The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-11-07
ARMY OFFICER
SIDES WITH INDIANS
Captain johnson Says Agent
Downs Treatment OF Utes
Was Too Harsh.

Omaha, Neb., Nov. i.-Captain Car
ter p. Johnson, who was sent TO inves-
tigate the troubles of the runaway
Utes, has made his report to army
headquarters. He is still at their camp
at Thunder Butte creek. eighty miles
west of Gettysburg, S. d. Captain
Johnson found the attitude Of the In
aians wholly peaceful. and his report
appears to indicate he trouble Is
rather with Agent Downs, who is in
charge of the Utes and the Sioux on
the Cheyenne River reservation. Cap
tain johnson reports the ldianS were
delighted to see him.
He had a talk with the Ctes in Coun-
ell. They told him they We're given
to understand their rations would be
cut in half. entailing great distress up
on them, particularly upon the women
and children. Agent Downs, they said.
had told them they must send their
children eighty miles away TO school.
They had voted TO refuse to do so. but
said they were willing to send their
children TO the agency school at the
s~ubagency where they lived. Cap
tain Johnson explained to them their
error in refusing 10 obey the agents
regulations. In ounci afterwald they
agreed to obey the regulations which
govern the Sioux.
1t is alleged Agent Down is not sat
iaicd with the promise of the indians
and insists that harsh treatment be
administered to them. In ;his propo-
s!tion Captain JohnSon disagreeS With
him., and he urges in his report that
at the present status Of affairs harsh
or severe measures would not De good
policy.
Major Sibley and his command uf the
Second cavalry had not yet arrived at
Thunder Butte when Captain Johnson
sent his report.
According to Captain Johnson the
Utes are required TO subsist upon what
revenues they may obtain trt IN their
holdings and allotments in Utah.
which they i~mprudently abandoned Il
year ago. These revenues are meager,
and with the usual im~providence OF The
Indian character they are unable TO
make ends meet. They realize that
winter is coming on and that they are
up against it hard. The matter IS
VI to tie indian department., and its
solution is one of the interesting prob
lens of the immediate future, SIS some
fore the snow flies. The Indians viii
not be fed by the army, rs there IS nc
appropriation for the purpose.
Washington, D.. c., Nov. Com
missioner Leupp, of the bureau of In
dian affairs, accepts Captain Johnson's
report as d feIlectlOn ON thal Ilfeau
Citing the fact that the disaffectec
Utes nave refused two offers to work
for railroad companies, one of which
contemplated paying them 81 per day
for labor only fifteen miles from theil
present home. he said:
johnson proceeds on the theory
that the way to handle the trouble.
some Indians is TO set them off ant
feed them. That is not the Indian of,
flee theory. This office believes In APP
plying the same rule to the indians
that is applied to poor and ignoran
men of any race. We believe in find
ing work for them and hen permit
ting them TO go hungry il they will no
accept the opportunity of making {
living. These Indians contemporary
refuse to work. saying that the gov
would take care of them.
am perfectly willing 70 stand respon.
sfble for all the advice l have givel
in the matter, which has been that we
should treat the Indians kindly, bu1
insist hat they shall cease to be
paupers when there is work at which
they can earn good wages practically
at their doors"