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white river poems 323
they being unwilling to do it themselves?
He talked with the chiefs for some time
and fi nally said they had no right
to consent to white men going in there.
-- While speaking on the subject of work
he said that Indians would not work
but squaws would work a little; Indians
themselves, though, should not work at all.
-- Q. Are relations between the whites and Utes
open and friendly on the whole?
-- A. I don't think the people of the State
like an Indian. -- Q. Are they afraid
of them? -- A. I think the great mass of people
have a sort of chill run over them
when they encounter Indians. They are
a dangerous-looking people, in their style
of dress and their demeanor; also,
the fact that they do not talk much
makes white people afraid of an Indian.
I confess that has always been my feeling.
The people in sparsely settled places,
except the oldest settlers, always
are fearful when Indians come around.
Observations by Mr. William N. Byers, Newspaper editor,
Postmaster of City of Denver, and
owner of ranch lands near
the White River Reservation
Washington, Feb. 5, 1880