The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-05-26
A DISTINCT PEOPLE.
Two ana a Half Millions That Make
Their Homes in the Ale
aheny Mountains.

The ouasi-civil war in Kentucky and
Az many stories OF the stubborn pollt-
ical opinions of the mountaineers have
attracted the attention to the fact that
there i've in the wilds Of the Allegheny
mountains a people as distinct from the
others Of America as if they were for
zion people. This people, says the New
York Mail and Express, number about
$500. 900, and occupy parts OF elght
states. Their land is as large as the
German empire and nearly as Wild, ana
as full of romance as was Germany pc
fore Napoleon began his wholesome
raids of disinfection. The mountain
eers are of Anglo-Saxon origin, but
have been stranded here for 100 years,
while the march Of civilization passed
over them and ahead, north and south.
The ancestors Of most of them helped
build the republic, and nearly every
man. woman and child is eligible by an
cestry to the revolutionary or colonial
societies. They have remained loyal
TO the early traditions Of the republic
and resent any attempt to win pupilc
Office through trickery
Though prisoners Of poverty these
people are not beggars. There are no
milIionaires among them, nor any
tramps. Many are illiterate, but they
are not ignorant. They display re-
markable ingenuity in overcoming in
their uneducated ways the obstacles
that surround them, but knowing that
they are peculiar in their methods they
are sensitive and clannish. Like the
wild animals about them, they shrink
from the centers of civilization. They
are by nature religious, and are in
clined to regard statements in the Bible
vas final.
Their personality is well known to
all the earth from the many pictures
drawn from among them by the liter
ary world, but what is generally ig-
nored is their intense desire for educa-
ton. Their forefathers believed in
education also and lost no time in
founding seats of higher learning. Be
ing conservative, they naturally cling
TO these institutions. Even if so dis
posed they are not able TO attend the
more favored colleges at a distance. II
their great need is to be adequately
met, educational facilities must be
placed within their reach.
Washington college, East Tennessee,
is one of these old schools. 1t is in the
geographical center of this vast noun
tain region. It is in the upper valley Of
the Tennessee river and on the branch
of the Southern railway which follows
this natural outlet Of the Cumberland
ard Blue Ridge country. It's site is
near the junction Of Tennessee with
North Carolina, Virginia and Ken
tucky.
This college was founded in 1850 by
scotch-Irish Presbyterians and named
in honor OF Washington. on motion Of
Gen. John Sewer, the hero Of King
mountain. in 17o5. He and several OF
h;s compatriots were among its char
Ter trustees. DR.. Samuel Doak. Prince
ton 177s. was its first president, and
Princeton men have been connected
with it almost continuously from the
first.
rut its history has been no dess
rntheiic than that Of the people whose
invitations and sufIerings it has shared
alike 81 war and peace. II has bad %
ma ne cost of education within the
=