lord's
throne is in heaven.” Ps. 11:4. “The temple
of God was opened in heaven, and there was
scenn in his temple the ark of his testament.”
Rev. 11:10.
“The judgment is set,” and Christ stands
as a witness against those who disregard the
requirements of God. Hear his word: “ Re-
member the Sabbath day;” for “it is holy.”
“Bring ve all the tithes into the storchouse;”
for “ir is holy.”
In the closing work of the judgment. let
us not he found guilty before God of robhing
him in tithes and offerings, disregarding his
claim of one tenth of our income, and may
we not tread under foot his holy Sabbath, thus
showing disrespect to him as our Creator and
Gro. W. WEnLLs,
Redeemer.
© surprised to sce the number
ooo. They are to be found almost solely
within the hounds of the Indian Territory,
Of this 87,000, however, only about 26.000 are
Inll-bloods,
Civilized clothes, we learn from these same
carefully prepared government statistics, are
now worn by 116.000 Indians, and partly worn
by gp000 additional ones,
tor Indians
These figures are
outside the five civilized tribes.
Nearly all of these have given up the nomadic
life and now reside in permanent dwellings.
Of these Indians, more than 70,000 talk Fn-
glish, while two thirds of them can read it.
More than 40,000 of these Tndians are members
From their ranks have come
preachers and religious
of the churches,
ually, but in material wealth. ‘They have
built cities that would be a credit to any state
in the Union. Muskogee, Tahlequah, South
McAlester, Ardmore, and Chichasha are
abreast of any cities of their age and size that
can he found anywhere on the American Conti-
nent.
Even among the semicivilized tribes. 30,000
Indian children and youths are shown to be in
school. Of these, 26.000 are in schools pro-
vided hy the United States government, while
the other 4,000 are divided among the different
church schools. The development of the In-
dian character under this judicious system of
tutelage has been something remarkable. Tn-
dian young men and young women, going
from these schools to attend colleges and uni-
versities, have taken the highest rank in
scholarship.
The amount appropriated by the government
to be devoted to the interests of the Indians
through 1000 was $8.000,000.
$3.777.000 was for education.
Of this amount,
The Indians of
teacliers among the most
able and eloquent to he
found,
will see that
23,000
Indians are now left
States.
they are fast throwing off
the blanket to put on in-
stead the white man’s coat.
Sone months while
out in Com-
anche, Apache, Caddo, amd
Wichita Reservations, I was
Thus vou
only about * hlan-
ket
in the Unite ane
ago,
the Kiowa,
of cutaways, Prince Alberts,
derby hats, and patent
leather toed shoes every-
where in evidence. One
Apache rode his pouy with his eagle feathers
streaming out behind him; but he sat in his
saddle in a pair of white man’s trousers, while
the toes pressed into his stirrups were covered
by up-to-date patent leather tips.
I met this same doughty warrior, Gotebo,
attired in a faultless suit of black cloth, tailor
made, a derby hat, white shirt, and the most
approved of American shoes. He attends
our church at Anadarko. I doubt if he ever
puts his war suit on now, except to pose for
the photographer. Geronimo, chief of the
Apaches, delights in two things especially —
the wearing of “store clothes” and riding in
automobiles. Red Cloud alone of all the dis-
tinguished war chiefs shakes his fist defiantly
in the face of advancing civilization and re-
fuses to have anything to do with the white
man's ways.
Of course the five civilized tribes stand head
and shoulders above the others. They have
advanced to the extent that they are now ripe
for the honors of citizenship. The truth is
they have been for many years citizens in fact,
if not in They have had their own
school systems, their own courts and Legis-
name.
latures, and have chosen their own executives.
For two generations they have heen steadily
advancing not only intellectually and spirit-
AN INDIAN FILE
Alaska and of the five tribes are not included
in these items.
The Indians to-day, thanks to the care taken
of them by Uncle Sam, are among the richest
people in America. As proof of this assertion
is cited the financial standing of the Osages.
These Indians reccive on an average $5,000
each yearly from our government. Says a
writer who likes to juggle with figures: “If
all Uncle Sam's white children had as much
money per capita as these Oklahoma red men,
the $112,000,000,000 which represents the wealth
of the United States in 1906 would he ad-
vanced to at least $200,000.000,000."
The last council has been held. . I'he Indians
of the Indian Territory and Oklahoma have
answered to their last tribal roll call. New
names are being given to those who cling to
the old, cumbersome ones — names more in ac-
cord with the dignities of their new position
as citizens of the United States, which they
will assume on March 4, 1007.
Miss Barnes savs that such scenes as those
pictured in our illustration have either passed
away or arc fast doing so; but to manv who
crossed the plains a few years ago, and have
seen the Indians on their sturdy ponies file
down the winding mountain paths, it will
have a very familiar look.