Dr. Eastman on "Indian Character"

Dr. Charles A. Eastman gave an interesting lecture to the members of the Union last evening on the subject of "Indian Wit, Humor, Poetry, and Eloquence. He wore the full dress of a Sioux Indian and was given an enthusiastic reception.

He first spoke of his experiences among the old chiefs of the Sioux tribe and gave little sketches of the effect the great cities had on certain older Indians who visited Chicago, Pittsburg and Washington. They could not understand civilization, but all possessed a certain dignity of manner that charmed all they met.

In concluding, Dr. Eastman gave a fine tribute to Sitting Bull, the greatest of the tribe. "Nobody ever knew of his great deeds. He never killed anybody but white soldiers, and was never known to kill a woman or child under any conditions. I remember when I was a doctor at Pine Ridge, the soldiers disarming the whole reservation and shooting down the defenceless Indians and afterwards chasing and killing the women. Human nature is the same the world over. We have been barbaric, we have been cruel, but you take a poor negro, cover him with oil and burn him at the stake. We have not done this for a hundred years, and yet you are a civilized people."