| Show THE INDIAN PROBLEM the solution of the indian question has been thus far one of extreme difficulty but we believe the mormons cormons have come nearer to it than any other people As the writer was for many years intimately y con connected decked w with ith I 1 it t in U utah tah w where h ere the settlers hom the first were obliged to face the problem and 80 solve ive it as best beat they could a brief sketch of the mormon method which has proved so successful may be of interest to the readers of the star the mormon settlers of utah in 1847 faced difficulties of unusual magnitude surrounded on every hiie by indian tribes for a thousand miles and utterly without help in time of danger they quickly developed that faau faculty ily tor for self government and self support for which they are so noted at that time utah belonged to mexico but the settlers immediately raised the united states flag upon ensign peak near the city of salt lake ana proclaimed the territory of deseret as they styled it an integral part of the united states they organized a provisional government ern ment adopted a republican constitution ution like that of other states and sent beatr a deputation with it to washington praying for admission ad mission into the great family of states this was not immediately granted and for three years deseret was under a provisional in 1850 1860 congress granted her a territorial rit orial organization under the name of utah prom from the beginning the settlers organized as infantry cavalry aud artillery and during 1849 waged a bloody war with the utes which resulted in their complete humiliation bloody wars ensued in 1853 with the utah tribe and again in 1864 in which over settlers were slain and expense and damage was sustained by them had hadit it not been for their ad mirable admirable organization they must ha have ae suffered fr fir more or been driven dri ven from the country in all these costly wars the U 8 government never expended a dollar nor aided the settlers by sk a s single i igle sold soldier ier hut but theres there is compensation in all th things I 1 n gs it is an eminently true adage that stormy seas make good sailors the settlers left to fac the storm alone did so manfully and skillfully fully all able bodied males hom from sixteen years of age and upward were organized as infantry outry cavalry and artillery and disciplined by numerous veterans who had bad previously seen military nili tary service became a very efficient force in holdi addition tion to those another force answering closely to the german uhland or the cossacks of russia was organized having a detachment in every town and village they rhey were styled minute men each man had a horse saddle and bridle arms and ammunition kept constantly on hand ready for instant service day dav or night and was to start on carapa campaign agn on thirty minutes notice all at his own expense I 1 in a time of danger the minute men were constantly in the saddle while the regular infantry served ay guards for settlements mills and herds of stock often at the midnight hour or while engaged iu in divine service word came of an indian raid and instantly the minute man took his horse and arms a few pounds of home made crackers tied to his saddle a blanket and canteen and uway away he be went in pursuit never giving it up as long as there was any possibility of success upon one occasion the writer then a minute man was one ot oa a party of thirty who pursued a band of northern indians three days and nights without an ounce of food not bavin having g taken any with them nor even waited for an hour to eat dinner ahey could not afford to wait wail in indian wars every hour counts one hour may give you success or defeat no baitin for supplies of food nor tents nur nr baggage but a few crackers and a single blanket no marching of 15 or 20 milliand miles and then camp but ut like the tireless deerhound deer hound they kept the trail and pushed the alie enemy to the he last extremity an indian respects such a foe and hesitates to him lie he respects an enemy just in proportion to his power of offender offence and defense that is his only standard for these reasons brigham young au advised the settlers to be alwa always s arme 1 when away from froin the settle ment hu citing stock hauling wood or at work in the fields men went armed when laroway la rowan was sett settled lied in 1851 miles from salt lake city the pe people built in fort form strong strongly Sr pal palisades leaded ded and heavy gatts gates closed at dusk they kept a regular military guard in the fort with pickets dickens stationed on a hill not dot far away avay and sent the cow herd out each day with a well armed guard and another with the horse herd sundays men went to meet ingar aug armed ined their rifles stranding atou diug between their knees luring during service why because if indians should malkea sudden dash they would fl find nd no arnis arms iu in the dwellings gs to capture and the whites would be ready for them for twenty five years the writer was a participant of such scenes and knows it was by this constana constant con cons stint tanj vigila vigilance nee that the settlers were able to hold their own but there was another important factor of safety brigham early bave ave the keynote of his I 1 indian policy as follows he said t be kind and just to them do not defraud do not lie or speak to them with a forked t angue ngue always do as you promise or threaten make your word good when they find they hey can depend upon your word either for reward or punishment they will listen lisen to you be always ready for war with your powder dry but il ways strive for peace treat them kindly kindl v but make them reste t ayou you do not let them run over you remember it is cheaper to feed them than to fight them do not destroy their game or fish it is theirs buy it of thern them that gives them something to do and encourages them in self support this was the mormon policy and it was most successful the rhe settlers also ahro usei used I 1 other means with the nations they adopted many boys and an girls clothed aud and schooled thern them taught them trades taught the m men eh to farm gave them teams wagons and farm tools and taught them t use them roday many indians in utah own farms and orchards and they are pretty good farmers with wilh good houses wagons and horses and cattle they have abandoned tribal relations and are becoming civilized so far as con concerns conerus erns this portion of the once dreaded tribe of utes the in dian question is settled indians who own real estate houses and farms lose their nomadic habits and war for they have much to lose and little to gain and their children grow grom up more and wore more amenable to civilization J J ly U M N in 7 tuelon boson arizona Arv sona star ayne |
