Show THE CHIEF DANGER When Secretary Bliss approved the uintall leases he becam a party to an infamous deal He was not ignorant of the law or the rights of the people yet he disregarded them both He knew the legal inability of the Indian to execute such a lease and he knew the weakness weak-ness of the red man otherwise and he not only permItted but authorIzed an advantage to be taken In dealing with the Indians the secretary sec-retary of the interIor represents the government in a dual capacity He is guardian of the nations wards and custodian e cus-todian of the public lands The Uintah Utes had no interest in their reservation they could dispose of except in the way of growing crops The soil could be cultivated and the produce sold without impoverisuiIng the land or depriving it permanently of any value Not so with mInerals The syndicate that mines and ships the mineral wealth of the reservation away is depriving it of that much value The secretary once tool this same posItion posI-tion As the custodIan of governmentprop erty which the courts have held is not on the market for lease or sale Secretary Secre-tary Bliss had no right to approve of its unlawful disposition by the wards under his supervision A bill was introduced In the last congress con-gress empowering him to ratify such leases but it was voted down Still the secretary has gone ahead as if the bill had been passed and has done the very things which by a negative vote congress said he should not do ThIs is the most serious phase of the question More harm can come out of the disposition and ability of members of the cabinet to disregard the expressed ex-pressed wish s of congress to abrogate the law than will result from tile robbery rob-bery of Utah and Colorado fa the dater He deal just closed |