Hickory daily record., 1922-12-29
HELP FOR CHEROKEES
Oklahoma Lawyers Plan to Prevent
Extinction OF the Tribe

Oklahoma Lawyers Plan to Prevent
Extinction OF the Tribe
New York Times.
The average American looks upon
the Indian as a legend, picturesque
myth, and forgets that he is human
being with the same longlngs, dis
appointments and heartbreaks as the
white men. The intrusion Of the ear
lv American settlers seems so much
a thing of the past that we cannot
comprehend the Indians still foster
a bitterness for the loss Of their
campfircs, their domestic heartns,
their valley and mountains. The Iii
dams naulve reserve and his war
ranted suspicion, the lack of COM
mon medium Of communication. have
nelped to foster the barriers of be-
Widerment and resentment on the
part Of the red man and the indif-
,erence to MS welfare on the part
If the white. Occasionally there
arises among us some one who wins
che confidence Of these tribal peo-
pie.
Such a man is Eugene L. Graves,
lawyer and the largest individual
Ill and gas royalty owner in Okla
loma. For Is years he has given
lis time and energies to fighting the
battles of the Cherokee Indians. once
strong nation covering the rich
,lans of the South and Middle West.
Now they have been reduced to one
small band, living in an area less
than two-thirds that of Rhode Island
Mr.. Graves is the authorized deic-
rate and representative of the Night
hawk .Keetoowah in all it's dealings
With the United States government
ard outside private interests. Hc
also acts in the paternal capacity of
adviser and as q sort OF court OF last
appeal in personal affairs.
The Nighthawll Keetoowak socic
" is the fraternal, political, indis-
rial, agricultural and financial nu-
.leus of the 300 full-blooded Indians
If the Cherokee tribe, which has 4O,-
700 members in all. The others have
ntermarried and adopted the ways
# the white man.
1T must be understood" said Mr..
iraves, ":that the Cherokees are not
he blanket type Of Indian, but high
y gifted and extraordinary civilized !
people, with intellectual, literary and |
artistic attalnments. 1t is believed |
hat they have descended from the |
meas, and there is a legend that they
'epresent five Of the 10 lost tribes Of |
srael. The Cherokee is our finest
pecimen of humanity. During my Is
vearS among them | have vet to dis
over that one of them has a vicious
labit. They are healthy bodied and
lealthy minded-as trusting as chill
ren. They do not know what it is to
reak their word. Several years ago
full-blooded Cherokee committed a
rime and was sentenced to be shot
0 days after the verdict was an
ounced. He was at liberty without
all until the morning of his execu-
lon At $3.50 sharp he appeared with
ut escort at the spot designated for
ne shooting, and stood there waiting
ntll the firing squad arrived.
The average American has forgot
en-" Mr.. Graves pointed out, chat, as
ne of the Cherokee chiefs put it in
n appeal to the government for fair
lay. the Great Spirit had given them
ne whole Of this vast country long
efore the white people, from beyond
ne great water, in small bands, and
8 little children, hungry and naked,
'ere received by the Indians with tne,
ands Of friendship, in true charity
nd manly feeling And how has the
white people-reci-
rocated this trust? With broken
aith, broken treaties at every turn.
I'm 1889 the United States created
ne Cherokee commission for the pur-
ose of abolishing the tribal govern
rents and opening the territories TO
.hlte settlement. After Is years of
leadings against this plan an agree
lent was made by which the govern
tent of the Cherokee nation came to
final end on March 3. 1906.
In 1908 the United States govern
lent decided to divide the land upon
,nlch the Cherokees were living and
Hot to each Indian his share. MANY
I, the Cherokees, unfamiliar with the
mite mans way of doing business,
orfelted their holdings by one tech
zeal mistake or another. They could
OF understand the system of taxa
ION, and many farms were confis-
ated. Some of the Indians, influ-
need by unscrupulous white settlers.
Old their farms for few silver dol
ars."
At that point Mr.. Graves stepped
!, How did become interested in the
herokees ?" he replied in answer to
uestlon. About Is years ago | went
own to Oklahoma to look after some
my holdings, and met the famous
Cherokee, Redbird Smith,
nd was impressed bv the brave fight
e was making against the govern
lent, Just prior to the final agree
'ent OF 1906. He tried to prevent
ne dissolution Of the Cherokee ma
on. He was a philosopher, preach
ng to his own kind the time-old
logan, In union there is strength
men the government was assigning
ne grants of land Redbird refused