The Washington herald., 1907-11-03
WORK OR A WHIPPING
Choice Of One or the Other
Up to the Indians.
UNCLE SAM LOSING PATIENCE
Fund for Feeding Last Uncivilized
Tribe About Exhausted and When
It's Gone They VIII Have to Hustle.
Trouble Expected to Occur When
Poor LO Gets Hungry.

There is one tribe Of Indians in the
United States that must be licked, and
licked soundly. before il will come to a
sense of its responsibility to the law, and
its obligations to the people near whom
It lives, according to officials of the In
dian Bureau. That is the White River
Band of Utes, who belong on the Uintah
reservation, in Utah, but who for many
months have been camped on the Chey-
enne River Reservation, in South Dakota.
The Indian Office. represented by Com
missioner Francis Z. Leupp, and the
War Department, represented by Capt
G. p. Johnson, Tenth cavalry, got into a
squabble over the Utes, and the conten-
ton Of the former as to the manner in
Which the Indians should be handled by
the government was sustained by Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
Commissioner Leupp insists that the
Utes shall go to work for a living in
stead OF holding councils TO complain
about their treatment by the Great White
Father. Capt Johnson, who was sent TO
the Cheyenne River Reservation with a
detachment of troops to quell what prom
lsed to be an uprising on the part Of the
red men, advised Washington that "a
hundred pounds of flour and a little pa
tience Will be more potent factors in the
solution of this problem than a hundred
soldiers This statement was accepted
by Commissioner Leupp as a reflection
upon his policy of requiring all able
bodied Indians to doff the warpaint and
feathers, and 80 70 work for a livelihood
like other men.
The whole matter was thrashed out at
a council at the White House and a def
mite conclusion was reached, although the
pipe Of peace was not passed around.
Announcement was made as a result or
the deliberations Of the council. which
was comprised Of the Great Father, Mr..
Garfield, the Secretary of the Interior;
Mr. Oliver. the Assistant Secretary Of
War, and Commissioner Leupp.
whole Tribe Migrated.
Some months ago the White River band
of Utes pulled up their tepees and gath
ering their squaws and pappooses around
them, shook the dust of Utah from their
feet and started in the direction Of the
rising sun. They were dissatisfied with
the allotments of land made them by the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and
frankly said so Just prior 10 their mi
grafton Commissioner Leupp had visited
the Indians at their reservation and had
q talk with them. They were very angry
with him, and subjected him TO a verbal
''rough-house." Red Cap. one Of the blg
Ute chiefs. was the orator OF the ocCa-
sion, and he told the Indian Commits
sioner that he should not have permitted
the sale Of the Uintah lands in the first
place. and in the second place he should
have disapprOved OF the selection Of lands
made for his people. At the time Com
missioner Leupp thought IT was better
not to mention work TO the overwrOught
tTibesmen.
When Commissioner Leupp returned 10
Washington he received advices that the
Utes had reached South Dakota, and had
put up their tepees on lands OF the Sioux
Indians. Soon after reports came here
that the Utes were getting ugly, and
troops were dispatched TO the scene. II
soon became evident that the Indians
were not out on a maraUiing expedition,
and for a time little was heard here
about the band, although It was closely
watched.
The present trouble with the Utes dates
back to the passage by Congress Of law
opening the better part of their lands to
settlement. and providing that the dimin-
ished reservation should be paTceled
among the Indians. The Utes are non
progressive, ugly, intractabe, and re-
sentful Of the white man and his ways.
When it was first suggested to them that
the day was soon approaching when they
would have to go to work, war dance
was held. Upon the arrival Of the In
dians in South Dakota late last winter
or early in the spring they asked Wash
ington for permission to send a delega-
ton here to confer on their troubles with
the Great White Father. Such authority
was granted, and half dozen Ute war
riors. headed by Chiefs Red Cap and
Appa. came on. They were taken to the
White House. 1t was known in advance,
of course. that the President intended 10
tell the Indians that they had 20 90 70
work, and precautions were accordingly
taken TO prevent an Indian outbreak In
the White House. The Indians came and
went, sore at heart and resentful in
spirit
RatiOns Cut I'm Half.
Inc fduohS OF the CteS' WHICH Is lHe
immediate prov0catiOn Of their present
discomfort, have been cut in half because
Of the fact that the funds available for
the purpose are nearly exhausted. When
this ration fund disappears, the Indians
will have to hustle for their bread or
90 without. When that day comes GER
tain officials in Washington believe that
the Indians Will have to licked into sub
mission.
A few years ago the government came
10 the conclusion that the Indian had
partaken of enough civilization 10 be in