The weekly Arizona miner., 1871-05-06
The ' 9iner.
CRITICISM OF COL. sT0NEMAN'S s
 REPORT.
From the Tucson Ci,iren, Apnl l5.l
Pas,corT, Arizons, February 3, 1861


 have been received here by last mail, ad- dressed to the citizens of Prescott asking for information, sustained by affidavits, concern ing recent Indian murders and dcprcdations, to embody in the report of the committee, s, an o:F,e. to the statement of the military commander, of the Department of Arizona, in his late report. Doubtless the desired af- hdavits will be made, and if time permitted, testimony taken from the witnesses and sur vivors of the depredations and murders com mitted in this county alone during the last year, the record would be appalling. Since the organization of the Territory, in 1863; no sct of aEy military officer has so unnerved the hearts of the brave settlers of Arizona, ss this same report of Col. George Stoneman.
 From Spring to Fall, from Winter to Sum mer, they have been hoping that in a few months, in little while, before long, their prayers aud petitions to government would be answered, that a real war against the cur sed Apaches would at last be inaugurated, that sufficient troops would be sent hither to carry on persistent, continuous, effective. offensive operations, until the wretches would sue for peace which should be permanent. To this end we have besought permission Co enlist native troops, to have more cavalry sent here, to have some truly energetic ac. ton on our behalf; that the practice of feed ing the savages at different posts, when there was no doubt that their course was to feed at government expense in one section of coun- try and travel thence to another and commit frightful barbarities, returning red with the blood of their victims to draw their rations and lie around the feeding spot until rested and recruited for another raid might be dis continued till the sayages were put on reser. n and rial Legislatures have petitioned for relief, and among our other prayers, we have asked for separate Apartment. We'll, we've go; it, and here we are like the frogs .Esop told of, who wanted a aking-worse of apparently than before. Colonel s. came here and es. tablished Headquarters, in tents, last summer. took ride through the Territory, visiting all the posts, and returning in October, and leaving the Territory for California. he makes report to his superiors in office, and in that document makes some statements that are astounding and sickening to Arizonans He recommends the reduction of the number of posts in the Department from eighteen to eight, and the discharge of civil employees, as that will increase the efficiency of the com msnd and aid in reducing the expenses of the Department, and thinks that the only detri- ment to the people will be that they cannot cell their grain, hay, etc. at exorbitant prices to government at the abandoned posts He complains of the cost of Fort Whipple, to government, refers to the rigid economy which has been practised under his command, to the reduction in quantity of forage pur- chased, and of fuel and lime also to the ex- orbitant prices charged by contractors for those articles, and to the miserable quality of quarternasters' stores sent to this Terri .s uf gard to the policy of reducing the number of posts. It is very probable that Col. Stone man may have plan to carry out, which may prove beneficial in the end for the greatest good of the greatest number, and that con centration of his forces at eight posts will give him more men for active duty than il the eighteen were kept up; but the abandon ment of any post in the Indian country nee essarily must cause the settlers in that yicin- ity to leave and abandon their homes and i'm provements, not entirely for the reason thai they can no longer self their products to gov. ernment at those posts, but because the Indi ans follow close in the footsteps of the sol diers, whom they believe to be retreatinc when an outpost is abandoned, and despoi the settlers, who remain, of their hocks anC herds, pick them of one by one, and finally again occupy the land alone This fact Ii too we'll known to need any argument. Tn, Colonels determination to economize. is com mendable, but some men of good judgment question the eIpediency of turning animal, out to graze under a strong guard of the sol diers whom they hoped and believed wer, sent here to kill Apaches.
 The quality Of quartermasters' stores | doubtless in many cases bad, and the aueru lous tone of the Coloners report seems to u e, tE.... 1fa he ..-
 is there no remedy7 Cannot dishones, swindling contractors, in San Francisco an, elsewhere, who furnish such stuff for Arizon quartermastsrs, be punished? Is it possibl that men SO base exist that they gather bui fslo hair on the plains to make blankets fo troops in Arizona, for the purpose of render ing military operations here futilei Tha snch state of things is found to exist, show that investigation is demanded outside tn Department, which it is hoped may be speed fly made, and ell will rejoice that the Coione has examined into the Commissary and Guar tsrnsster branches of the service, and hop that all needed amendments may follow.
 But, when the Colonel apologies for men tioniag the cause which brought him here which keeps U. S. troops here, which make the producers of the country ask such higl prices for forage, fuel and beef, he causes eacI man, woman and child in Arizona to shudde with distrust of him and his intentions Hear him:
 The all.absorblng topic in Arizona, the irre pressible Indian, Is approached with no little re Iuctanee, fearing that the authorities at headauaI ters In San Francisco, as we'll as Washington, ma have already become surfeited and wearled wit It's consideration.
 sit possible2 When within the memor ef man, did any man before him, in high mil itAsy authority. dpOtogie to his superiors fo