The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-03
THE REMOVAL OF THE uTEs.
The Governments Broken Promises
False Sentiments DIffused by the
Agents OF the cattlemen-what
Should Be Done With Them.
To the Editor Of he Press:

To the Editor Of The Press:
WASHINGTON, April 1.-FOr years the
Southern Ute Indians have occupied a reser-
vation in southwestern Colorado, ITO miles
in length. but only fifteen miles In width.
By reason of Its unfortunate shape and the
fact that during the winter snow falls upon
1t to considerable depth, it has been very
unsuitable for and unsatisfactory to the In
dians. In 1878 the government negotiated an
agreement with them whereby they were 10
remove to another locality. but 1t was never
carried into effect. In 1880 another agree
ment was entered into with them providing
for their removal. but this, too. has never
been carried out. In 1888 still another agree
ment was made with them providing for
their removal to lands much desired by them
on the San Juan river in southeastern Utah,
and relatives the Navajoes. In the last Con-
gress bill to ratlfy this agreement passed
the Senate, but was not reached In the
House. and the same bill Is pending in the
present Congress.
This long delay. coupled with the repeated
failures OF the government heretofore to
comply with Its agreements with these Indi-
ans, Is liable to breed serious trouble. Their
agent, In an interview just published In
Western paper, says that the Indians have
become surly and excited, thinking that the
government does not intend to keep good
faith with them, and In his opinion there Is
great danger OF an outbreak, which will also
involve in It the Nayajoes, large and pow
erful tribe, II the bill to ratify the agree
ment should fail. He says that the Utes are
unanimous In their desire to remove to the
new reservation, and many Of them say that
they will go anyhow. He says thar If the
bill Is defeated he will at once remove the
wives and children of employees from the
reservation and prepare for the worst.
Letters and memorials are pouring In upon
congressman urging speedy action In this
matter In order to avert the danger Of an ex-
pensive and bloody Indian war;
Those who read the above will realize what
great misapprehension exists with regard to
the removal Of the Utes from their present
reservation, which Is barren waste, ineapa-
Bile Of supporting them unless irrigated.
This misapprehension has been promoted by
the cattle men, whose paid agents have filed
the newspapers with fictitious stories rela-
tive to the matter, as these cattle men, who
are wealthy and occupy thousands'of acres Of
the public domain, do not want the Utes to
have any of the lands which they now use
for grazing. for the reason that IL would in
terfere with their occupation; hence they
cry out against the cruelty Of removing them
from their present location. The Indians
understand fully that they would be greatly
benefited by such q change, and any OF
these so-called Indian philanthropists who
now so ostentatiously shed tears over their
wrongs would find a sorry welcome among
them II they were known to be opposed To
their removal. Should the Utes not be re-
moved from their present location, there Is
but one other way for the government 10
treat them so as to avoid trouble, and that Is
to irrigate their lands so that they can uti-
lie them. In this case they should be given
land In severalty, either 40 or so acres each,
which Is enough for any man to attempt 10
cultivate. Forty acres Of irrigated land
would be worth many thousands of acres
not irrigated. Either let the Utes DO re-
moved to better locality or keep them
where they now are and give them irrigated
farms upon which they can live. Y.