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Show THE OBEAT ETOLUf SCABfc The recently developed religious movement among tho Indians Is producing innumerable absurd phases and effects. The statement regarding It in general and in detail are so conflicting that it it difficult to reach anything like a reliable idea of tho truth In relation to the subject. The contradictions embodied em-bodied in tbe reports are not only contained in assertions of different Individuals, but in numerous Instances In-stances the disparity exUts between statements purporting to come from the same person. The wildest rumors as to apprehended Indian revolts Is the result of all this commotion, com-motion, the agitation seeming to be more pronounced among the whites than among the red men. From different points comes the sensational sensa-tional rumor, "It Is reported that tbe Indians are arming,' etc, followed fol-lowed by other dispatches to tho effect that all is peacerul ana mere is "no danger of an uprising," etc., from tbe same localities. The Lest course to be pursued under un-der the circumstances Is to remove existing causes for revolt and be careful not to multiply other sources of Irritation. We are afraid that tho reverse if tbls humane policy Is beicg pursued. Instead of making an honest Inquiry Into tho abuses to which the Indians have been subjected sub-jected and seeking to rectify tbem, a new cause of dissatisfaction U tbe red men is being pushed upon them menacing them by pushing United Unit-ed States troops into the Territory occupied by them. It is beped that this will hare tbe effect or overawe-log overawe-log them into continuous submission. submis-sion. Bat it might occur that it will enrase them beyond the bounds of prudence, and precipitate an uprising. up-rising. The process of working upon the fears of the savages is a mistaken one. It Is not educational and therefore must necessarily fall. The only true nnd humane policy is that which was Inaugurated and Insisted In-sisted upon by the late Governor Brlgbam Young, who maintained that there was much more profit as well as humanity in feeding than there was In fightini tho Indians. An impartial history of the wars betwten the white and red men in this country would show that many perhaps tbe majority of them have been initiated by the predom inant and civillieu race. One man is represented as suggesting suggest-ing that before active steps aro taken against tho Indians in the present sensational phase of the question, It will bo the better plan to wait till they commit some act of vlolenee. It appears that the people peo-ple of Mindan, Dakota, are anxious to take the laltlative, and have announced an-nounced that after a certain date every Indian found off the reservation reserva-tion who has not a written permit from the agent to absent himself from it will be shot down by indignant indig-nant patriots. This Is monstrous. Suppose Sup-pose that a number of Indians should go off the reservation, be found away from it and be shot down, what wculd be tbe probable result? Simply that the red men would not know any better than their white murderers aud retaliate. Tbe retaliation re-taliation would be designated and treated as an Indian uprising and the troops would bo precipitated upon tbe unfortunate savages. In such matters it is sometimes pertinent lo ask the question, "How would you like it yourself 7" For instance) if tbe Indians should pass a resolution that on and after a given date every white mau found on the reservation without a written writ-ten permit from tbe ageut should be shot down, bow would the position posi-tion be viewed? It would be deemed sufficient cause to bavu troops stationed in dose proximity for the protection of the guileless whites. And should the. bloody resolve be corned out against tbe Intruders upon the reservation, reser-vation, the murderous act would lie regarded and treated as an uprising of Indian", and they would be slaughtered by wholesale according to the most approved processes of clvlIinUon, all for acting upon a proposition already defined as a determination de-termination toward them of their white brethren. JJesIgnlng white men who are anxious to precipitate an "uprising" should be trie objects ot governmental solicitude, at least equally as much as the Indians. It Is asserted in tbe telegrams that there is an Intention to stop certain religious ceremonies or orgies In which the Indians are sold to be indulging In the mountain. It appears that these peculiar pecu-liar rites ore in unison with with the untutored condition of the savages. It may well le asked whether they have not as much right to religious liberty In their crude way, as people more advanced ad-vanced In intelligence and clvlbza-tion clvlbza-tion have to enjoy undisturbed their more refined methods? So long as the former do nothing that is illegal or that Interferes with the rights of others, it seems that to compel tbem to desist would not be according to the genius of American Institution s, even if the victims be Indians. They at least come under the brood expression of equality couched iu tho words "ail men." Some people are not willing, however, that the Indians should be classified as human. hu-man. If this compulsion is resorted to it will doubtless furnish another nuice for dissatisfaction and lead to the very condition it is desirable to prevent. Suppose tbe Indians believe a Messiah will come to deliver tbem from what they regard as the oppressions, op-pressions, cruelties and treachery of the white men.are not the Christians in a parallel situation? Tbe latter are proclaiming everywhere the coming of the true Messiah, and that His brightness will "consume tbe wicked" when He shall appear? Suppose tbe Indians were sufficiently sufficient-ly powerful to attempt to break do wn the churches and meetings of tbe men who have taught them about a Messiah because it was not to their Interest to have an opposition deliverer de-liverer set up, how would that situation be regarded by the Christians? They would hardly look upon it as being in harmony with tbe common rights of man to worship as seemctb bim best so long as be makes no illegal innovation inno-vation upon established and organized organ-ized society. Some of the newspapers have caught up General Miles' absurd expression of opinion regarding the religious movement and have enunciated a belief tbat the "Mormons" "Mor-mons" are at the bottom of it. Other Journals denounce such a view as ridiculous and unjust. We have already shown the utterfalslty of any such claim. A "Mormon" tbat would personate the Messiah would commit, In the eyes of his co-rellglonlsU, co-rellglonlsU, one of tbe worst sets of sacrilege that could be Imagined and wonld be excommunicated from the community without delay. The fact la that If the government and the people or tbls nation genet-ally genet-ally bad pursued toward the Indians tbe same policy as have the "Mormons," "Mor-mons," there would bo no Indian question agitating the country today, to-day, unless It might be In relation to tho adoption of measures for tbelr advancement and tbe amelioration of tbelr condition. As samples we may contlstenUv point to tbe Indian In-dian farmof Waahakle,!n Box Elder County, where a number of Indians are living under "Mormon" supervision. super-vision. They conduct a farm on tho co-operative plan and live In bouses, being Instructed in tbe civilized civi-lized methods of cultivating the soil. Tbe same may be said regardingthe Indian settlement at Thistle, Sanpete San-pete County, where a number of the red people are making advancement In tbe arts of civilization. Every effort made by the "Mor-mot. "Mor-mot. ' people In their contact with the Indians has been In the direction direc-tion of peace and progress. Many of their settlements are on tbe borders bor-ders of tbe Indian country, nnd an Indian war would probably be as disastrous to them as to any citizens In the entire west. They have as much, If not more anxiety than any other people for the maintenance of pacific relations between tbe white and red men. The irritating conditions tbat are being precipitated upon the Indians ore much to be regretted, as they are liable to- cause the very con ditlon it is claimed they aro intended in-tended to prevent. |