The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-11
tsnecla, 10 The Herald,

Especial 10 The Herald)
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 10
Senator Cannon today addressed the
senate in support of his amendment
appropriating $4,000 to defray the ex-
penses of the commissioners to treat
with the Uncompahgres, Uintahs and
Fort Hall Bannocks, and also the pro-
vision that such commissioners shall
be residents Of the states in which the
Indian reservations are located. He
said that, judging from the expendi-
lures made by the commission to treat
with the Uncompahgre and Uintah
Utes (the commission recently turned
loose on furlough and who spent s16,-
oOO the amount provided in his amend
memo would not be sufficient for even
preliminary expenses, unless there
shall be a local board appointed.
= Eastern men know very little about
the conditions. prevailing there, as is
evidenced by the report of the Uncom-
pahgre Ute commission, who, by their
own statement. spent nearly $4,000 be-
fore they really began the perform
ance of their duties. If a local board
had been appointed, no such extrava-
CANT misuse of public money would
have been permitted or attempted.
Mr.. Cannon declared that the pres
ent policy of keeping Indians upon the
reservations with vast tracts of land
which excite the cupidity of men,
TENDED TO CORRUPT
them physically and mentally. If we
shall go on in the manner now prac-
ticed by the interior department. there
will not be any Indians left in any one
of the reservations now under con-
sideration to insure the perpetuity of
the race.
Senator Palmer asked Cannon in
what respect the present management
Of the interior department was defec-
tive; what there was in it different
from the past administration.
Senator Quay. of Delaware, said: ''It
would be much easier to tell wherein
the present administration is not de-
fective than to go through the long
recital of mistakes. obstinate mistakes,
wilful mistakes, perpetuated by the
gentleman who now stands at the
head Of the department.
IT WAS NOTORIOUS
in the vicinity of the Uncompahgre
reservation that it would not be opened
by the work of this particular commits
sion. Some few words from one mem
Der after another of the commission
leaked out until men dwelling in that
locality were prone to say 1.-The reser-
walton viii not be opened"
That prediction was absolutely full
filled by the secretary before the work
q m hod
near concluded, who sent his commu-
nication 70 congress, by which he pro-
posed, in effect, to say thar some other
method must be adopted, or else the
law would not be carried out.
Mr.. Palmer, of Illinois, said: "Mr.
President, in spite of the habit of
senators to deal in generalities, the
charge made by the senator of Utah
OF Wilful disregard of duty on the part
of the secretary of the interior deserves
something more. in my judgment, if it
is to be made
TIE BASIS OF ACTION
than the mere general form in which
the charge is made The senator hints
that II was quite understood the lands
were not TO be allotted; that some
thlng leaked out which satisfied the
people interested. l suppose he refers
to adjacent white people, for, whatever
may be said Of the people of the west,
they nave been eager after the lands
occupied by the Indians from the be-
ginning, from the time the pilgrim
fathers landed upon the rock. and nv
own immediate ancestors landed in
Virginia.
Il confess that | would prefer that
citizen should be selected who is nor in
teresteu, one who simply desires the wei
lare OF the indians and proper admins
'raflon Of his office. that he should be
selected wherever he may be found and
that he should be sent to these reser-va-
lions as an impartial person, having no
other desire than to serve Indians and
= 10 40 right. ! prefer that sort of nursing
1atheThood" TO the tender mercies of
those who are around Indians and desire
10 make profit out of their condition. /
say nothing against the citizens of Utah
/ presume they are as good people as
there are IN the world, but | have no
doubt that they are now hungering and
thirsting for valuable lands that belong
TO these Indians; and / desire to pro
test against these severe criticisms and
these charges of willful wrong, that is
that the secretary Of the interior meant
10 do wrong. and did not intend to do
right, that he tried 10 do wrong and
die not Try to do right; that he was eager
70 do wrong and was unwilling to do
right 1t is the imputation of
AN OFFICIAL CRIME
which the senator from Utah has made
against the secretary. / am willing to
concede that there may be mistakes in
judgment. The secretary snay not be
wise. / understand, indeed, he is not
very wise, but still | am not willing to
sit by and listen to these charges of will
ful disregard of his 'uty in the absence
of something which ought to be suffi-
cient, according to the rules of criminal
justice. There ought TO be evidence at
least strongly probable"
After some further debate, Mr.. Can
mons amendments were ruled out of or
der, thereby effectually disposing of
them.
Cannon's resolution demanding to know
why the secretary of the interior has
not opened the Uncompaghre reserva-
ton 10 settlement is still the unfinished
business of the senate, and may be con-
sidered on Monday.
IN THE SENATE.