Copied from the Deseret Evening News, June 16, 1900.

INDIAN POLICY OF THE PIONEERS.

            “The site of Salt Lake City was an old Indian camping ground,” said James S. Brown, the famous Indian interpreter, to the “News” recently.  Mr. Brown has spent the best years of his life among the Indians and understands Indian character and history perfectly.

            “One of their burying grounds was in the northwestern part of the Oregon Short Line depot, near the springs.  The Indians we met right here were called Utes, but they were different from the Utes over on the reservation and talked more like the Shoshones, on the north.

            “The Utes are cruel and savage.  They stole our cattle and horses, made raids on settlements all the way south of Lehi, and it was necessary to send out many expeditions against them.

            “The Navajos came in on us from the south. They were as fierce as the Utes, but more cunning and made us more trouble than any other tribe.

            “Walker and his Utes actually made raids clear into California, and two expeditions of the battalion were sent out from Los Angeles to guard Cahoon pass.

            “Now, as to the so-called Utes about Salt Lake City, in the early days here, they were under Chief Little Soldier, who was inclined to peace, but who had many unruly Indians under him. President Young encouraged the people to make friends with the Indians, and his policy saved the settlers here from a raid.  There was a danger of it, of course, but the people helped the Indians and gradually won their confidence and good will.  I remember at one time, President Young had distributed among them 10,000 pounds of flour and a lot of beef cattle, and such donations were more or less frequent for several years.  President Young’s policy was outlined in his famous expression, ‘It’s cheaper to feed than fight them,”’and so it proved.  I am speaking now of the Indians who threatened Salt Lake City, and not of the Bannocks on the north or the Navajos on the south.  Still there was the possibility that the tribes might unite in an attack, and that was one of the reasons that the old Spanish wall was built.

            “The Indians we see about town now, ragged, dirty and groveling, belong to a low tribe, the Goshutes.  They live out Skull Valley way, and while they used to steal, as sneak thieves do, and perhaps kill, when there was no danger to themselves, they are not to be confused with the Utes, Navajos, and Bannocks, who gave us so much trouble in the early days.  These Goshutes are an inferior tribe, driven out there on the edge of the desert because they did not dare come into the game country where they would meet the warlike Utes.”

            “The chiefs of the larger tribes mentioned exercised wonderful control over the Indians.  They were obeyed to the letter, although, of course, there were always some bad Indians in every tribe.  But how is it with the whites?  Where can you find a body of them without some bad men among them?

            “The damage done by the Indians in early days through shooting down men from ambush, stealing cattle, etc. was great, but the policy steadfastly adhered to by President Young averted vast losses and finally won the friendship of the Indians.”

            Another gentleman of this city, who had considerable experience with the Indians during the early days, tells a story that illustrates the point made by Mr. Brown.  Following the general policy adopted, he treated the Indians with great kindness, two young Utes being special objects of his attention. To one of them he gave many useful articles, including, finally, a rifle.  From the other he one day purchased a horse, for which he had not much use, and gave a price considerably in excess of the animal’s real value.  That night the same Indian went to his benefactor’s barn, stole the horse and rode away.

            The incident was sufficient to shake the settler’s faith, but it was soon restored by another.  Not long after the theft, he went, with a small party, out to the Oquirrh mountains hunting antelope.  Returning home at night, he became separated from his companions and lost his way.  A terrible storm arose, and in the midst of it he rode into an Indian camp, and was promptly seized by two of the men and relieved of his weapons and valuables.  In this camp was the second young Indian whom he had befriended.  This Ute at once took him in charge, restored his property to him, and after giving him food and building a big fire for him to dry his clothing at, guided him to the Jordan river.