Show The Moab Story BY ELLIS FOOTE City Recorder Our whole national policy from the beginning In dealing with the Indians was to make all the promises they asked and keep only those we wanted This is what incited their undying hatred Not that they were savages savages savages sav sav- ages so much as they were people with a simple code of honor and we were relatively faithless This combined with the overwhelming onrush of the white while settlers gave inevitable cause for the great Indian wars of the West which raged across the Dakotas Wyoming Montana Montana Montana Mon Mon- tana New Mexico and Arizona in the and of the last century The Ute tribes were as fierce and simple in their code as any and It speaks well for the real reat human feelings and concern which the early Mormons in Utah had for their red brothers that there was so little bloodshed bloodshed bloodshed blood blood- shed between them Only two outbreaks of any consequence ever arose between red men and white in Utah the called so-called Walker war in 1953 and the Blackhawk war which took place In Jn the latter COs Both wars were fought In and around Sanpete and Utah counties favorite Ute hunting grounds I would not for a min min- minute minute ute doubt that white people were In each instance primarily primar primar- ily responsible If not from vi vicious vi cious clous Intent then from bumbling bumblIng bumbling ing motives and nd bad promises Chief Walker was wasa a favorite of Brighams Brigham's until It occurred red to Brigham and the Territorial Legislature that Wai Wal ker and his band ought to be enjoined from further slave raiding activities In the tribes to the south Walker being disinclined disinclined dis dis- inclined to give up this fine and Immemorial the two leaders fell out Chief Wale Wai ker was thereafter branded as a stinker and arch in our history books Not much is known about Blackhawk a Ute chief of local but c chilling renown except that he Is not to be Identified with the more famous Blackhawk to the north Out of the throes and trouble of the time however It Is not Blackhawk and not W kara who stands out These with all their warlike pride their simple code their truth and integrity within their own Immemorial ways of living went Ignobly down to defeat defeat defeat de de- de- de feat and No it is the wise old Peacemaker Peacemaker Peace Peace- maker who is remembered and quoted Chief Ung also of the Utes Because his spirit was not extinguishable in either either eith eith- er victory or defeat Because he saw both sides of this business business business bus bus- iness of the victory and the vanquished Because he saw the essential human situation from beginning to end on this rollIng rolling rolling roll roll- ing and writhing planet whereon where where- on we make our home Because at the signing of the treaty ending the Blackhawk War he said the thing that was foremost in all their hearts We will go down In the same trail to the creek and ad run into the river and fill up the great lake and there be still and our mud settle to the bottom and always be good water |