Arizona citizen., 1874-08-29
MCCORMICK IN CONGRESS.
Extracts from his Remarks On the Army Reduction Bill and the Re- sources Of Arizona.

On InurSCay, January 29, ISI4, the Dlll for the reduction of the army being under consideration in the House, Hon. R. c. Me COrmick made these among other re- marks:
 had not intended in this connection to submit any remarks on the proposed re- ductiOn Of the army, bu gentlemen who have served with me in this House will testify to the fact that have always insist ed that great part of our difficulty with the Indians has arisen because of our inadequate military force. Gentlemen protest here from year to year against in- creaSlng the expenditures in the Indian Department; but we never should have been called upon for such increased eX- penditures or had an accumulation of ills such as we have had upon the frontier, if the army had been kept at 0 proper strength, or placed so as 10 furnish any thing like adequate protection to the peO- pie, and to meet properly the advances of hostile Indians. The trouble has been that for years our army on the frontier has been compelled generally to cOnfine itself to mere defensive movements, and such movements are of scarcely any value in Indian warfare.
 Mir. Coburn. Does the gentleman char acterlZe the conduct of General Crook as being in that style?
 MT. Mccormick. No, sir; do not char acteriZe General Crooks conduct as being in that style; but l undertake to say that what General Crook has done should have been done years ago.
 MT. Coburn. Does not the gentleman consider that what General Crook has done has been done well?
 MT. Mccormick. What has been done by General Crook has been we'll done, as have said repeatedly on this floor: but al- though General Crook has succeeded in putting many of the wild ApacheS upon reservations throughout Arizona and New Mexico, it is believed that these wild Apa- ches will not stay there unless he is allow ed to retain all the force he has at this time. No longer ago than last evening the Commissioner of Indian Affairs told me that the presence of the troops to watch the Indians upon the reservations was part of the Presidents peace policy.
 Now, sir, word about the statements of General Sherman lately made before the Mllitery committee. Those who know General sherman know he has preju- dice against the great southwestern region which come to us under the treaty Of Qua dalupe Hidalgo and under the Gadsden treaty; that he is one of those gentlemen who are content to say, without careful and thorough examination of the land To any extent, that 1t is totally worthless. l say, after ten years of familiarity with that tract, after ten years of examination of its various resources, 1 believe 1t IS one Of the richest mineral districts belonging to the general government, country well worth protecting, and which to-day would be returning millions of dollars to the Treasury of the United states if 1t had adequate protection for its miners and settlers, so they could prosecute their in duStrleS without interruption on the part of hostile SaVageS,
 The country is not worthless. IL is desti- ute of water in some sections, but the grasses are abundant and nutritious; and in Arizona We have one river, with five SteambOatS running On 1t at the present time-i speak of the great Colorado river the line between Arizona and California. Gentlemen are too apt to take it for granted that these remote Territories utterly bar ren, and it is too much the custom to uL- derrate their population and capabilities, as is the practice with my friend General Sherman, who has never been ill Arizona. Eastern people are too apt to think the stories as to their desolate character, are true. pronounce many of these stories false, utterly and co m p1eteIy false; and 1 know that gentlemen who have familiarized themselves with the frontier will agree with me.
 Why, have heard it said that there was not stick of timber in Arizona, when ill fact the mountain ranges abound in tim Der, and in Central and Northern Arizona some of the chief towns are built entirely of wood. And even lately have heard It insisted that grain could not be raised ih the Territory, when it is most successfully grown in a score or more of valleys, and in 1873 nine steam and water mills were employed in making flour, which is now furnished at prices nearly as low as those of California.
 . In the name of nearly half a million men who live upon the frontier, protest against the acceptance year after year of statements from those who are not quail fled to speak on subjects relating to the frontier, and against the absolute indif- ference to the men who come from there and who have right to speak. The peo- pie of the Territories may be few in num- Der as compared with the population throughout the length and breadth of the United States, but they are American citi- zens worthy Of your confidence, worthy of your symphathy, worthy of your support. They are entitled to as much of your pro- lection as though they lived in the city of New York, or the city of Boston, or the city of Philadelphia. It is no argument to say they are few in numbers and have gone far out upon the frontier; no argu- ment at all.
 It is, think, a most humiliatIng thing to admit on the floor of the House of Rep resentatives, that the American people forty millions of peOple-are not sufficient ly strong and have no sufficient means to protect the men who go upon their own frontiers. IL remains for our government to be the only government in the world to admit openly in the halls OflegiSlatiOn that it has not force enough it has not strength enough, it has not money enough, to pro- tect it's own citizens wherever they choose to carry it's own flag upon it's own soil, and that it cannot afford to maintain work ing army.
 Mr. Crittenden. Before the gentleman takes his seat I wish to ask Whetheg tbe rrptpptiOn uiNpO n IlinnpprS in AriHOnDf fE