OCR Text |
Show Years of Loss, Years of Adjustment, 1882-1933 125 for the Uintah and White Rivers were to be eighty acres, one half of what the Uncompahgre got on their reservation. However, the rest of the allotments to the Uncompahgre not yet assigned were also to be eighty acres. A small amount of grazing land was to be set aside for joint use by all three bands and the rest was to be opened to settlers and miners. The Ute People continued adamantly opposed to allotment and the loss of land. The opening of the reservation was delayed while Senate hearings were held on the matter. The Congressional delegation from Utah worked hard to have the reservation opened. The Ute People were, of course, not represented. During the Senate hearings, Utah Representative George Sutherland spoke convincingly that since the Uintah Reservation had been created by the President and Congress, it could be dismantled the same way without the approval of the People.27 This argument was supported by the January 1903 United States Supreme Court decision in Lone Wolf vs. Hitchcock. The court ruled that it was constitutional for Congress to act to open a reservation to settlement without Indian consent. In the spring of 1903 United States Indian Inspector James McLaughlin arrived at the Uintah and Ouray Agency. He held a council with the White Rivers and Uintah to explain the plans to open their lands. He attempted to secure their consent even though Congress had passed a law (March 1903) which provided for the opening with or without their consent. As the Council wore on the Ute opposition to the plans grew stronger. Happy Jack, a leader of the White Rivers, explained: After the white people come in here they will say 'We took your land, now we will take your water, and your house, so you get off this land, go to some other country and find some other place!' That is the reason we feel bad over this business. The land where the white man's towns are, belonged to us at one time. These Indians do not understand what you are talking about and you don't understand what they mean. You are just like a storm from the mountains when the flood is coming down the stream, and we can't help or stop it.28 McLaughlin was able to get the signatures of only eighty-two giving their consent to the opening of the reservation. Several of these may have been bribed or were school aged children. Land was |