The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-16
AN INDIAN DAILY PAPER.
Edited by Indian Humorist, Advocate OF
State Rights For His Race.

Edited by Indian Humortst, Advocate OF
State Rights For His Race.
There has been launched at Eufaula,
Indian Territory, the first issue of the
first daily paper ever printed or pub
lished by an Indian, says Guthrie,
Oklahoma, dispatch to the New York
Times. The editor is Alexander Posey.
known as the "Creek Bard a member
of the Creek tribe of Indians, who al
ready has achieved distinction in the
newspaper field as editor. poet and
humorist. He is one Of the prominent
men of the Greek Nation and took an
active part in the convention held at
Eufaula recently, called for the pur-
pose of formulating an Indian plan for
Statehood. He helped frame the fam
GUS appeal to the people for an Indian
State. separate from Oklahoma, in
which no intoxicating liquors should
ever be sold.
Although known as the "Creek
Bard" Posey is only half Greek, as
his father was a Scotch trader. an
early settler in the Indian country.
He was born near Eufaula on August
%, 1873. and was educated at Bacone
University. Muscogee, |. T., from which
he was graduated seven years ago.
After leaving school he engaged in
educational work and was successive
ly superintendent Of the Greek Orphan
School, superintendent Of Public In
struction for the Greek Nation and
superintendent of the Eufaula Creek
High School Before entering the
newspaper field Posey had won
reputation in literary lines. AS q boy
be gained some renown as q writer
of verse, which he signed by the nom
de plume of "Chinnubble Harjo." In
March, 1902, he became the editor OF
the Indian Journal, weekly newspa-
per at Eufaula and the oldest paper
published in the Creek Nation.
In addition to making it thorough
newspaper he has won a reputation
through its columns as the original and
only Indian humorist. Every week his
paper contains a humorous and gently
satirical column of comment on In
dian Territory politics prepared in the
form of a letter and signed "Fos
Fixico." These letters are written in
the dialect used by the Indians, who
thus far have not accustomed them
selves to the idioms of the English
language. They made an immediate
hit from the time Of their first appear
ance, and to-day they are reprinted as
soon as published in the Journal by
almost every paper in Indian Terri
tory and Oklahoma. His comments
on the Statehood situation have at
tracted especial attention, and have
done much to establish the Indian in
the opinion that he should have State
wherein he may control
Leading Cherokee politicians express
themselves as being in favor Of abol-
ishing the office of editor Of the Cher
okee Advocate, published at Talequah,
7. T.. and to permit that old-time In
dian journal to pass into history, as 1t
is claimed it has filled its scope OF USE
fulness and is needless burden upon
the funds Of the Cherokee. The Cher
okee Advocate is the only paper in In
dian Territory printed in the Indian
language. At one time it was a great
paper among the full bloods, but DUR
ing the past two years it has been cut
down in size, and the expenses of rum
ming It are very great. The salaries
Of the office force. it is contended. are
no. sufficient to justify good newspa-
per men in taking charge of it, there
fore the idea of passing it into his