The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-09-24

tive, is valid if it is attested by two
witnesses; but if there is no will
the property of the interstate de-
scends to the heirs equally.
All male citizens over sixteen years
of age are invested with the fran
chise, which is freely used and the
selling or purchasing of votes is made
a severe misdemeanor.
~
Previous to the first republic trial
by jury was held sacred and their
first constitution provided that it
should never be denied. In addition
to these there are other laws pre-
scribing a statute of limitations, fix
ing punishments for embezzlement
and perjury, and in fact making all
other regulations for an equitable
and orderly administration of JUS
tice. They were never a polygam-
Gus people and some of their most
stringent laws are directed against
it and the violation of the Sabbath.
Before leaving the political phase
of the country 1 wish to say that
they are the only people who are
citizens of two separate republics.
Under the treaty of 1917 they were
made citizens of the United States
for the purpose of voting for federal
officers, and this privilege was later
confirmed and provisions made for
counting their vote as a part of that
of North Carolina.
One of the most striking charac
teristics of the Cherokee-a trait
which distinguishes him from all
other American aoorigines-is the
fact that he adopted the Christian
religion almost as soon as he came in
contact with it. His neighbors, the
Creeks, the SeminOles and the Tus
c~arOras, manifested some interest at
first in the sanguinary stories OF the
Old Testament, but even that was
languid and e~vancescent. But to
the Cherokee the teachings of the
loWly Nazarene were living truths
that commended themselves to him
as the best standard by which to reg
ulate his life, and consequently his
conversion vas not amere perfume
tory performance to propitiate his
white neighbOrS, but WAS entirely
sincere.
I do not believe that there is
another misunderstanding not
among the aborigines of this cou
try-where a whole nation has adop-
ted the religion of Christ at almost
the first contact with it. No coun
try in the world has more churches
and Sunday Schools in proportion to
it's population than has the Chero.
kee republic, and to that fact it
very largely owes it's position in the
scale of civilization. The chief ex-
ecutive of the nation is an ordained
minister, and there is a church
within almost a stones throw of his
residence, at which he oficiates as
superintendent of a fourishing Sun
day School, and always fills any va
cancy that may occur in the pulpit.
Among the officials there are sew
eral other Sunday School teachers,
and I believe more than n minis
ter. 1t is a rare thing to find a
Cherokee who is not a member of
some church.
As might be expected from so re-
ligious a people, there is no indiffer-
ence to the cause OF education.
When the capital was moved from
Qualla to it's present sight at Elijah
Wadih, one of the first provisions
was for a school, which has grown
and expanded into a very interest
ing institution. At first there was
same opposition from the small nom
progressive element that was con-
fined to the remote recesses of the
mountains, but that has now disap.
peared, and it is the ambition of