The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-17
CHEROKEE INDIANS RLECT A
CHI F.

Gorge 81 Smathers and his Score
tarv, Ne. Williams, have returned
fron a trip through the Western coun
ties. including a short stay at the reser
vstion of the Eastern band Of Cherokee
Indians, says the Asheville Gaz tie.
The Council OF the baud has been il
session and taken action on a number
Of matters. Some time ago the band
sold some timbsr lands for 81. 900, and
She Council passed an act directing the
distribution OF the amount, and paid
sbe chief of the Councilf for his services.
Matters are running veSy smoothly
with the Indian school, Of which Prot.
Y. b Spray is the principal. One OF
the teachers, a lady, who has taught in
the Indian Territory, was asked re
gsrding the aptness Of her pupils. She
repiied that the Indians we're about on
az equality with the white children 10
their faculty for learning. The school
has a resident physician, and DR. Wort
sell, until recently with the Pension
Bureau at Washington, now has this
position.
The Chief and Assistant Chief of the
Eastern band Of Cherokees are elected
every four years At the same time
the members of the Council are elected
Tor q 5s>m of two years. At the recent
election Sampson Owl was elected
Chief and StilIwell SAunooka, who
served as chief from 1891 to 1895, was
elected Assistant Caief. While local
issues figure very largely in the cleo
ton, the result was something like q
Democratic victory, as the new C1iet
is Of that party. AS proof Of the fac5
that politics hadno weight, it is pointed
out that the Democratic Chief was
elected by only three msj nrity, while
the Republican Assistant Chief worsted
his antagonist by seventy votes.
There ia some telk Of not seating
Sampson o vi, not because he is not as
wise as an owl, but because Of some
alleged Irregularities in the election.
It i said that Of the S vain county
Judges were not chosen In accordance
with the Indian Constitution. If the
disputed tow SHIPS shouli be thrown
out. the Republican candidate for the
fife Of Chief, Jesse Red, would be
elected by one vote. II there is no
evidence of open fraud, however, no
such step will be taken, ana the Coun
ell viii attach 10 great Importance to
mere technicalities.
The timber sale mentioned has been
under dispute several years, but it Is
now believed that at least q part Of
the proceeds of the sac will, through
an order Of the court, be distributed.
The case of the Unined States against
D L Boyd and others, Involving the
status Of the Indians, is now pending
before the Supreme Court, and will in
ell probability be argued this winter.
The case will be argued by George H.
5nathers, legal representative OF the
Isnl of Cherokee Indians, and Louis
Il. Bourne for the Dixon & Mason
Lumber Company, who are claiming
damages against the government. The
interests o, the government will be
looked after by some one attached to
the Department Of Justice. 1t will
De remembered that the United States
Circuit Court Of Appeals, Judge Golf
delivered the opinion of the court, rem
dered a decision during the November
I'm Of 81, holding that these Indians
arc not citiz rs ct the United States or
North Carolina, but we're wards Of the
Nation. Tae principal obj set Of the
a2plai by the defendants to the United
States Supreme Court is TO secure a de-
c.si0n settling the status Of the indiana.
AOut fifteen hundred people r now
ircluded in the band. All the male
population over eighteen years of eye
may vote.