The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-15
CIVILIZATION Is. BARBARISM.

The Ute war commenced like most
outbreaks of a similar nature, with a
slight advantage gained by the Indians,
but Notwithstanding this everyone is
morally certain of the result. Even
with a less capable general than Mer-
rift, the final defeat of the Utes is inev-
liable. Under any circumstances the
uncivilized must fall beneath the civil
lied foe. 1t is interesting to trace the
unceasing conflict waging all over the
world between the wild tribes of man
kind and enlightened nations. The
great monarchs of antiquity were in
continual danger from the warlike
hordes that dwelt in the remote regions
beyond their borders. The civilization
Of those days was in danger Of extinc-
ton from those savage incursions.
The disparity in arms vas not In pro-
portion to the difference in arts and
science, all alike being armed with bone
spears and other weapons Of premature
construction. SO formidable were the
savages Of that time that the Scythians,
who may be called the Indians Of an
cient Persia, conquered and killed
Cyrus the great Medo-Persian monarch.
Rome, advanced as It was in the art of
war, suffered from the same cause.
More than once its iron-clad legions
were shattered by the barbarians of
Parthia, Gaul and Germany. Finally
q swarm Of savages pouring down from
the forests and deserts of northern
Asia completed the work Of destruction
and Roman political institutions were
terminated forever. And as a result Of
the barbarian conquest, intellectual
night prevailed over Europe for a thous
and years.
Such a catastrophe can never occur
again. The successful invasion of q
civilized state by a savage tribe would
prove an utter impossibility. The
Huns and vandals Of our time can
simply poster the border and engage in
feble attempts to arrest the progress Of
civilization. Whenever important ma
lions are extending their limits, the OPP
position Of the wild men outside their
boundaries is Invariably encountered.
The Russians and English are en-
gagged In almost perpetual struggles
with the tribes Of Central Asia. Great
Britain is now fighting with the tribes
adjacent to her south African possess
sions. And the United States are now
in q similar manner engaged with the
aboriginees In the Rocky mountains.
The Ute war is simply q continual
tlon of the Indian war began with
King Philip in 1875, In the New Eng
land colonies, and has swept over the
land In q westerly direction. Every
where has the border been drenched in
the blood of settler and Indian, and
everywhere has the savage been defeat
ed, and from every locality has he dis
appeared until in this year Of our Lord
1879, the advancing vane Of civiliza-
tion and settlement has brought the
conflict to the mountains Of Colorado,
and the report of Merritt's guns sounds
the death knell of the Ute tribe ever as
the roar Of the high fint-locks of Capt.
Church's column, echoing through the
wilderness of Massachusetts, two centu-
ries ago, destroyed the aspirations of
Philip and settled the question Of the
white mans supremacy on this conti-
nent forever.
We hope that Gen. Merritt will COM
plete the work of two hundred years
and in this campaign SO thoroughly
crush the hostile tribes asto utterly des-
troy oil hope of successful resistance in
the future. 1t may be a difficult task
bnt we have the satisfaction of know
ing that the right man is in the right
place. If any officer of the army can
accomplish the work, it is the one now
in command. II any troops are capa-
BILE of effecting the task, those troops
are now in the field. With such a CON-
mand and such a commander anything
within the range of possibility may be
expected. We may rest assured that
the utes are a doomed tribe. They
may fy TO the mountains but the hills
will afford no refuge. They may seek
protection in the rocks, but the rocks
will not shield them.
The dead agent, the dead soldiers, the
dead citizens, and the gallant leader
of the first command must and will
be avenged. The avenger is
OH the track, and with perfect conf
dence We leave the Utes to Merritt's