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Show First. From an examination of the records of the various councils held with the Indians by the Commissioners, it does not seem to me that the agreements reached fairly represents the real wishes of the Utes; stress of such considerations as appealed strongly to their fears and very largely to their prejudices against a civilized life. Second. The progress already made by these Indians in civilization will be rudely interrupted by the removal, and they will be placed amid surroundings much more hostile to their progress in learning the white man's ways, than those amidst which they are now situated. Third. It will be exceedingly difficult if not impossible for the government to carry out the agreement made with these Indians to protect them from the intrusions of white men on the new reservation. Fourth. The proposed removal under the stipulated conditions is at variance with the general policy which the Government is now applying to the solution to the Indian problem. Instead of alloting to these Indians their land, and teaching them how to utilize their allotments, the proposed plan would place them upon a reservation three times as large as the present one, and encourage them in the idea that they may continue for an indefinite period in that uneducated, uncivilized, semi- savage state in which they are now. Fifth. The difficulties of administration, if anything is to be accomplished in the way of the civilizations of this little band, will be vasdy greater on the proposed reservation than they are on the present. Sixth. No proper effort has ever been made by the Government looking towards their civilization. It is my firm conviction that under proper efforts these Indians can, at no distant day, become self- supporting, intelligent citizens of the State of Colorado. Seventh. This little band constitutes the last remnant of the Indians in the great State of Colorado, and in comparison with the number of Indians in other states, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, California, & c, is very small indeed. Removal merely shifts the burden of their presence from Colorado to Utah and delays their final civilization. 63 In the final analysis, the debate over Ute removal was represented on one side by the Colorado citizens who wanted to have the Indians removed from their state, and on the other side by eastern groups, represented by the Indian Rights Association, who felt that removal was detrimental to the Indians, and by the residents of Utah and the financial backers of the cattle companies who felt relocation was detrimental to their property. In the early stages of the debate those forces opposing removal submitted an alternative plan for the settlement of the Indians. After a rather lengthy political and legislative battle had been fought in and out of the halls of Congress, it was this plan that ultimately won the support of the Government. The plan, mentioned in the letter of Morgan above, asked that the Dawes Severalty Act be applied to the Utes and that the lands they presently occupied be allotted to them. The purpose for the allotment was to allow them the opportunity to become farmers and, consequently, civilized. As mentioned in Painter's arguments against removal, this plan would eliminate the problem of traveling and communication between northern New Mexico and southwest Colorado. The lands left over after the allotment could then be opened for white settlement which would satisfy the economic desires of the residents of Colorado by giving them what they really wanted, the reportedly rich farming land located within the boundaries of the reservation. 63. Ibid., pp. 31- 34. - 47- |