The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-12
THE PALE FACE WASHAKIES.
HISTORY OF THE ABORIGINES
OF OGDEN POLITICS.
Judge Shurtliff Was Opposed to the
Organization Last Year, But They
Have Buried the Ratchet at Last.
To the Editor of The Herald:

/
the city of Ogden, company of pale
faces, somewhat familiar with the
practice of civilized warfare, and de-
sirous of becoming acquainted with
the art of Indian fighting, organized
an Indian tribe, obligating themselves
with an oath of fearful and appalling
solemnity to do all that lay within
the range of tribal possibilities TO
cleanse the political atmosphere OF We
Der county of all the deterioratlng ana
obnoxious elements, and. in a spirit of
sleepless vigilance, unitedly wage
vigorous and aggressive warfare
against the pestilential goldbugs, 10
the end that they might, in common
with all other bugs, of which they are
the most destructive specie, be leveled
to the ground.
The Indians pledged themselves, so
far as was within their power. to Sc
cure the restoration of silver. From
an insignificant beginning, the tribe
began to grow and expand, until when
at the last city election it was enabled
to control the primaries and absolutely
dominate the convention, which was
looked upon by them as signal
achievement.
The great chief, who was a silver
editor of local celebrity, but who has
since become an advocate of gold
monometallism, saw fit to resign be-
fore the campaign became active, and
allied himself with the non-partisan
delusion, devoting his paper and ener-
gieS to that interest. This detection
at that time was regarded by the red
skins as quite serious. but not irrepar-
able, and the retiring great chief was
suspected of entertaining designs
against the peace and security of the
tribe. They conjectured correctly.
After the Washakies had bombarded
and stormed the convention, effectually
sitting, by a masterful stroke of pop
ular politics, the feeble and disorgan-
lied opposition, a tremendous SentI-
ment of hostility was at once awak-
ened against them, accusing the Wash
akies of resorting to SurreptitiouS and
ambushed methods of fighting, in the
meantime growing to such degree
of intensity that when the election
rolled around, the air was so densely
impregnated with its oppressiveness
that, in order to enjoy the process of
unobstructed respiration, in certain
quarters, it was necessary to- cut out
whole sections of the atmosphere and
slide them to an upper strata. Washa-
kieS who passed through that trying
campaign know this is true
The Democracy, through the aid of
the Indians, succeeded in electing the
head of the city ticket and the fusion
lists, with the memorable-and we must
say nvaluable-assistance of a number
of religious politicians of Democratic
controlled the disposition of
the rest. However, the Washakies
thought that a significant victory had
been achieved, considering the in
fancy of their tribe and especially the
powerful and venomous combination
against which they were called upon to
most gratifying, giving them much ra
tional encouragement.
But Notwithstanding this commend |
able success, some of the Indians, evil |
IDENTIFY afflicted with remorseful reflec-
tons over the monopoly perpetrated !
in the convention. and mistakingly be- |
lieving that an element of selflShneSS |
was too conspicuously manifested, left /
the reservation, its stirring scenes and |
impressiveness, and went |
back to live with the palefaces and |
squaw men. Their loss, however, was
not serious, and in no way crippled |
the efficiency of our tribe, which was
beyond expectation.
Since the absurd, insane and organ
cation destroying mania of fusion has
taken possession of and settled down
the many-headed people, the
uniformity of Washable
action has suffered a shock that will
yravely affect its vitality.
From the time that fusion began to
De ranked among the possibilities of
settled politics, there were mutterings
around the camp fires on the reserva-
ion, from which it could be clearly
liscerned that some of the wild and
'attled-headed redskins were going to
stampede and go on the war path. The
question was finally submitted to the
.ribe, after much preliminary Skin
niShing, Misunderstanding and noSe-rub-
Ding, if fusion should be it's policy in
he forthcoming campaign, or should
We abide by the teachings of our illus
rous ancestors and remain true to
he faith. The patrons of the latest
orm of political dementia employed
he traditional tactics of the tribe, and
Imbushed and surprised, contrary to
III precedent, their fellow warriors
The result was 80 for fusion, as against
8, which by no means represents the
political complexion of the Ogden In
lians, the total vote representing but
ne-sixth of the strength of the
ribe.
This division must inevitably result
n a ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the tribe which
5 to be deplored, so far as Democracy
S concerned, for its high moral stand
rdS and virtuouS aspirations would
Don have constituted it a power of
excellence and good to
he community, and in the course of a
ew campaigns it would have become
nvincible in the county.
The great chief, great war chief and
rand vendiego, whose civilized des-
gnatiOns are c. A. Smurthwaite f. R.
and A. j. Weber, have left
he happy hunting grounds, with some
t the other misguided denizenS of the
ills, and are now seeking to form an
offensive and defensive particularly
Intensive alliance with their hereditary
ale-faced enemies, who will use them
nd all other fusionist Democrats as
N auxiliary force to promote their
'olitical designs.
The striking feature of this strange
Iteration that has affected some of
he Washakies is this: In the last
ity campaign local churchmen of of
Icial dignity belonging to thedominant
ecclesiastical organization vwere the
trongeSt and most successful in their
lenunciation and opposition to the
Vashakies. All opposition to the Wash
k1e movement was purely non-partisan
r fusion. and the Washakies who this
ear have gone over to the fusion de-
uslon, were last year the most jealous
nd vehement in their denunciation of
ne principals underlying it, advocating
Democracy uncompromisingly
l.. w. Shurtliff, in connection with
ther local Democrats, last year did
ii in his power to defeat the Washable
icket, as it was called, which was. in
ruth, the straight Democratic ticket,
nd the best that had ever crowned
he efforts of a local convention, and
his year we have the unique spectacle
f these same Washakies, who fought
Judge Shurtlif and his coadjutors and
lISiOn now OO1ncolino tn0afhor with |