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Show Uinta Council, 75, Henry Harris: Charley Mack and others here hare requested me to say that they would like to hear our Agent, Captain Mercer, express himself about this. Captain Mercer: Mr, Inspector, I am going to speak a few words in behalf of the Indians in response to the request for me to do do. There are a few Indians here who, it would seem, do not understand the difference between accepting allotments and acceeding to the opening of the reservation. Others who do not belie*© that . there is a law to open their surplus lands, or believing it, say they do not want thair lands opened nor allotments made. These Indians have talked and their talk has gone on the records to be sent to Washington. There is no one yet who has stated and gone on record that he would accept his allotment, yet there are Indians who understand the law and know it ia not the question as to wheth*- er their lands should be opened or not. That i3 settled by the law, and they do not care to talk of it. These Indians I speak for knowing the law and understanding it, know that it is no question to discuss. They are friendly to the Government, the Governaent i3 friendly to them. They have asked me to send a friendly message through these records to their friends in Washington, They want their words to go to the Commissioner, the Secretary, the Senate and the House of Representatives, They want to say to them, *' "Priends, you have forgotten soae very important things in vaur law 7 v&ry important to us. We would like to have you consider thea. We believe that when you have considered them you will change the law to the extent that you will grant U3 these favors." They say that they have quite an industry here,- they have a coal mine. Proa that mine, they havo hauled to the schools and agenaies 200,000 pounds of coal. Since I have been here,less than two |