Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-01
The Southern Ute Removal.

- Wv AAee&OeA-& " 1890
has been sent to Congress:
Your petitioners, the Governor and
Legislative Assembly OF Utah, de-
sire to set forth;
That the presence Of the southern
Utes in southern colorado !. often.
sive to certain citizens Of that State,
and it is therefore proposed to effect
their removal to Utah.
1t is further proposed and urged
by said citizens Of Colorado, that for
these Indians tract Of three mill
lion acres Of the public domain be
set apart In Utah and that they
have the freedom Of three million
acres additional in this territory for
hunting and other purposes.
The proposition receives no support
from the citizens OF Utah. The feel
ing in this territory is universal and
strong against it
The citizens Of Utah need and de-
sire that all lands in the Territory
belonging to the public domain and
not included in Indian or ether
reservations, be open to industrious
and Law abiding citizens, such as
may be able TO govern themselves
and make positive and valuable con-
tributions to the wealth and pros
perity Of the Territory:
Your petitioners desire TO repre-
sent further that within the tract in
Utah ptoposed Is the home Of the
Southern Ute Indians, extensive
and valuable mineral deposits are
found. Among these are extensive
placer deposits. Nearly one thou
sand five hundred i(estimated) set
tiers have found their way to this
region and are developing its re-
sources. Many others, engaged
in stock-raising and farming,
would have their property and
perhaps their lives imperiled by
the proximity Of large bands of In
dams, living by no fixed or regular
Occupations. Besides, on the north
I OF these scttiers are the extensive
reservations Of the Uintah and I'm
compahgre Utes- Between theee
reservations and the proposed reser'
walton, would be no desirable loca-
ton for the establishment Of Ameri-
can homes.
Further; in case such transfer OF
Indians as above described should
be made, great damage and injus-
tice would be done In general TO the
interests Of this entire territory and
particularly TO those citizens Of
Utah now residing on or near the
proposed reservation. To them II
would mean In many instances the
losses and hardships involved In
abandoning their homes and seek
/ ing Others. Valuable rights would
have 10 be relinquishei; many
homes would be. placed in fear
| important and extensive natural
resources, both mineral and agricul-
tural, would have to be abandoned
and would remain permanently I'M
deyeloped- Grsat inducements
now offered by this Territory to in,
dustrious an able immigrants would
become valueless, aud n positive
injury inflicted upon us In the pres
ence Of a large and idle population
acting both as q hindrance and
menace to our progress.
Moreover, it does not appear thai
in the proposed transfer, any ad
vantage would accrue to the Indi
ans. Rather, the large increase in
territory, accessible to them in the
proposed reservation, would bs
a continual inducement to 6
uomadjc and lawiess life. They
would be deprived Of the adj
vantsges Of q neighboring com
pacted American population, witt
which they are now, to thei
great benefit, permitted to mingl'
freely. In Utah, on the contrary
the American ranchmen and farm
ers are more isolated, and the neigh
tors with whom sae Indians woul,
most freely mingle would be tn
Uintah aud Uncompahgre Utes, o
civilization not superior to thei
own.
We, therefore, your petitioners
earnestly pray that you permit u
, change to be nude in the reservs
ton Of the Southern Bite Indians {
Colorado, such as shall involve thei
transfer to the Territory Of Utah
and your petitioner will ever pray.