The Washington herald., 1907-02-04


They also have thirteen district schools.
costing $1,000. The Choctaws have 150
schools, in some of which the higher
branches are taught The Seminoles. one
Of the smallest tribes. have two schools.
The Creeks have ten colleges and sixty
five common schools with a total attend
ance Of 25O0.
The Indians make quite a strong reli-
gious showing. They have go church
buildings and a total membership Of about
10000 Two Indian chiefs, who became
converted TO the Methodist faith. and who
were later licensed to preach. were Ma
Nuncie and Between-the-Logs Father
Negahnquet is said TO be the only living
full-blood Indian who Is a Roman Catholic
priest. This able man studied I'm Rome.
and while there delivered a sermon in
the tongue of his fathers. the warlike
Potawatomis Upon his return 10 this
country, he said mass in the big Catholic
church at Oklahoma, which was the first
mass ever given by a full-blood Indian
priest on American soil. He is now work
ing among the people Of his race in
oklahoma and Indian Territory
Charles Curtis will enter the United
States Senate March 4, as Il Senator from
Kansas. and will be the first representa-
tive of the American Indian in that body
Mr.. Curtis is not Of pure Indian lineage.
but his mother belonged 10 the Kaw
tribe. He and his five children have re-
ceived allotmeuts Of good rich Shawnee
County land in settlement Of what Uncle
sam thinks he owes TO the race who held
this country as its own before the Susan
Constant and the Mayfiower crossed the
Atlantic. Mr.. Curtis has already served
fourteen years in the House. and is a
trained legislator he has the hair and
color OF an Indian, but in politics he does
not play an Indian game. He knows the
value of making up with his enemies. as
is proved by the fact that ne succeeded
in persuading lifelong political enemies
10 turn their strength TO him and send
him 10 the Senate.
Adam Monroe Byrd, a representative
from Mississippi, is also Of Indian blood.
lie traces his ancestry through a long
line of distinguished Cherokee chieftains.
lie has the high cheek bones, copper
skin. and straight hair which indicate
the blood Of the original American, and
he has often been taken for a dressed
up representative Of some Western tribe
10 the Great Father in Washington"
The foremost Indian in public life to-
day is QUonah Parker. chief of the CO.
manches, and political power in the
new State Of Oklahoma, whose star is
just rising into the blue armament of
Old Glory Chief Parker is a Democrat,
and there are many political prognostica-
tors who say Ee will come TO the Senate
from the newly admitted Commonwealth.
He was opposed 10 the union of Indian
Territory with Oklahoma, and was the
leading spirit in the convention which met
20 frame a constitution for the proposed
State Of Sequoyah Chief Parker S
mother was a white woman, Cindy Par
lser. who was captured by the Indians
when a girl and later became the wife
Of Ouonah. a COmanChe warrior Her
cbjeftain son is man Of great ability,
and has strong belief In the future of
the Indian.
In the list Of prominent Indians OF TO-
day might be included DR.. Charles East
man. Sioux. who is a prominen;
student OF both medicine and law;
DR.. Carlos MonteZuma, an Apache, who
was rescued from Il battlefield when only
six years old, and who is now prOmi-
nent physician I'm Chicago; Francis La
Flesche, an Omaha Indian, now a fellow
OF the American Association for the Ad-
vancenent of Science. and a government
employee distinguished for good work in
scientific research; HOnOre Jackson. 4 sue
cessful lawyer in Chicago; Miss Angel dc
Cora. q WinnebagO. an artist who has
met with much success in illustrating
Indian life. and Miss Zitkala Sa, Hank-
ton Sioux. who is a contributor 10 Jhe
Atlantic Monthly.