Arizona citizen., 1874-03-28

tOrlety:
 PRESCOTT, January 9, 1874.
 To the Honorable Commissioner of Ind ian Affairs, Washington, D. C.-Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report or the Rio Verde Indian ReServa- tion, from which l have just returned.
 From a total of over nineteen hundred Indians there in July last, but eight hun dreu ana eighty remain; the remainder have died or fled to the mountains, pre- ferrlng, many of them, death by warfare to falling by disease.
 The Apache HumaS, who were removed rom the Colorado river reservation last summer, have suffered greatly, and beg ged 10 be allowed to return there: their number has been reduced from six hum dred and forty to two hundred and ninety two since going there, by sickness, and de- SeftlOn in consequence.
 The Apache-Mojaves numbered 5OS. now 366; the IontoS from 9l0 to 222. There was no complaint of their food or treatment by those who went out, and no depreda- tohs or murders committed by them since gong. The troops have followed and killed many Of them, two scouting pafUeS Delng now in the field, none of the deserters have returned, and will not, to mat reservation. would recommend, in view of It's unttness for a reservation and It's condition, that the Apache-YumaS and Apache-MojaveS be removed to the Colo raoo rlVer reservation, where health, ara- pie land and more suitable climate can be secured them
 The Iontos should be sent to the White Mountain reservation. where an abund- ance of land, still UnOccupied, remains. General Crook objects to the removal of the first named, lest they should think they had gained the point sought by going oIl tue C9Iofado reservation, in opposition to hlS orders last June. deem them suffi- clently punished, and would insure their good behavior at the Colorado. A matter Of opinion should not interfere with what Is due to humanity.
 He says the TontOs do not agree with the Nnlte Mountain Indians, and objects to thelr removal on that account: this plea dlu not avail the Apache-YumaS last year. the enmity of the Tontos being their great opjectIon to going on the Verde, but no connlct occurred, although they mingled every ration day.
 Since the enlargement of the Colorado river reservation, there is ample room for all these Indians, and facilities to plant. which can at once yield them partial sup port and employment; besides. the cost of flour is but little more than half what if is at the Rio Verde, and other supplies very much less.
 It is very desirable that decision should pc arrived at as soon as possible; if thought pest to Keep the Indians there, means should at once be given the agent to con Struct an irrigating ditch and erect build lngS for the agency; but the expenditure of SeVenty-hve thousand dollars on these i'm pToNementS would hardly be warranted under existing circumstances, as another summer there will, l think, cause the deaIn or assertion Of the Indians now there.
 l am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
 J. A. ToNNoR, Special Commissioner.
 Well, after all it is not such terrible letter, considering that a Special Agent made it. Without making any special ap- plicatiOn of the remark to Dr. TOnnor, we repeat that as a rule a Special Agent is a nuisance. He always feels that he must find something wrong in his fnvestiga- tiOns, and so strong does the feeling be- come in him, that however much worthy of cOmmendation he may discover. he specially suppresseS all of it and makes prominent and often eXaggerates and even mtsstates evils which the officer directly responsible, is doing his utmost to inn prove or wholly remove. Doctor Tonnor seems to have maintained the reputation Of Special Agents, in that he at least did not commend anything. But as despisa- ole as the average of special Agents are, we will treat this one with fairness. We here give his letter entire. as it appeared in the Washington correspondence of The Alta.
 We are informed that he was directed to confer with Gen. Crook before making his report and also that he did so, and while he states a point or two of the Generals position, we are advised that he omitted the more important ones and, as any one can see by his letter, places himself away up iii the pOmpouS position of humane reformer, and says " a matter of opinion should not interfere with what is due to humanity" Here the demagogue and in sincere man appear. The Indian busi- ness is a practical and not sentimental one-and suspicious people think that the good Doctor discusses it from a prac- tical standpoint. It makes no earthly difference to us where the Apaches are kept or who profits by their keeping. It is our candid opinion that if the Verde Apa- ches were on the Colorado reserve, more of our friends and surely of our pat rons, would be benefited. We make this statement in advance that the many ut terly selfish and dishonest hangers on around reserves and toadies to those who have patronage to dispense, may not even temporarily make the point that we are prejudiced in favor of Gen. Crook or those at Verde. As before stated in THE CITI- zEN,i we owe Gen. Crook nothing and the average military man is rarely so happy