The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-20
AN INDIAN CHIEF
ASKS STATE AID
No Favors, He Wants
Only Justice.
CATAWBA CHIEF HERE
Will Call on Governor Glenn To day
An Entertaining Character. Search
ing for Los! History About His
People. Sent Here by His
Tribe
Tribe.

Robert Lee Harris, Chief of the
tribe of indians, which are located in
South Carolina, is in Raleigh. and to-
day will call on Governor eileen. He
was sent to Raleigh by his tribe, and
his subject-to secure the co-opera-
ton of the State of North Carolina to
further his one and greatest ambition:
to place the Catawba tribe under Fed
eral care; TO have the tribe educated
by the government, and to secure
from the United States a home for
the Catawbas.
Chief Harris lives near Rock Hill,
S. c.. on his reservation, which has
been reduced from $50 square miles
to one square mile. The reservation
is situated in York and Lancaster
counties S. c.. There are now only
eighty surviving members of the tribe
in South Carolina and $50 through
out the country, btu the number has
been increasing during the past ten
years.
There has been some amalgamation
with the whites, but none with the
negroes. said their chief. He is a
full-blooded indian, but course dress
es on the white mans style, and occa-
sionally wears glasses. His hair is of
an ebon blackness. but has upon it a
gloss or bloom not unlike that pecu-
liar purple of a perfect grape. His
sworthy complexion, a live, brown red.
has a healthy look, and capable of
wihsanding he sormS of agaes, If no
he ravages of civilization.
His physique is perfect; he is man
of wonderful physical powers, and re-
markable intellect, not to have receiv-
ed more than an ordinary common
school education. Nevertheless he is
a natural student-even to the point
of defying the prejudices against his
other natural instincts. His father
was Chief John Harris a confederate
soldier of South Carolina, having serv-
ed in the 18th South Carolina Volun-
teers.
He was man who commended the
respect and admiration of the people
throughout that state. The present
chief is 35 years Of age.
The Catawbas he said. live with
their good, in common. They are
now an agricultural people, live in
dustriously on their farms, raising cot
ton and corn. The men, women and
children are pleased with their Elvon
life. They are especially grateful,
said the chief of the Catawbas, for the
education which the State of South
Carolina is giving them. Education
is a gift and a blessing that nothing
but death can remove from them, ne
said. 1t makes the Indian industrious
and ambitious, and will help to keep
him from becoming extinct. He fol-
lowing the trail of honesty for good
deeds, (and worldly honors and ac-
cumulations) instead of hunting for
the deer and buffalo. Education is
doing the Indian the greatest good,
he said. "and that man is the best
friend of my people, who endeavors
to further the course of education
among them The schooling of the
Indian in South Carolina is given en-
tirely by that State. The Indians ap-
preciate it but they want what other
Indians are getting from the govern
ment To be sure they receive it, said
the chief for it is strange that the
Catawbas have always been friendly
TO the white men, and rebelled against
their own people to defend the pale
skins. Rarely did Catawba lift
white mans scalp. and few indeed are
the revengeful ravages and outrages
they committed. They fought for the
whites and died 70" them, and have
been nearly exterminated Cor amalga-
mated) by them. But reward is not
of the Catawba youths attend Carlisle
Indian School.
OF the twenty eight tribes that were
in South Carolina two centuries ago,
only one. he Catawbas, is left.
They have lived in the midst of
dense white population for more than
half century, and not once has "a
charge of dishonesty been made
against q Catawba. They have always
and been harmless, peaceable, and
friendly. but still though not to the
extent of their general characteristics,
hey are indolent and unprovident, but
are growing more industrious every
year. Their salvation is their edu-
cation, was one of the remarks of
Chief Harris.
Chief Bob Harris as he is gener-
ally called as has been said, is ambi-
tious. The Commissioner of Indian
affairs at Washington says they are