What the White Race May Learn from the IndianJames, George Wharton
Religion
What the White Race May Learn from the Indian
James, George Wharton
Indians of North America
So I emulate the Indian in these things, and seek to be like him. This
prodigality and strength in work calls for more comment. Labor unions
are making one of the greatest mistakes of their career in restricting
the full exercise of a man’s energy. In limiting his daily output they
are bucking against that which every man should strive to possess,
viz., the spirit of prodigal energy in work. My Indian would row all
day, and after a few hours of especially hard work I would ask if I
might not relieve him. “No; like ’em,” was his reply invariably. He
liked his work. It was a joy to him. What was the result? A body of
tested steel; lungs equal to every demand; muscles that responded to
every strain; eyes as clear as stars; brain quick and alert because
of a healthy body made and kept so by hard, continuous labor. We are
told that the Indians are lazy. It is not true. Some few may be, but
the Indians of the Southwest do their work heartily and well, and with
a prodigal energy that is as novel and startling to most white men as
it is educative and suggestive to them. As for me, I have learned the
lesson. When I reach a station and have time, I walk to my hotel, and
refuse to allow any one to carry my usually heavy grips. I seek for
the physical exercise. Many a time I arrange for an arduous exploring
trip in order to compel myself to great exertions. I know that when
I get started I must go on, and in the going on, though I get very
weary, I know I am developing power and hoarding up health, energy, and
strength for future use. A few weeks ago I started with a comrade for a
few hundreds of miles of tramping and riding over the Colorado Desert,
up mountain trails, through waterless wastes. My part of the journey
was shortened by circumstances over which I had no control, but my
assistant and artist took the whole trip, arduous and exhausting though
it was, and I envied them and regretted my inability to go along.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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