The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1889-03-27
AN iEDiGE IN THE LEGISLATURE.
A Delegate from Ire Penobseot Tribe m
the Councils of the State Of Maine

the Councils OF the State OF Name
Augusta, Me-, March 10. = One
Of the most interesting men in the
Maine legislature this winter has
been Joseph Nicola, a tull-blooded
Indian, duly accredited represents
alive of the Penobscot tribe.
There are two tribes of Indians in
Maine now, the Penohscots and /
Passamaquoddics, each OF which /
has a legally recognized organizes
ton, receives a bounty from the |
state, elects governor and lieuten-
aut governor every year and sends
a representative to the Legislature,
The status OF these representatives
is ike that of the delegates to cons
gress from the territ1ries-they
have voice in the proceedings but
no vote-aA d Joe Nicola has big
bass voice that booms through the
corridors like moose horn when he
addresses a committee on the clalns
of his tribe. for the indians are new
er satisfied with what the state
gives them.
Representative Nicola says that as
well as he can figure 1.-THE state owes
his tribe 1859, 900 for boomagc rent
aud other items, but he makes lit
tie progress in getting his claim
through. He, however, makes the
following proposition, apropos of
the agitation for the removal Of the
capital: II the state will transfer
ihe seat of government toOldtown,
the home of the Pepobscot braves,
the original lort's Of this part Of the
Garth and whore, Nicola says. the
state house really belongs, he will
agree to give back TO the state halt
Of the amount of this claim, or ov.
er S225,O00.
Imagine tall, broad-shouldered
man OF middle age, with an Indians
6rnnze skin. straight black hair,
sharp eyes and sober expression,
dressed in a..nnel shirt, trock coat
and slouch hat, walking up the capt
tol steps with the dignity OF sena-
tor, and you have before your
minds eye Joseph Nicola. the rep.
Fesentative of the PenobscOt tribe.
He talks we'll but never diffusely,
,.as an average mans acquaintance
with the dictionary, spells correct>
.ly, writes fair hand and knows
his arithmetic. He was educated
like the Other Indians who are edu>
Gated at all, by the Sisters of tie
Catholic church, who make their
cherries home amid the squalor of
the Indian tribe on O.dtown island
Nicola is an observing man, and
while he has said little has done a
powerful lot of thinking during the
session, and has formed his own es>
Inmates of tie leading members.
Il think ex-Gov. Robie is the
soundest man in the House" he
says, "but | tell you Joe Manly is
mighty handy The Iudian reps
eosentative never INDUCES in fire
water and has hehave4with as much
decoium as Deacon Ben Hill, the
sedate Androscoggin Senator. He
took the calks out of his boot heels a
,tay or two after he came here, and
has been a gentleman in every sense
OF the word.
Nicola, like most of the Indians,
Is fond of politics, and what he
doesn't know about manipulating n
caucus is rot worth guessing at.
II a state famous for its politicians
none are more adroit than the cop
per-colore,l citizens OF Oldtown is
land. They have their parties and
their factions, understand the use
of doodle, and fight cut their cam
,oaigns for governor or representa-
sive as obstinatcly and iugeniousIy
rs their palefaced nclghhorS CO ntest
a state election. - New York
gAYorld.