vernment is a pure democracy, based solidly upon intrinsic right and
justice, which governs, in his conception, the play of life. I use the
word "play" rather than a more pretentious term, as better expressing
the trend of his philosophy. He stands naked and upright, both literally
and symbolically, before his "Great Mystery." When he fails in obedience
either to natural law (which is supreme law), or to the simple code of
his brother man, he will not excuse himself upon a technicality or lie
to save his miserable body. He comes to trial and punishment, even to
death, if need be, unattended, and as cheerfully as to a council or
feast.

As a free man himself, he allows others the same freedom. With him the
spiritual life is paramount, and all material things are only means to
the end of its ultimate perfection. Daily he meets the "Great Mystery"
at morning and evening from the highest hilltop in the region of his
home. His attitude toward Deity is simple and childlike.

Social life is kept as simple as possible, freedom of action only
curbed by reverence for Those Above, and respect for the purity and
perfection of his own body and those of his fellow-creatures. Only such
laws are made as have been found necessary to guard personal and tribal
purity and honor. The women do not associate freely with men outside of
the family, and even within it strict decorum is observed between grown
brothers and sisters. Birth and marriage are guarded with a peculiar
sacredness as mysterious events. Strenuous out-of-door life and the
discipline of war subdue the physical appetites of the men, and
self-control is regarded as a religious duty. Among the Sioux it was
originally held that children should not be born into a family oftener
than once in three years, and no woman was expected to bear more than
five children, for whom both masculine and feminine names were provided
to indicate the order of their birth.

The Indian, in his simple philosophy, was careful to avoid a centralized
population, wherein lies civilization's devil. He would not be forced to
accept materialism as the basic principle of his life, but preferred to
reduce existence to its simplest terms. His roving out-of-door life was
more precarious, no doubt, than life reduced to a system, a mechanical
routine; yet in his view it was and is infinitely happier. To be sure,
this philosophy of his had its disadvantages and obvious defects, yet it
was reasonably consistent wi