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Show Harris Denies Utes In Heed As A Tribe, Says Grievance Petition Motivated From 'Personal Viewpoints, Emotional Attitudes9 j I hat all available material, in-A in-A 'lews, meetings, and home I is indicate that the Ute In- I is are not in need as a tribe tfli view expressed by Carl larns, field supervisor, State fare department, following yrecent investigation into con- oris on the Uintah and Ou- u reservation, n 'his information was released i iday by Reginald O. Curry, irman of the Tribal Busi- , 3 committee, in a letter by 1 Harris, dated April 10, to C Shoemaker, chairman of Utah Public Welfare com-sion. com-sion. Public.welfare assistance has jered the field of the aged, It I ay, aid to dependent chil-1 chil-1 W j. and blind in all cases. '.JNCases of general assistance y need, where eligible, were also assisted by the county welfare department. Others were adequately ade-quately cared for by Tribal re-v re-v o 1 v i n g funds, contributions from neighbprs and friends, and church help, including1 commodities. commod-ities. Occasional situations of a lean larder were reported on a temporary basis. Indians are well clothed, and no cases of serious hardship were reported to me or observed," Mr. Harris said. From personal discussions and meetings held, plus the study of available resources to tribe and individuals, Mr. Harris continued, contin-ued, he believes the recent petition, pe-tition, presented by an Indian committee of four and Clifford L. Fretwell, was motivated by "personal viewpoints, some in dividual emotional attitudes, plus an idealistic desire to crusade cru-sade for a minority group. "I feel that the petition was not understood at all by the greater' percentage of the Indians In-dians who signed it, and it was stated to me by the elected representatives rep-resentatives of the Indian bands, White River, Uintahs, and Un-compahgres, Un-compahgres, that it was not rep-presentative rep-presentative of the tribes, and furthermore had never been presented to nor discussed with them. This was also verified by a meeting with 20 Uncompahg-res Uncompahg-res and interviews with their chiefs." Explaining the method by which the Indians govern themselves, them-selves, Mr. Harris said that the Utes, in choosing their leaders to represent them, believe these men should be "chosen democratically demo-cratically to represent the whole tribe, with possibly one delegated dele-gated by the Tribal council or one chosen from each of the three bands. "Adequate means of redress for so-called injustices are open to the tribe," he emphasized, "if 30 per cent of qualified voters vot-ers demand a change of administration admin-istration in the Business committee, com-mittee, or a change in the constitution con-stitution and by-laws. I could find no evidence that the complaining com-plaining group had appealed in a legal and constitutional way for redress, changes, or amendments amend-ments to their constitution; and I personally told them I could make no recommendations to you (Mr. Shoemaker) until they had at least recognized their own responsibility as ' voters in the tribe, and shown their good faith by using the democratic rights accorded them." According to Mr. Harris, unexpended un-expended funds ire another cause of unrest. "Unexpended funds from sale of the Bluebell oil lease total $200,000. The Business Bus-iness Committee expends only 50 per cent of receipts during1 the year of acquisition. This money will be pro-rated among tribe members very likely this year.' Some Indians are clamoring for this. ... "A few Indians are clamoring for the tribal assets to be broken brok-en up, the corporate charter dissolved, dis-solved, and the individual allotments allot-ments turned over to the individual. indi-vidual. This would be complete-i complete-i ly ruinous to the Indians." Mr. Harris asserted he found no domination of the Indians by the Business Council nor by Forrest R. Stone, agency superintendent, super-intendent, and that statements of socialism do not apply to the Ute tribe. "Many other tribes have a serious situation in this field, I am informed, but the Utes have an extremely fine administration." In closing his letter, Mr. Harris Har-ris set forth five recommendations, recommenda-tions, four of which are as follows: fol-lows: "(1) That the attempt of any administration, either government, govern-ment, state, or the Indian agency, agen-cy, to put Indians or their lands on a socialistic or collectivist basis will bring pauperization, remove progressive motivation, and bring regression and great harm. "(2) Utah should lend her voice and weight to further ameliorate am-eliorate the economic social, and spiritual life of the Indian on an inter-state basis. This should include support for a complete Congressional inquiry into the Office of Indian Affairs, Af-fairs, its philosophy, administrative adminis-trative costs, including a carefully care-fully planned 'Fixed Years Plan' toward its eventual dissolution. "(4) The Ute and all other tribes should be encouraged to utilize all their available resources, re-sources, in place of .waiting for a handout. "(5) Representation of the tribe should be by the tribe, in order to foster the democratic and independent spirit and concurrent con-current capacities of all concerned." |
