The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-01-16
VISIT RECALLS
PROBLEM WITH
PASSING RACE
White Elk Awakens Reminis-
censes Relating To History
of His Indian Tribe In Years
Gone.

The visit OF. White Elk, the Chero-
kee Indian chief, among US recalls the
fact that his tribe were removed from
northern Georgia in the first half OF
the last century. The white people
coveted the rich lands along the Ten
essee river, and to prevent war the
Cherokee, Choctaws, Creeks and 9th
ers were removed by the government
to the Indian territory, which was
then outside white settlements, and
supposed to be far enough away to
prevent encroachment from them. as
the Plains" were then looked upon as
practically desert. Those familiar
with civil war history will remember
that one of the great battles was
fought at Missionary Ridge by Sher-
man under Grant; that place had that
name because OF was where the mis-
sionaries had labored with the In
diana.
Understand that White Elk says he
is a Presbyterian, which is of NO con-
sequence except to point out that that
denomination were doing that gospel
work at Missionary ridge among the
Indiana.
Something over a hundred years
ago when foreign missionary work
was begun in real earnest by the Am
orleans the Presbyterians, the Dutch
Reformed an dthe Congregational de-
nominations were all included in the
American board of foreign missions,
now the Congregational foreign mis-
sionary society. At that time the Am
erican Indians were considered for
eign," and missionaries were sent the
red men of northern Georgia, Dako-
ia, Oregon and other places in our
country. When the Presbyterians es-
tablished a foreign missionary society
Of their own the missions near Chat
anooga fell to them, and they accom-
panied the Indians from Georgia to
Indian territory; few then suspected
that in eighty years those supposed
desert lands would prove among the
most valuable of our country, and II
recent years the oil wells have made
those Indians one of the richest clan:
Of the whole world.
Sentiment Finally Aroused.
Much of the Christian sentiment o
the country was strongly opposed t.
the up-rooting of those Indian tribe
from their ancestral lands along tn
Tennessee river. Increasing sentimen
in the country favoring the prope
treatment of red men resulted in In
dian schools, and laws that protecte'
their rights; those of Us who remem
Der the years from 1870 to end Of tn
18th century can recall the con
slant attempts tn encroach on the In
dian reservations, the scandals. of In
dian department administration, an
the constant war fare with the pirai
ical politicians who tried to rob tn
tribes If their treaty rights. 1t wa
only by constant watchfulness and az
itation that government officials wer
kept to the straight line of honest
when dealing with the Indians.
If there is any class of American
who should be grateful to the Chri.
tan churches of our land for the
present peace and prosperity it is tn
Indian tribes of our country. An
with time and opportunity. here an
there, representatives of the varior
tribes are beginning to show whit
they can contribute for the nations
welfare; Gen. Grants chief of sta
was General Parker, chief Of the Sci
AGA Indians of New York; Charl'
Eastman of the Sioux, graduate I
Dartmouth college, is physician I
repute; and White Elk of the Cher
KEGS, and many others, show what h;
been done and what may be expec
ed in the future.
OBSERVER.