The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-01

is to consult with the chief. The other
branch of this Indian government is a
council consisting of 16 members elect
ed for two years by popular vote. rms
council holds charter from the State
of North Carolina, in whose courts 1t is
represented by an attorney. All legis-
lative measures are passed upon by this
council and ratified or vetoed by the
chief.
The latter's veto can be overthrown by
a two thirds vote of the council. So
far, the Indian system is modelled plainly
on our own, but here comes in the string
that topples over the pretty little re-
public of the red man. Any measure or
law that passes the council and re-
ceives the signature of the chief must
be sanctioned by the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs at Washington in order to
become operative The medium between
the Indians and the commissioner is the
superintendent, or agent, who is really
in supreme control on the reservation.
Thus the Indians have really no au
thority in their own affairs, their chief
cabinet and council being merely sort
of play at government which serves to
amuse and keep them quiet as we'll as
to sift and dispose of some of the de-
tails of their "republic' that would
otherwise be tedious drain on the time
of the commissioner or the superintend-
emit
Between these two officials, indeed, the
noble red man has nothing left that he
can call his own, the power Of the gov
eminent over him being absolute This
applies especially to the Indian land or
reservation. This consists in all of
about 1000 acres. and was paid for by
Indian money, although it belonged to
him centuries before the white man came
to this country. Nevertheless, in spite
of his double title to his land. the In
dian cannot part with or even rent an
acre of it without the consent of the
Commissioner at Washington.
Nor do the political woes of the Chero-
KEGS end here. The tribe is criminally
and civilly liable to the State of North
Carolina, into whose treasury it's taxes
are paid. Until recently the Indian had
the right of suffrage in North Carolina
but the law which has lately been passed
DISTINGUISHING the negro has been con-
strued also as debarring members of
the Cherokee tribe from the right to
vote. l was on the reservation during
the last election day when this law went
into force and looked for a playful game
of tomahaWks before the polls were
closed. Feeling ran high, as there was a
close race between the Congressional
candidates. Moreover the Indian agent,
Fl. w. Spray, is the Republican leader
in the district and the Indians have, of
course, been accustomed to vote solidly
with him.
The trouble thus became party issue.
and the untamed savage at the polls was
compelled to listen to the fiery debate
of the party leaders over his rights as a
citizen. The Democrats won, however,
and, 'LO, the poor Indian" did not vote
this time in North Carolina
West of the Mississippi there are, of
course, numerous Indian. reservations.
This one, however, in the mountains of
North Carolina is the only one of it's
kind in the eastern part of the United
States 1t is, moreover, unique historic
ally since it offers perhaps the only in
stance where the Indian has stood his
ground and successfully evaded the COM.
land and emigrate to the west. With the
constant movement to which he has been
subjected it is rare to find a tribe of
Indians occupying the territory that has
been held by their ancestors for CEN
turtles. One does find this, however
among these Indians in Ottolay. There
in the noblest part of the Appalachian
mountains, although curbed of their
liberties, curtailed of their rights, one
still finds the Indian on the soil that
has been immemorially his. This noun
tain tribe, also, has less of the white
mixture in its veins than is usually
found in the western tribes.
1t has preserved comparatively the
pure type of the race, and although in
looking there for the noble "brave" the
intrepid hunter of tradition. one nav
stumble against the mere Vender of
chestnuts, still there is left enough of the
heroic ideal of Indian fiction in the
sphinx like face and majestic figure of
the patriarch John Kohleeosty, to satisfy
the most fastidious craving for the pic
turesque and to cast a glamour of ro-
mantle pathos over these descendants of
fallen people.