Ute Council Proceedings dated April 4, 1927

Page 5

Pago 5-Council Proceedings. that v/e organize into some kind of an organization by which it is going to be possible for a few men to decide on what is best to do in a business way we are not going to get anywhere v/ith it at all. The Indian Office advised me that they v/ere doing everything they oould to pas3 this bill. Fifty or 3ixty other reservations wanted this same kind of legislation. Hone of the hilla referring to the claims of Indians v/ere passed. I don't believe this is the fault of the Indian Office or the present administration. You must remember that there are over two hundred different tribes of Indians in the United States and the Indian Office is doing all they possibly can for all of them. I want the people to thoroughly understand that this matter of organizing a Business Committee is entirely in their hands and if they don't see fit to go about it that way then I am vory sorry because I would like to see something started to give tho people some relief. It is not the question of electing these members of this committee this afternoon. It Is a matter to bo talked over in the next few weeks or so. When these men are selected I will call them in and get start­ed. Nothing oan be done for the people of this reservation v/ithout an effoi-t on the part of the people of your reservat­ion. Ono oannot pull one way and the other the other way. We cannot get anywhere by doing this." Jim Atwine; (Uintah) "We have two members in our band that we feel v/e can depend upon to carry on our business. They are, Fred Mart and Henry Harris." Corass; (Uncompahgre) "What the agent has suggested wo are willing to cooperate with him. We feel that through this organization we can accomplish something that is for our own good, and through the organization wc can find something that is rightfully ours. Through this organization we will know what is going on at Washington in regard to our affairs, then vie can get together right now and think over the matter as v/e have heard it. I hope the poople will all cooperate; if thoy do not, what v/ill we do? When organized this committee can discus3 our money matters and other things pertaining to our affairs. That's all I have to 3ay now." Panikuff; (Whiteriver) "Wo are real Indians. Our skin is the color of the dirt. V/e were born on the earth to live as Indians." Tim Johnson; (-Whiteriver) "At the time of Chief Ouray there were five bands. At that time it was understood that the money for these five bands would never be exhausted. It v/as also understood that tho Indians would always be cared for by the Government. When will this money show up? There was to be no ond of this money. It was always t o be like flowing water; no end. The Superintendent is considered as an Indian because he is our agent and overseerea?*. All of us are poor now. The money has all been used up. We were promised three million dollars Judgement money. We never have received any aasl.llc .oodf ttoh ibso d mooonnfoe yI.tt .ha WthW oewro euh'la dvh ea scn aeuivstee r g ounhsea d t tooo ?ucs ceaN soiatolhnli notgfo hutsahesi sub pom on ey.