The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-23

ing to remain on their old reservation was
pathetic and earnest It need only be said
in answer to this that the treaty could not
have been effected without the consent and
signature of three-fourths of all the adults
in the tribe, and that this was obtained
from many more than the required number
lin fact from all but one). They are not
only willing but anxious to go, and are
grievously disappointed at not being per
mitted to remove this spring. To satisfy
himself of this, your correspondent need
only go to their agency on any issue day.
He will hear Ignacio, Severe, Mariana,
government, the great father and the com
missioners in terms more forcible than
polite, because they are not permitted to
go upon the new reservation.
Now as to the danger to the frontier set
Elements in Southern Utah, and in Para
dox valley, Colorado, if these Indians are
removed. Every settler in that section
knows that the only Indians from whom he
fears any trouble roam now and have for
years in their neighborhood unawed by the
presence of an agency or of troops-which
are from seventy-fve to a hundred miles
distant. These 'cut thfoats'' referred to
by your correspondent land he correctly
names them) are about one hundred rene
gade Pi-Utes, of4icered by Mancos Jim and
Hatch with Bridger Jack as chief devil in
command-reinfOrced at times possibly by
some of the worst of Mariana's band of
Winnemuchi's (Utes.) They are attached
to no agency, are not enumerated with the
Utes or any other tribe, and recognize the
authority of no agent, in fact the Ute agent
has no right to assume authority over them
These Indians live, and have for years, in
the Blue and La Sal mountains and in that
vicinity, and hunt upon the borders of Par
doX and the other valleys which your CORE
spondent mentions They will be enumer-
ated with the Utes, if the Utes are re
moved. The agency will be established on
the new reservation, and such troops as
are necessary will, of course, be furnished
to support the agent With this done, it
seems reasonable to suppose that. so far as
safety and immunity from Indian outrages
are concerned, the settlers of Paradox,
Moab and La Sal will be in far better con
dition than they have ever been before.
REASONS FOR THE CHANGE.
The present Ute reservation comprises a
territory fifteen miles wide by about one
hundred and twenty long, extending east
ward from the Utah line along the southern
boundary of Colorado. Throughout the
whole length in Colorado the whites have
settled to the very line of the reservation
and in large numbers, too, and along the
line in New Mexico the same is true to a
considerable extent also. The result is,
the reserv alton being so narrow ii is i'm
possible to keep the stock of the two races
separate, and equally impossible to keep
them from strayinG upon each others land
thus keeping both in constant danger of
collision. Again, in such a thickly settled
community it is impossible to prevent the
Indians from procuring whisky and one
drunken Indian Tor one drunken white
mani might precipitate conflict which
would cost hundreds of lives.
The security of both whites and Indians
aside from all other considerations, imper-
atively demands that these Indians be re
moved. If this is not done and this treaty
fails, it needs no prophet to predict that
within very few years NJ. NJ. r. is liable
to see an Indian war of somewhat larger
proportions than she fears on the line of
the new reservation.
tits impossible for the two races to peace
ably live together, situated as they now
are.
That the opening up to settlement of the
present reservation would be benefit to
the whole state is beyond question. II Is
by far the best watered portion of the
state, being crossed by seven large streams.
1t contains about l, 100000 acres, two-thirds
as much as the whole of Oklahoma, and the
land far more fertile and inviting. 1t has
fine timber and an abundance of coal All
this lies idle and unproductive, and will
continue to do so while the Utes remain
upon it. 1t will furnish homes of quarter
section each TO near seven thousand fami-
lies. Open it up and give the thrifty and
industrious white man an opportunity to
avail himself of these natural advantages,
which the Indian will not: give the home
less chance to secure a home: let these
idle acres be made to produce, as they will
by the muscle and skill of the hardy west
ern settler, and there will be added many
hundreds of thousands to the wealth of the
state and the nation