From E.E. McKean to C.I.A. January 23, 1923 - Page 1
Description
6- 1142
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
UNITED STATES INDIAN FIELD SERVICE
Consolidated lite Agency,
Ignacio, Colorado,
January z'df 19^ 3.
Honorable Commissioner ox" indian Affairs,
Y/ ashington, D. C.
My dear Mr'. Corami s sio ner:
Relative to your l e t t e r ox December—£ 8, 19^ 2, ' I
have the honor to advise that the f i r s t and l a s t paragraphs,
r e l a t i v e xo the eonxrcversy between Mr. R. E. Y/ alker ox
Maneos, Colorado and c e r t a i n Ifevaho Indi ansV~ v7as xhe subject
ox' a former l e t t e r " oy me. Relative xo the second paragraph
ox' your letxer, dealing with the Ute Indians in Utah, I would
re spe ctx'ully advise t h a t I went to Utah on January loth and
met wi oh these Indians on Montezuma Creek, about sixty- five,
miles below the XJpo Mountain School. I sent" them word several
days before t h i s meeting ' oy two policemen Who went . through
the Monte suma Valley, Allen Canyon and. to ' Bluff City, . Vana I
was much g r a t i f i e d to meet nearly t h i s e n t i r e band ox Indians.
Shey said there v/ ere a few detained at home : on account cX
i l l n e s s . '•'"/ Ihere ; we're " several white men' assembled wixii•* tne'i;
Indians when I came among them and I t o l a the white men that
myxmeeting would be with xhe InaianS only; and explained to
them that / che Indians would f e e l more " free ; tto tai:£ to me if
^ theyivould absent' themselves. ^ £ h i s they d i d . - v l , was , tbldv
py the / Indians thatjtiiese men, ; for -; the": mbs t part ,^ v/ ere c a t t l e men;
a~ hcl were " not for theX& °^ ox the Indians.
My . r em arks , to the Indians were.-; as ;. ib Hows:
" Your ,; oommis sioner "' who l i v e s in Y/ ashington has'./ toId;
me to " be come acquainted; v/ ith you personally and Co" f i nd put,
what I t is you need, and why, for/ so "" many . years past;.: you have
made s6_ l i t t l e ' ' p r o g r e s s . Altnougn you have caused T » Tashin^ o6n:
considerable'trouble i n the past,- your, Commissioner is anxious
to forget - J- thsr past and / io^ lend you a helping hand so'thau you
may become ; b e t t e r iIndians;; so t h a t you may'/ have' better" homes;
that " you may have ; she ep and ' goats'' and. ' so me t h i ng t o live on.
Your children" for ' t he most part" are funning wild through these
canyons and are- not attending any school so . that when they'grow
up to be men and women, they will kiow very l i t t l e of , the white"
man's' ways of ' l i v i ng and they" w i l l have made no advancement
beyond t h e i r fathers or grandfathers.-;.^.. 3? his"' is not good for'your
