The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-04
INDIAN WARS.

Inc lnQlAu pCACC 4AaaeS
the country arise to say that the whole
trouble with the northern Colorado
Utes was occasioned by the govern
ment,s failure torpay them for certain
lands, etc. They then cite a few erro-
neous statements in regard to the Utes
| of the Los Pinos agency. These peace
makers, many of whom run newspa-
| pers, seem to be unaware of the fact
that there are three agencies for the
| Ute Indians in Colorado. The troubles
| that affect those on the Los Pinos
agency, cannot be cited as an excuse
for the outbreak Of the White River
paupers. However just may be the
complaint of the Los Pinos Indians,
they have not gone on the war path.
| So bad faith hasn't stirred them to
| deeds of deviltry.
The White River Utes have no griev-
ances such as would e~xtenuate their
| treacherous action, even in the estima-
ton Of those well meaning but soft
headed philanthrophists who seem to
believe .'the Indian can do no wrong"
II we trace the outbreak to the primary
cause we will find the Indians growing
dissatisfied with miners going Into
North and Middle Parks. The weeds
Of wickedness thrived rapidly In their
| hearts and their ventricles grew from
| bad to worse. Not having any miners
| handy on whom to wreak vengeance,
| they assailed their agent-attempted to
ekil the goose that laid the
golden egg" They heaped indignities
upon this official because he insisted
upon carrying out the instructions OF
the interior department as to putting
up new buildings, fencing In and plow-
ing. Upon this slender pretext they
insuited the agent, inflicted physical
injury, aud threatened to end his life II
persisted In the work. What was he
to dop Sit down calmly and do nothing,
thus acknowledging the power OF con-
troll to rest with the IndIansr Pau
pers do not manage the keepers Of poor
farms, and 1t will be a sorry day when
the government permits agency Indians
to run the agent.
Therefore, with the intention Of pro-
noting and conserving discipline, the
government ordered the arrest Of the
| chiefs who had assaulted Agent
| Meeker, that they might be properly
punished. If white men we're to do
much, the law would promptly punish
them. But the process Of law is diff
erent In the Ease of Indians. They
will usually resist arrest by united
| effort. Hence it becomes necessary to
| send q strong force. The mission OF
| Mai. Thornburgh's command was to
make arrests.
Right here the LEADER desires to
point out a very important factor in the
Indian question. The Indians are the
wards of the nation, being beyond the
control of state or territorial authority.
They are amenable to United States
officers and laws. Therefore when 1t
becomes necessary TO enforce tue latter,
the government sends forth the troops
as Its constabulary force, to make ar
rests and quell disturbances. Armed
soldiers have the aspect Of war in the
Indian mind, and he seems to under
stand their appearance as meaning
war. 1t Is easy to see then, that in the
very process Of enforcing the laws the
government holds a red rag to a mad
dened bull.
What is to be done thenp Must In
suits to the officers Of the government
and deviltries Of various kinds be borne
submissively simply because of u fear OF
provoking a war? If such a rule OBJ
tains-but then it is idle to follow the
conclusion. The people 'front.' submit
to such a state Of things. The lndi-
n must obey the rules which are
known to them rs well as white men.
They are under obligations to the gov
eminent for their feed, and they should
respect authority. If they commit ex-
cesses they should and must be punish
ed. But send enough troops ut once to
do the work. Whip them well, and if
they won't stay whipped, go at it again
and make 1t a war of determination.
ITO this end has 1t come" The west
ern people are tired of governmental
temporizing. They want no more of
it. If the government will turn the
solution over to them, they will soon
make the prettiest lot of Indian burial
mounds all over the west ever seen by
enthusiastic antiquarians. And each
mound will contain one or more reform
ed and truly good Indians. This Is one
solution. The other is for the Indians
to be made 10 observe the law the same
rs white men. But as this Is lmproba-
BILE the former process must be put into
practice, with the Utes at least. If
the Indian will not behave himself he
must suffer the consequences, and this,
in his case, Is death.