New-York tribune., 1890-07-13
THE MORALITY or THE UTE BILL.


"The Denver Republican, must not mis-
talenlv Gas we know it would not purpoSelD
produce false impression as to the imputatlonS
we have cast upon the motives OF nose VINO
are urging the Ute Eviction bill Our REMARKS
do not apply to the people OF Colorado, as 10
whose intelligence, patriotism and honorable
sentiments we do not need 10 be instructed
We have said that the persons who are hchIhd
this biz are parcel Of selfish land-grabbcrS
and in acknowledging that there may be a
few pcrsons who hope to gain some profit from
the oncning Of the Southern Ute Reservation
..The Republican" says what We have sad
only in contcr terms. Now, on the other hand
we will checrluIly conccdc that there may be
some few persons in Colorado who entertain
no such hope or wish and Yet who favor this
Eviction bill. and among these persons we in
clude the conductors of "Thc Republican,
but there is no doubt whatever in our mind
that the people of Colorado. as people 80 far
as they are correctly informed about tho hiH
are heartily opposed 10 it.
II is true that Indians arc bad nclghbors
that. almost without exception, they are a
good -Tor-nothng race with many cruel ara
brutal instincts; that they would rather steal
than work that they neither make nor attempt
10 make any proper use of their lands. and
that the task Of making any real and porma-
nont improvement in their ideas and condition
is colossal and AT times seems hopeless. But
no system of morals which tho American Pco-
p,e can lndor,o can bo made 70 justify robbIne
them because they ROB, nor because We DO noi
admire their habit of eating dead dogs, no'
because we are inpatient at the poor use they
make OF their opportunities. The RopUh-
lean" Is somewhat lame in its ethics when u
claims credit FIR those who are pu A.ng t''>
hnl on the ground that they confer bless
ing upon the world who make two blades oi
~-as, Grow where only one grew before This
+. ir:, enough as a statement Of the virtue Of
Industry. but no one has tho r'ch' - doepou
another Of hi. property in order ip rr'ct''" this
or any other virtue II has long since been
settled thar the end does not Justify Oh" means
The Indians of to-day arc what toe are a.
much because 81 our treatment Of them ~
because of their inherent character. -n'h hnl@
as the tie Ill., such practices a> "cr" re'olted
10 bv the Commission, have emphasized ana
developed all the greed, lazinc-S aad ignorance
which are natural 10 the race. iy just such
measures ard practices they have boon fought
- expect and demand bribcS, to depend oo t.."
Government for their uoccSsItic>, aAd =" rr.cr'
ail propositions looking to their elevation aud
Improvement. "ILc Republican, IN ha,,ne
lis case solely upon the ground that the pre-
cnce of the ties is a hardship to Colombo
practically admits the truth Of all We hav"
urged against the eviction scheme tn" methods
bv which il has boon advanced, and the con-
sequences which must flow from 10 Il Congress
fails IN It's duty We are glad that 80 able
and conscientious a journal as " The R"puh-
hcan" does not attempt 90 C"ny or defend these
things There is therefore. no issue between
us except as 10 Coloradp,N duty. 1t would hc
foolish to deny that the tie Reservation IS
objectionable and bmdcnsome But 10 endure
this burden, which j, small indeed, aS com
pared with similar ones in other states Is a
little as Colorado should expect or ask If II
is endured in thc right spirit, 50 that the In
dians can take their lands in seycraty and
their regeneration can be worked ont effective
ly. it will be only short and easy sacrifice,
after all