Evening star., 1939-03-26
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy

~ WM r. KENNEDY
With arrangements being made by
David Lynn, architect of the Capitol,
and Col. Edwin A. Halsey, secretary of
the Senate, for unveiling the statue of
VIII Rogers, the late cowboy humorist,
actor and columnist, in the rotunda of
the Capitol on June 6, interest is re-
newed in Oklahomas other statue con-
tributed to the Hall of Fame. The bronze
statue OF Sequoyah by the sculptor
Winnie Ream Hoxie. who made the model
but died before the work had been exc
cuted in bronze, was unveiled in Statuary
Hall on June 6, 1917, exactly 70 years
before the Will Rogers unveiling. The
statue was presented by Gov. r. L. Will
Hams and accepted by Speaker Champ
Clark. Sequoyah was born in Georgia
in ITO, son of full-blood Cherokee
Indian woman and q German trader.
George Gist, who dealt in contraband
goods and deserted his wife before
Sequoyah was born. Sequoyah means
guessed this English name was
George Guess, a corruption of Gist. He
grew up among the Cherokees in Georgia
and became = leader in tribal affairs.
He became 4 trader, silversmith, black
smith and philosopher. His chief claim
10 fame Is that although he never at
tended school and could not read or
write the English language, he invented
two alphabets-one for the Cherokees
and the other one by which all American
Indians could communicate. Thus he
sponsored the first written Indian con-
stitution in 1927. Congress, in recopni-
ton. gave him $500 and made further
appropriations for education of the chill
dren OF the tribe. In 1923 he led the
tribe west into the Territory of Arkansa,
and later into the territory of Oklahoma.
The tribe voted him q pension. When
the Sequoyah statue was unveiled an
other stalwart of the Cherokee tribe de-
Hvered an address-Senator Robert 7.
Owen.
The historic flag Of the Republic of
Alabama has just been returned by the
State Of Iowa. with fitting ceremonies in
the Alabama State Legislature-and Is
q result the members of the Alabama
and Iowa State delegations in Congress
are fraternizing rs never before. This
emblem, made by women Of MONTGOMERY
7S years ago, was first unfurled in the
Alabama House Of Representatives dur
ing the brief period in which Alabama
was nation" before 1t entered the
Confederacy. Senator Lister Hill, who
played an important part in effecting
the restoration, explains. The nag was
taken from the State Capitol during the
Civil War by an Iowa Union soldier
one Of Wilson's Raiders. It was not 4
Confederate battle nag and was not
taken In battle. It Is Of great historic
interest In Alabama and Is to be pre-
served In the archives of the States
Historical Society. Union veterans from
Iowa and Confederate veterans from
Alabama fraternized at the celebration
last week-just as Iowa and Alabama
troops fought actually side by side to-
gether as brothers In the Rainbow Divi-
sion in the World War, leaving their
dead together in the Argonne and else
where.
Here is another brief testimonial Of
how veteran employees At the Capitol
carry on" When the late Kennedy
Rea, longtime clerk Of the Senate Ap-
preparations Committee, died recently
Everard H. Smith, who for rs years had
been assistant clerk, was well-experi-
enced to take over the Job. Members Of
the committee are much pleased with
his efficiency in handling the current
appropriation measures and he has the
friendnest possible cooperation Of the
clerical force for the House. committee
under Marcellus G. Shield, who also had
served his apprenticeship under Mr.. Rea.
Mr.. Smith was assistant clerk since
April /, 1918. He had previously worked
In the Census Bureau and for . short
time was secretary to DR.. Willard r.
Small, then principal Of Eastern High
School, in 1912. Senator Martin of vir-
ginia gave Mr.. Smith his Job at the
Capitol. when he was chairman Of the
Senate Appropriations Committee. When
the change In part control came in 1919,
Mr.. Smith Was retained % assistant
clark a aAeoCnt of hia peoVon Ahlutv.