The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-11-20
The American Cadmus'
Regretted Invention of
Cherokee Alphabet

or achievement was uhlectcu 10
ridlculc diseourugemcnt, ana re
pcstcd failure. But In 1891 he sub
witted tho finished product TO tho
leading men OF the tacrokce ma.
ton. lts value was recognized. and
within q fcw m0nths thousands OF
his people were equipped In tho art
and illterncy was being wiped out
Early IN the year 1903, certain
factIons OF the Cherokcus IN the
HnuthcnHtcrn states had made
known to President Jefferson their
desire 10 remove TO moro populous
hunting grounds wdft OF tho Mis-
niusippi. and thCS were given land In
what Is now thu state of Arkansas.
ENoduua after eNodoua took place
nt future periods until tho great
forced expedition 60 the new roser-
walton In Indian Territory. On thas
occasion incidents OF suffering,
mckuosa. death, loss and Heparation
uf loved oncs. occurred TO rival tho
pathcfio story OF Evangcline at thn
dispersal Of the Norman settlers
from tho village OF Grand Pre-.
In ono great migration came Sc
quoyah, 1898. bringing his key 70
the written word with him, and
some years later he WAS the great
mediator iu bringing about amiablo
relations between the Arkansas fac
tion and those more recently emil
grated tho main body Of the ma
scquoyRh was a devout orthodox
Cherokee, worahlpping tho Great
spirit aud he Is said 10 have re-
grettcd his invention whom no saw
/ Win what agility the ChriHtian mis-
Hionaries used II In carrying forward
. their work. Bibles aud hymn books
/ bcinR tho first printed use of the
alphabet, and these put In the
/ hands OF the Indians,
Every honor came TO the bene-
factor IN hia ne time. The general
council of his nation accorded him
the medal OF honor. lac was sent as
a delegate to Washington from tho
| Cserokoos In 1893 and received
there by tho great 81 the land. his
picture made and hung in the gal
leries with other heroa. He lived
to SEQ newspapers print arucles ~
| Englsh that had their counterpart
in the Cherokee language at their
side. In tho treaty of removal
wherein the government of the
United Statea made the usual pro-
vision OF equipment and supplies
Tor one year. there was included
compensation OF 5000 TO George
Guess Soquoyah. In consideration
of the benefits conferred through
the sum OF $1,000 for printing
prceH and type to aid Ia spreading
knowledge through his !nYsntioH.
. Oklahoma has named a county after
him, ana by the white and the rcd
, man. alike. he Is recognized as hav-
= ing done moro TO advance his people
r. through education .han a.! ;aS.!s
: warrin. chiefs gone before.
: Ana out on some unknown trail.
Z With not 80 much ~ n mound OF ma
: tive rocks 10 mark the spot, no lies
buried, his final resting place un-
Fired with the ambition TO make
a universal language by which all
! North American Indians could
communicate, he SGT out an iiis otu
age for Mexico. to gather material
I To weave his dream. Some say his
companions reported they left him
hNhuc Ia his cent ana when tncY
came back hc was gone. Others say
ho took sick with u fever. died. and
was buried somewhere In the noun
tains OF tho west. Ills death oc-
CURED lu iSai lie left one con and
two daughters, and number OF
dcscendAnts live among the chero-
KEGS OF Oklahoma today.
Black Hawk. chief OF the Sac and
l Fox Indians. has alone aud away
| from village and kirk, a magnificent
statue looking out over that country
/ he 80 cruelty dominated, erected By
/ the people OF Illinois because of
/ local historical interest. But when
SequoyHh, The American Gadmus
/ comes into his own. It will be be-
cause he brought light TO great
nation. and advanced his people 500
years In civilization and thought