The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-05
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peared in the Utah and Colorado press
about the recent killing of Indians
Which occurred over on Snake river
several weeks ago. The general con-
census of opinion tends to condemn
the actions of the game wardens.
The real basis of this condemnation
seems to be the fact that Indians
were killed, and out Of that fact
sprang the settled conclusion that
wanton crime had been peTDetrateQ
upon defenseless Indians.
Living here, between the TWO con-
tending forces, on nuetral ground as 1t
We're. and taking fair and impartial
view Of the matter, it strikes US that
the story as told by the wardens is
entitled to some consideration.
The stories that have been sent out
z by some individuals would lead one
to conclude that COOper's Noble Red
Man" was even now, tangible reality.
There has been q mass Of sentimental
nonsense, and gush published over the
matter that is not in the least justified
by the facts.
'.Bloodthirsty Game Wardens;"
BRUTAL Assassins," and many other
blood curdling epithets have been
hurled at the luckless individuals who
were at that particular time and place,
looking after the game interests Of the
state of Colorado. Men who have for
years followed peaceful pursuits, now
find themselves suddenly notorious as
the blacklist criminals that ever cast
q shadoW on the earth's fair surface.
Before so many frightful adjectives
are swallowed and assimulated by the
general public, perhaps it would be
well TO state the case as it appears
from a disinterested standpoint.
LAND OF THE UTEs.
Away back in the days before Colo
radios admission into the union Of
states, all that country over the divide
west from Leadvile, was vaguely
known as the "Gunnison country"
There the untutured savage existed in
all his glory. there We're no game war
dens then to dispute his sway over one
of the finest game regions along the
western slope Of the grandeSt chain of
mountains that traVerses the American
continent. The horrid nightmare Of
civilization had scarce disturbed his
dreams. reservation lines were a dim
uncertainty, the location of his
Nickiup depended upon his own sweet
viii, and the free and untrammeled
life Of his ancestors was still his.
Among the eastern border Of the
"Gunnison country" over which the
Ute nation held sway, and which in
Guided White river and other streams,
rose the majestic peaks of the CONT
mental divide against which the tide
of civilization beat with increasing
force, till at last this noble barrier
proved OF no avail, and over it swept
the ceaseless energy of the paleface,
and the sun set forever upon a life free
from care.
DRIVEN FROM UTAH.
The Ute soon learned to love the pale
tace for his whisky, and despise him
for his thrift. Eventually the govern
ment's policy dawned upon him. With
the realization that he was expected to
adapt himself to changed conditions
came a determination to resist. Then
came the Meeker affair, which Gull
minated by their being moved to the
Uintah reservation in Utah.
They had long been known as the
White River Utes, and when they We're
located among the Uintah Utes, on the
present reservation, they retained their
identity for years, and do to a certain
extent still, but of late years they have
intermarried to such an extent that
they are really all one people, and are
for the most part all known as Tin
tahs There are a few, however. of the
DID stock that still retain their identity,
and they have always been a disturb
ing element.
TREATY AND STATE RIGHTS.
There is a treaty between the govern
ment and the White Rivers, in which
the Indians claim they were given the
right 10 go back to their old haunts to
hunt They cannot conceive why the
game Wardens should be able to inter-
pose an objection over the governments
agreement. They have no conception
of state rights.
Viewed from this standpoint, some
say the Indians should be allowed to
hunt unmolested, While there are others
who take the view that, while they are
to be pitied for their inability to fully
grasp the situation, yet it is absurd
TO suppose that savage conditions can
still prevail amidst the push and prog
vess of today
Colorado has been very strict in en-
forcing her game laws in other parts
of the state, and has, within the last
year or so, concluded to look after her
game along the western border. 1t has
long been the custom for the whites
living in Utah. as well as the Indians,
to drop over the line and bag a load
of deer and slip back. Colorado deter
mined to put a stop to the practice
and of late succeeded in putting q
pretty effective check upon it. Dur
ing the last two or three years a num-
Der of nimrods have paid pretty heavy
penalties for violating Colorado's game
laws, The writer knows whereof he
sneaks. when he says that Colorado mas
made determined and desperate effort
TO protect her game from the depreda-
ton of the whites. How successful she
has been is testified to by the amount
of game in the state, as compared with
Utah. Now, if the Utes are allowed
to overrun the country and kill by
wholesale for the hides. of what avail
viii all this protection be?
There is another thing to be taken
into.consideration. and that is the fact
that State Game Warden Swan made a
trip to the reservations for the express
purpose of giving the agency authori-
Ties and the Indian fair warning as to
the intentions of the Colorado authori-
ties in the matter.
OFFICIALS DERELICT.
It appears that the officials having
the Indians in charge We're very dere-
lict in their duty when they allowed
them to leave the reservation, know
ing. as they must have known, that
they would in all probability get into
trouble. Instead OF encouraging and
openly sympathizing with them in the
matter it would have been much bet
ter had a determined effort been made
TO keep them at home.