Arizona citizen., 1873-12-13
THE CHIRICAHUA RESERVE.
Its Extent, Uses and Misuses.

abolished entirely or reduced very much
 in size. The public demand therefor will
 be irresistibly strong The reasons at this time are about equally strong for its
 reduction because of the wants of stock growers and miners as to circumscribe the limits within which thieves and mur
 derers are secure from capture and pun ishment as well as fed at the peoples ex- pense. Gen. Howard will not contradict the assertion that said reserve was set apart for what are known as the Cachise Apaches, and Agent Jetfords has admitted again and again that hundreds of Apaches for whose acts neither himself nor Ca chise acknowledge responsibility, are con- stantly upon it, and many coming to and going from it at will. Thus, bad as How ards job was, it has been practically much, worse than he intended it to be. He meant it for the use of one band of Apaches, and nearly all others have used and misused it at their pleasure. When Apaches are traced from the scene of their murders and thefts in Sonora to this reserve, all partisans of its origin and management declare the criminals were not of Cachlse's nice boys but from San Carlos, White Mountains, Tulerosa, or some other place. Admit their statements to be true-which we do not in all cases the practical operations of the reserve are equally as damaging to the public as THE CITIZEN ever represented, and infamous enough to justly damn all responsible therefor
 For very many reasons, that reserve was made far too large, the principal of which is, in high and honorable public sense, that it was done in obedience to an unpunished and unrepent- | ant thieving and murdering savage's de- mands, by the Agent of a powerful nation which boasts of its practice of admins tering exact justice alike to bad and good, | poor and 1ich, black and white. In per hitting Cachise to dictate his own terms 1 in so important matter to the public at large, General Howard consented to dis | honor upon the nation which that very act l proved him unworthy to represent, and actually perverted an essential element of the Presidents excellent peace policy.
 Again: According to the highest es- inmates ever made, to our knowledge, the | Cachise Apaches-men, women and chil- dren-do not exceed 1000 in number. To set apart reserve of near seventy miles | square for so few, is palpablc misuse Of the country. Even if it were agricul- | tural and the Apaches would turn farmers, the size would be much too great; but it is nearly all grazing, timber and mineral, none of which is needed by a people fed and supported at the nations expense, and all of which is wanted by stock grow CTS and miners. It embraces more yalu- able stock ranges and springs in con- venient conjunction than any other similar area of land in Arizona, and is blessed | with a climate unexcelled in the worldfor stock growing. It covers two ranges of and two broad valleys. If all the Indians who frequent it were well-be- naved, it is much larger than they have req sonable use for; and for Cachise's band alone, it is ten times larger than it ought to be.
 Towards agreement with Cachise be- ing against all common sense, against sound public policy, against cardinal clement of President c rants peace policy, against the permanent welfare of the Apa- ,hes on and off that vast tract, it will be highly honorable to the nation and pro- motive of the common welfare to prompt " abolish or reduce that reserve and re- organize the management of the Indians on it; and, ct the same time, provide for all just wants of the Apaches affected thereby. However vigilant and person llly active, no agent can know the conduct of few or many Indians scattered over that large reserve.
 The more the formation of, and man. lgement of the Indians upon, the Chiri- cahua reservation are considered, the more absurdlY wicked and unWise does the whole business appear.
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 THE miners and others interested in the
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