New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-21
TVDTIN EXTERlfTV67TOy

THE Indian policy Of the Administration i,
that Of civilization. Latterly, despite the IN
promising character Of tie material to DO
nodded into peaceful and industrious commu.
mites, there has grown up a strong hope that
he lorg-studiCd Indian problem Is TO be solved
by treating these wild creatures as human be.
ings, teaching them the arts OF peace, and
winning them to habits of Thrift. The results
of some Of the experiments Of the Govern
mcnt have given US reason to believe that,
after all, the AbOrigines, or what remains
Of them, may be ass;milatcd into the self
supporting population of the cOERtry; so hat
the end may not be determination, but abb
sOrption. We believe that Gen. Parker,
whose retirement from the Indian Bureau was
lately announced, il 10 lie credited with tho
sounGest and most practical view Of this whole
question ever entertained by any public officer
who has had aught to do with Indian affairs;
and the present Administration viii always DO
remembered as one that has done much TO
prove that the Red Man, bad, stiitless, and
disreputable as he is, has yet some spark Of
humanity, and is fit for something bctt0T than
bloody determination.
Not So however, thinks and believes tho
average frontier settler. He considers the
Indians unmitigated nuisances, binderances,
vermin, whose lives are unnecessary and
whose end is to be slaughtered. Officers OF
the Govcinment-ciyil and mili.aryrw5O have
passed much time among tie Indians and
have made them a study, are convinced it is
possible that they may DO measuTbly re-
claimed from their cruel, vagabond ways,
and they have thus been won over TO tac later
humane policy Of the Government.
In Arizona, where the me3utst, Widest. and
most intractable InGians--.he Arschc3--st.l
rove, a fcw were collected Oh rCSeTya-
ton at Camp Grant, not far from Tucson
From the Official report OF Lieut. Whitman.
commanding the post, we learn that the num-
Der of Indians there assembled had increased
to five hundred and tea, with constant lcces-
sions. These people, men, women, and chill
dren, were engaged in gathering hay ioT tho
Government, and their food was supplied in
army ratiOns, supplemented by such simple
haTvests as were gameycd by tie women and
children in the neighboring hills The expert
ment of bringing together Indians in q smaa
community, and gradually teaching them to
subsist peacefully, was a success at Camp
Grant. But we all know how the bloody end
came. The settlers at Tucson, rcmy arns
that Apachcs had killed whi,e mon, made a
descent upon the defcaSelcas creatures, and
cruelty butchorcd the women and children,
the men having escaped at tho first warning.
This was the protest of white Arizona against
the humone policy Of ciyilizins Indiays These
settlers insist that the Ap2chcs shall DO ex' |
terminated; and when an attcmp, Is made to 1
teach taom TO be peaceful, they break up the
slowly-succcedng scheme by murder. II WI
not do, they argue, for ladan wars 70 cease
if there are TO Indian wars, there viii be no
troops to feed and no military contracts to M
The United States P.ymaster furnishes the
basis for prosperity for a greater proportion
of the white people. To see the means
peace, bringing in hay at low pri'-s-t.Iis
bitterness TO the soul of he White ArzonhlH'
who chooses that there shall be small arm!
kent in the Territory, and that he -l'l nave
no aboriginal competitor in supplying Us quar-
tesmastar. 1t is likely that the same oy5'aa'
TO Indian civilization exist IN NeW-feAlc"
where Gov. Pie has just stopped cau.e,sS
raid by white men upon tie indians OF 'aa
Territory. It is pitifUl, but it is true, 'hN uL
chief obstacle today TO thc humane goN@
gradually winning The Indian hom iHpEo'r
dent yllucss Is the selfish meanAe'' oL Wv
White Nan.