Native Prej dice
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Prejudice is early opinion. In
estimating the progress of the
natives of Alaska the factor of
first impressions must be taken
into acount. What did they
™ think of the people who came
to t h ei r shores demanding
rights and privileges? Was
there basis for resentment? How
meet the same in programs of
education?
History is an impartial wit
ness. In the light of past re
cords we may better appreci
ate one of the obstacles to pro
gress in missions and education.
The interval from 1799 to
1867 in Alaskan history, might
be termed the period of govern
ment by traders. The original
attraction to these shores was
not the love of adventure nor
the lure of gold but the luster
of sea-otter. The government
of Alaska was in the hands of
the Russian American Company
rather than of the Muscovite
domain. And from the first the
treatment of t5i? Aleuts by the
promyshlenki was cruel and de
structive. Originally a gentle
peace loving people, they were
reduced to a state of practical
peonage.
When the agents of Baranof
moved eastward they encount
ered a different class of natives.
Warned by the experience of
the Aleutians of Prince William
Sound, Yakutat and Sitka ar
rayed themselves in hostility
against the aggressive Russians.
The result was bloodshed and
massacre. Finally subdued by
superiority of numbers and
equipment, the Thlingets be
came the unwilling subjects of a
government they never learned
to love.
The first ten years of Ameri
can occupancy might be termed
the period of no government.
In so far as the natives were
concerned it was a period of
neglect and debauchery. Trad
ing vessels brought liquor and
the material for the manufac
ture of native brew. The sol
diers, the only representatives of
the United States government
preyed upon the helpless peo
ple, trampled upon their rights
and violated their homes. There
were no schools, no missions and
no attempt of any sort to civi
lize and christianize. Not until
1877 was any attempt made to
establish schools and it was a
full year later before the first
missionary under American aus
pices arrived. It is not pleasing
to contemplate these eleven
years of reprehensible neglect
on the part of church, schools
and state.
In evaluating the attainment
of the Alaskan these facts
should be kept in mind. In the
face of bad treatment and bad
example they have made notable
progress in the arts of civiliza
tion. Those who have ap
proached them with a desire to
help have had a wall of prejud
ice to face. It has increased the
difficulties of the project but
has not proven an insuperable
barrier. It is to be hoped that
the helping hand may still be
extended and that in this day
no farther cause may be given
to perpetuate the barrier of race
prejudice.—Verstovian. Sitka.
“THE FIFTH DIVISION”
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Sarcastically speaking of the
Senate Representative Donnelly
declared in the last session of
the legislature that he was glad
he was a member of the House
rather than of the Senate.
While it was generally consid
ered more of an honor to be a
Senator still he was delighted
that he was a representative
because the Senate was under
the domination of the “Fifth
Division” instead of Alaska.
The Fifth Division is general
ly recognized as being the Seat
tle and San Francisco head
quarters of the canning asso
ciations and the holing up