Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1870-11-12
THE MILITARY IN ARIZONA.

deemed it our duty, to speak kindly
and positively Of the good work done
by the military of Arizona within the
last year, in our correspondence with
leading journals in New York and
California. Now that we have one
of our own, we cheerfully in it bear
like testimony. In saying this, We do
not pretend that all has been accom-
plished that might have been, bu5 we
beg to assure harsher critics that Few
men in public or private life do all the
good work they might perform an / be
none the worse for it. We offer no
encouragement to idleness, and have
no kind words for uniform ineficiency.
We have criticised with caustic and
unsparing severity triding military
operations against the Indians, and
may do SO again-undoubtedly will if
Just occasion offers unaccompanied
with just extenuating circumstances.
A majority of the commands in Ar
izona have accomplished in six months
something in the way of killing In
dams. We believe within one year
they have slain fully two hundred;
and made many hard, earnest and
thorough though unsuccessful scouts
OF hundreds Of miles over rough and
to them uIexpIored trails. They have
built very many miles Of good road,
where gre sly needed ov the general
public, AID have done a large amount
OF escort duty for trains and mail
coaches. Thsy have been obliged to
enlarga and improve *d IT own Quar-
ters at Oh pests, and e3tai lisa new
ones i'll almost inaco-si ioIe regions. II
th9y have not wholly, taey have to
gratifying extent, r-lae,d Nh ly TWO
Thousand Coyofs"o Apaenos 10 sta7s
of peace, and are leadlns them in'o
ha bits Of industry, aul nave rec i
peaceful overtu~cs fom the Apache
Moiavcs, and likewise tds iutlI IS,
numbering and to-tu'ing band of Ca
chise, It must also De d. ne il mind
that several of the posts have for
months had barely troops enough to
guard the government property.
It IS all easy thing TO kill indians
after they are found, and many laoo-
rious and extended hunts have been
made without even seeing one. In all
such cases the troops are entitled to as
much credit as if they had found and
killed Indians, as their labors are
more tedious and exhaustinS.
While we admit that more might
have been effected, we ask remorseless
critics, have we not fairly if not
elaoorately stated the case? And we
may ask wherein they, if in command,
would have improved upon the amount
md character of the work, all circum-
stances considered ? It is one and an
Easy task to stand of, after a year
passes, and say that this and that
might have been done here and there
hat were not; but to have been an ac-
i've participant and ccnsunmated
more and better results, is vastly diff
ierent job.
We do not hold that because a man
S in the military service, he is entitled
o any milder criticism than one in
he civil service. Both are public
paid from the common fund,
md officially created by the same
power. In the civil and military SER
vice, there are always some worthless
'ffcers, and always will be, but this Z
act does not justify wholesale de-
of either. Let criticism be
ounded justly and administered as Sc
7erely Or favorably as justice de- :
nands.