Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1871-01-14

| should be exercised over them to the
| end that they plant, cultivate and
) harvest their crops in due season, and
, to prevent the evil disposed from join
ing marauding bands to the great
injury of our people and the well dis
posed of their own tribe.
They do not base their desire for
} peace upon the condition that it is
wrong to murder a white mau or wo-
man or steal property. have had
frequent conversations with leading
men of the Apache tribe, and never
heard one profess a desire for peace
upon any other consideration than that
OF self-interest. Now, let the fact be
once established in their minds that in
a state Of peace they will be better fed
and clad than in state of war, sell
fshness alone will do much towards
securing and continuing friendly rela-
tons. Let this policy be adopted, and
they will be rapidly drawn towards
civilized life, while if occupying large
reservations and owning the lands in
common, generations may pass away
and they will still remain the same
wild Indians. On the other hand if
weeks, months, and perhaps years
elapse after they surrender before the
Indian Department comes near or Of
fers helping hand, and they are per-
mitted to roam at will, quite invaria-
bly, and certainly they will fall back
into their old habits, and under semi
guise Of friendship, become more dam
aging to settlers than when in avow-
ed hostility.
The Pima and Maricopa Indians,
occupying reservation on the ella
River, have been considered the faith
full allies of the whites, but for con-
siderable period in the past, much
complaint has been made by settlers
living adjacent, and by people driving
stock through their reserve, OF overt
acts on the part of the young men Of
the tribe. 1t is alleged that they
have frequently stolen property and
destroyed or appropriated to their use
fields Of grain, and have often been
impudent and overbearing.
Another source of uneasiness to
settlers adjoining the reservation has
arisen in consequence OF the lines OF
the old reservation having been ex-
tended, by survey under authority of
the government, so as to include many
valuable farms belonging to the set
lers who made their locations in good
faith outside of the reservation, many
Of which have been, at great expense,
brought under cultivation. 1t has
been stated that the recent extension of
the survey was In consequence Of the
land having formerly been granted to
them by the Mexican or Spanish gov
This would be good rea-
son if it were true, but have taken
careful steps to ascertain the facts In
the case, and am unable to find that
such grant was ever made; therefore,
the only matter to be determined is
simply the justice Of the question, and
in it, determination the rights OF the
citizens ought not to be ignored.
In view of the fact that the Pimas
occupy one of the most favored loca-
tons for agriculture in the Territory,
md have within their old reservation
many thousands of acres more than
they now or ever will cultivate; and
N the further consideration that this
deprives many honest, in
1uSfrious citizens of their homes and
Ill they have, and throws just SO
much more land open to uncultivation,
5he extension seems to me manifestly
unjust and unwise. As Congress has
20 leglslate upon the subject before
mis- extension can be finally establish
ID, it will be your duty to take such
action Ill the premises as you deem s
advisable to prevent if possible the !
of an act OF greati niu- {
y to the best interests of the Territory. !
SCHOOLS.
Next in Importance to the Indian
question, none will claim your atten- ,
ion over that Of devising some plan t
or the education Of the youth of our ,,
Territory. The recent census returns ,
how a population of children under the
lge of twenty-one and over six years, {
# 1923, and the notifying fact has {
o be admitted that we have not
public school in the Territory. There