Our New Medicine Man – Emily G. Taylor (1902)

From ‘Discontent: Mother of Progress’, Home, Wash., March 19, 1902

The latest order of the department of the interior concerning Indian affairs seems to embody a prescription for a civilizing process in general, and a cure for sore eyes in particular. As I understand the meager intelligence given out in relation to the matter, the formula is brief — something as follows: Short hair, store clothes, minus paint, blanket dance and feast. Is it not surprising that our new medicine man, Commissioner Jones (or is Teddy the card up the sleeve?) doesn’t begin to practice on his own race, where sore eyes are a common malady, and said to be rapidly increasing, the long-haired feminine portion of which, as is well known, has been In the “paint” business since civilization first had a cinch on them?

The Indians, it is fair to assume, made the acquaintance of the art with the first man; yet, I think authorities on the subject will agree that sore eyes were unknown to the Indian prior to his introduction to his sore-eyed white brother. It may be that the use of “civilized” paint is responsible for the trouble with the eyes. Shut up in his “unwalled prison” the Indian can no longer have access to the natural product as found in the soft clays and certain vegetation. Among this people from time immemorial have been the most successful medicine men the world has ever known; and might not this “latest” be regarded by them as somewhat gratuitous on the part of our new medicine man? In other words, is it not a trifle invasive? Or is it little matter what kind of treatment a strong, powerful, civilized nation accords a helpless one?

It may be said in extenuation that this order, when put in execution, might greatly benefit some of our own people, and thus assist our national ward, “prosperity,” to thrive among us. Enterprising clothiers, with an eye on a coveted fragment of “reservation,” may see hope of salvation on job lots of ready made clothing on which they found themselves stuck. And shall not haircutters, too, scent afar off a business boom? Of course half-starved Indians will be fastidious about the latest style in hair.

The Truth Seeker in referring to the matter makes this pertinent remark: “The wisdom of these orders is to be doubted, provided the extinction of the Indian is not sought. Civilized clothing has made many an Indian a ‘good Indian.'”

And is it really a fact in nature that a certain pattern of garb, or mode of wearing hair, are really attributes of civilization in the sense of forming character of integrity, justice, and humane instincts? The fact that the regulation dress of civilization has been worn by white savages and criminals all their lives without apparent benefit, seems not in the least to disturb the confidence of the new medicine man in the efficacy of his prescription. Whether the civilized waist-compressing corset, ponderous bustle, and long, trailing, weighty skirt, with inside margin reeking with filth and rags, proves more conducive to civilization than the unfashionable blankets, let the thousands of brothels in civilized cities testify.

We are told that the site of the city of Chicago, not a century since, was the site of a city of a race that wore long hair and blankets; a populous summer resort, as it were, where gathered yearly in great numbers these “uncivilized” people. They had no brothels. Not in the limits of all their great city could be found one debauched woman! No policeman’s club adorned their thoroughfares! No costly municipal government molested their council gatherings. Each was a law unto himself, and all knew how to behave themselves. And let it not be forgotten that it was of this long-haired, blanket-wearing race that Thomas Jefferson, in comparing conditions of Indians and whites, said ”It is a problem not clear to me that the first condition (that of the Indian) is not the best.”

An extract is here given from a letter by Lieutenant Whitman to Colonel Lee, U.S.A., and published in “A Century of Dishonor,” (to be found in nearly all public libraries), page 325:

”Camp Grant, Arizona Territory

“May 17, 1871.

”Dear Colonel: Thank you for your kind letter of last week. If I could see you and have a long talk, and answer all your questions, I could come nearer giving you a clear idea of the history of the Indians at this post than any written account. . . .Such was the condition of things up to the morning of April 30. They had so won on me from my first idea of treating them justly and honestly, as an officer of the army, I had come to feel a strong personal interest in helping them to a higher civilization. I bad come to feel respect for men who, ignorant and naked, were still ashamed to lie or steal; and for women who would work cheerfully like slaves to clothe themselves and children, but, untaught, held their virtue above price.”

EMILY G. TAYLOR

Appendix

“In this way our settlements will gradually circumscribe and approach the Indians, and they will in time either incorporate with us as citizens of the United States or remove beyond the Missisipi. The former is certainly the termination of their history most happy for themselves. But in the whole course of this, it is essential to cultivate their love. As to their fear, we presume that our strength and their weakness is now so visible that they must see we have only to shut our hand to crush them, and that all our liberalities to them proceed from motives of pure humanity only.”

President Thomas Jefferson to Governor of the Indiana Territory William Henry Harrison (1803)