Daily camera., 1899-03-02
DECIDED BY INDIANS.
Status of North Carolina Cherokees
Determined by Election
The State Senate in Settling . Con-
test Case T>~Aes tie Vote of the
Naturalization of In
dians to Suffrage.

The Cherokee Indians of North Caro-
lima numbered by the last federal CEN
sus 2.ss6, and there were by the same
census in North Carolina 231 Indians
not taxed" this being the distinction
between Indians having the right to
vote and Indians not having that priv
ilege IneAns not taxed are tribal In
dams whose relations with the govern
ment of the United States are regulated
by treaty; Indians paying taxes are In
dians who have surrendered their allie
glance to their chiefs and have become
American citizens with all the rights,
privileges and responsibilities which
that relation implies.
The state senate of North Carolina at
Raleigh has recently decided contest
ed election between Cannon and Franks
from the extreme western or mountain
district Cannon, a democrat, contend
Cd that the election of Franks, a repub-
lican. was obtained by the votes of
Cherokee Indians in Swain county who
were not qualified electors. The com
mittee on elections. to whom the matter
was referred, decided that those In
dians are not tribal under the treaty of
1885, and should be recognized as citi-
zens of North Carolin. Franks retained
his seat
Swain is one of the small mountain
counties of North Carolina, having a
total population of less than 1000 in an
area of 425 square miles, about the same
as Chemung county, n. Y, and inhabit-
ed chiefly by backwoodsmen in he re-
gion of the Great Smoky mountains,
which constituted the boundary line be-
tween North Carolina and Tennessee,
though they do not constitute any
boundary line between the inhabit-
ants. those on the Kentucky side being
in fact the same as on the North Caro-
lima ledge.
The relation of Indians to the suf-
frage has long been subject of dispute
and matter of controversy in the cleo
ton laws of the United States. In
Arizona all Indians are excluded from
territorial suffrage. In Michigan and
Minnesota untaxed Indians are eX-
cluded from rights which in the former
state aliens enjoy. In Mississippi un-
taxed Indians are included in the
same official category with idiots, fel-
ons and insane persons and citizens.
who have not paid their taxes. In Mon
tana and Nevada all Indians, whether
retaining their tribal allegiance or not,
are excluded. In New Mexico al. Indi-
ans are excluded except Pueblo Indians
who are exempted. In Oklahoma In
dians having tribal relations are eN-
cluded from the rights of suffrage, as
they are in Wyoming, while in Wash
ington the untaXed Indians are ex-
cluded and the taxed Indians are per-
mitted to vote. 1t is somewhat
marked peculiarity of Indian election
laws that in those states or territories
in which the Indian population is con-
sderab bic the suffrage OF Indians is rig
idly provided against, whereas in those
states in which the number of Indians
is small, they are admitted to the
rights of suffrage under terms similar
to those prescribed for other citizens.
The total number of lndinas in the
United States is substantially 100000,
of whom $4,000 are on reservations,
65 900 are members of civilized tribes
not on reservations, and the balance
are either taxed Indians or Indians en-
ioying some governmental exemption,
the Pueblos of New Mexico, who num-
Der $500: the Apaches at Mount Ver-
non. who are under the control of the
war department., and the Six Nations of
New York. who are to be found chiefly
in or near Onondaga county.
In close election contest, such as
the one which has been recently deter
mined in North Carolina, the impor-
tance of the indians and their status
might, in some closely contested coun-
ties be decisive, and it is worthy of con-
sideraton that the Raleigh senate,
which has determined this question,
comprises ten fusionists and 40 demo-
Gratis. whereas the Raleigh house of
representatives has an overwhelming
democratic majority, large enough to
override the republicans in that body.
Indian voters have never been a factor
in elections in the state Of New York,
though there are nearly twice as many
Indians in this state as untaXed Chero-
KEGS in North Carolina-N. Y. Sun.