Arizona citizen., 1875-06-26
CAMP APACHE AFFAIRS.
Agent Clum and Others in AmfhOr-
 ity.

1ty.
 May l. correspondence about Camp
 Apache affairs appeared in THE CITIZEN
 That matter appeared because it related to
 important public interests and was be. lieved then as now To be true in all essen- tial particulars. We have no personal or pecuniary motive in publishing anything relating to the Indian business at Camp Apache or other localities, but we very much doubt if the author of the letter which recently appeared in The Miner, The Alta, and The Sunday Herald Wash ington,) and likely in other journals that would print it, can truthfuIly say as much. But let that go, for the letter is weak and carries evidence on its face Of insincerity in the writer and i'll will towards Agent Cum. Its mere statements are trifling and mainly unworthy of notice, and would not be noticed but for the spirit dis played towards MT. Cum; and even this phase of the case, if entirely new, would not receive any attention at our hands. This hostility to Agent Cum began long before he arrived in Arizona. Gen. Crook, as early as March, 1874, about three months before Agent Clum's arrival in Arizona or entrance upon his duties, held that conspiracy was cooked up in Wash ington to break him Crook down, and that the appointment of this man Cum |" as Special Agent at San Carlos is part of "the same job" Accordingly we were appealed to, to move on MT. Clum's works in advance of any test Of his worth as man or agent. We were expected 10 treat dent as part of "job" and part of a con- spiracy against Gen. Crook, instead of the performance of lawful act by the Presi- dent of the United States. We decided to treat Mir. Cum as we had Gen. Stoneman, Gen. Crook, Agent Roberts, and without exception (save Vincent Colyer) all other officers who came to Arizona, viz: As gentlemen and officers intent upon dis charging their duties well and effectuany. Alter trial and proved worthlessness or fail ures or enemies to the Territory's welfare, our course would be changed. When we found Agent Roberts to he an official bilk and fraud, and some evidence of these facts that unprejudiced people would be- lieye, we gave it publicity with view to his prompt dismissal and with no refer ence to his successor. Believing Gen. Crook would readily lend helping hand in having an officer of acknowledged un- fitness removed, we invited him to join in. His reply expressed gladnesS that we had exposed Roberts, but, says he. "The fact Ia I xrh ho hi head or no;" regarding him as a weak man, and one that might "be bullied into doing what is right"-of course right from the Generals standpoint. But should a firm man and officer like Mir. Cum be placed in charge, the bullying policy would have to be modified or per haps totally abandoned. And to this end has It come. This is and has been the rub with MT. Cum both before and since his entrance upon his official duties at San Carlos and White Mountain. The Miner, Alta and Sunday Herald have been imposed upon. When Agent Cum Is discovered untrue to his duties or una ble to fulfill them, THE CITIZEN will join | others to break him down or proceed | alone.
 We here state In all sincerity that we regret the necessity for the above state | ments. They have been long withheld in the earnest hope that the good civil off aers would be permitted to perform their sworn duties without unnecessary embar- rassment from another branch Of govern ment which we have encouraged and sus- tained with zeal, fidelity, and we hope to some good purpose, and shall continue to tO so under all worthy circumstances Rut civil officials, including Indian agents, who are doing everything in their power .o properly execute their duties, will not De seriously interfered with without oppo- 'itiOn to those who so interfere.