New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-23

we have done before. without the disguise vi
anv such small tricks and dramatic secrecy.
The secrecy is ilnpoiitic, because Gas t1e
managers of Indian affairs should have the
keenness to scD public attention IS 30"
thoronoblv aroused rs never before 10 the
consideration Of this question. and punhc SYN
pathy 50 far ar it is. given at ALL is gwen 10
the Indians. The conscience OF the Ameil'"'
people wakcus slowly, but VIXEN IL mas
wakencd in other cases IL never has sept
untii the wrong has been Tigltcd. \ proof oi
how deem and widespread is this growing con-
yiclion Of the necessity Of justice toward the
Indians was given in the affair of the Meeker
massacre. Five years ago the public nilgna-
tion at such story of undeniablc atrocity WOuiu
have warranted an Indian war, ana the uSu'i
bntcherios Of red men, women and chlidleh
CONSEQUENT hereupon. In this case, while there
was no lack Of feeling for the murdered man
and tue unfortunate women, there was sct-
tied determination manifested all over the
coun;rv 70 regard the outrage as the work OF
individuals and not OF trDe. Ibele was
a persistent inquiry on the part OF the press ana
peonle into the real causes OF the dliilcdW
which led to the murder The blame was not,
9s il has always been heretofore, laid lightly
an fbe cred devils" So obstinate was the
public determination not to "hand the matter
Tower to the Army to settle" by another
costly, brutal Indian war, as was proposed by
tie Commissioners, and 50 strong was us cX-
preston that the disgrace OF Il war was Tor
once avoided.
Whether the Utes will be successfully me
"gotatedn out Of their land in Colorado re-
mains to be seen. TO force whole tribe to
surrender its actual property because dozen
individuals OF that or another tribe have COM
United murder, and do not choose to come III
and be hanged for it, Is a cover Tor irnud
too transparent for Use anywhere, except IN
deed, in dealing with Indians. IT has not
deceived QUAY, who has been shrewd enough
TO answer that he and his tribe are not
responsible for the doings OF mon VINO
did not belong TO them; and that The
Executive Of the United states cannot
hold him bound by treaty which 1t has
already nulliied by breaking. The only
method Of solving this difficulty, once ald Tor
all. is that proposed by General Fisk: Give
the Ttcs their land i'm scyeralty; lei them
settle on it. and be treated hence!orth in every
respect not as Indians. but citizens. THE
TRIBUNE has urged for years the citizen
shin of the Indian as the only solution of the
problem; mutual fair dealing. education,
civilization would follow in sequence. We
have the support now in tins opinion oil
the larger part of the press OF the country.
Ii is the method pursued by the English
IN Canada, and it has proved successful there.
Settlers who want the Indian land 10 which
they have no possible claim in law or equity,
as those now fighting for the Utc reservation
in Congress, and the agents ana other officials
whose salaries depend on keeping the Indians
in perpetual tutclacc, will oppose this plan to
the bitter end.
Secretary Schurz. being n foreigner, would
do well TO study the temper and wishes If the
people in this matter; he viii find that the
more solidly his management of tins affair l.
founded upon strict abstract Justice the
better he will satisfy the country. Ii Is
the people whose money has been taken to
support the Indians as sayagos, 10 line the
pockets of thievng agents, aud to pay for
causeless, rcsultlcss Indian wars; and the
people are resolved ut last to look into the
matter, and to do justice both 10 the Indians
and to their own pockets. There is very little
sentimental liking for the red man even the
pathetic eloquence of young Chef Natchez
was coldly received. Neither was there for
the negro. Yet his wrongs were set night, and
he was placed on his feet, given n vote. and
then left alone to make his own way. We
are much mistaken if the same course of
treatment will not be used toward Ouray and
his race.