Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-03-10
THE PRESIDENT AND TIE INDIANS.


While party hacks are Mt war
over President Cleveland's rhetorical
ability and general statctmanship--
one side holding him to be the vcrlest
of billiards and tho other that he IL n
MIacaulay and Bcaconsfield In one
II Ia the province Of those who prefer
TO Judge OF mon, their works and
words In the light Of standard criter-
ions unlniluenced by craftsmanship or
bIgotry to establish Just conclusions.
The inaugural address was not
cssket Of rhetorical gems and was
evidently not intended to be; neither
was 1t n string OF widowed platituder.
II was remarkable more for Its Tree.
dom from glitteriDg generalities ana
its directness in dealing with every
subject discussed than anything
else, and thus looked mt u
was good document - honest,
unambiguous and straightforward.
There was n great deal that the Presi'
dent did not say-necersarily 70 in an
address OF less than 1900 words-but
what no did shy was plain, candid and
to the point.
1t seemed to us that the reference to
the Indian question was more
nearly expressive OF the Presidcnps
personal characteristics than anything
else la the address. II was not verbose
and much OF 1t was not new; but IL was
Just, honest and unpretentious. We
have reached point ut which the
"wards Of the nation" not only claim
but imperativ.ly demand our serious,
patriotic and humane consideration;
they do not do this OF themselves,
for they arc measurably I'M
conscious OF their true situation--the
logic OF the case does not appeal to
them as n class, probably would not II
there were but few dozens instead Of
n few Thousands OF them lefi. They
arc going very fast, anu the fact that
they are 10 nearly oblivious to their
condition does but make II all the
more pathetic. Out OF powerful bands
who once owned everything In sight
and roamed wheresoever they would
without let or hindrance, remain a
few struggling handiuls, who are gfa.
clously permitted to occupy limited
areas OF their own soil, snd no long as
they do not transgress by going beyond
the lines, those who despoileu them OF
all will supply them with few OF the
neceessries Of life after tho same shall
have passed through the white agents
siev,l
An exchange, scouting the Idea OF
dealing with the red men by means OF
"ttoatles" which none OF them under
Biand, says tails method originated at q
time when the power OF the two races
on this continent was more evenly
balanced than II now is. 1t sounded
better, our cotenporary thinks, when
the encroaching white desired a slice
OF the aborigines' domain, to say that
we acquired 1t by treaty than to lust
confess simply that we took 1t. And
IN we began no VIZ have continued.
The fruits Of this original and con.
tinued dishonesty are shown TO be-
many and bittor. We nave not found
honor by 1t In the eyes Of the other
nations Of the world, nor selt'respuct In
our own. Not one right or possession
OF the Indian has been held more
sacred by us for the reason that II was
protected by "treaty." IL we wanted
thing, We had It. Instead Of
passing an act through both houses
of Congress declaring our will accom-
plished, We "appointed n commission
to negotiate treaty" with the inter
ested tribe. Sometimes there were a
few Indians thereafter possessed Of un.
usually abundant stores OF the thingt
dear TO the red mans heart, some.
times there WAS curious outbreak Of
in,emperance among them, some
times there was doubt thrown upon
the signatures. But in the end the
treaty was always rattle; and those
indians that di not like It could 20
out ON the prairie and kick, or spread