Arizona citizen., 1875-07-31
THE CITIZEN.
CRITICISM, ETC.

mas ellclteu many klnu TGllldIhS ny nearly all our exchanges, for which we are properly grateful, but will not pub fish any. So far as seen, none but The Miner has coupled with compliments any remarks that can be construed into disapprobation of any feature of THE CITIZENS course, and we are rather pleased that it did so, for it leads us to throw out few hints worth thinking about. It says:
 Suppose, however, that the paper should take a step in the wrong direc- tion, as all things fallible are liable to do, would it keep on going wrong, or step back and start in right again? As for instance, would it not be just as well to let Gen. Crook rest since he has given us peace and gone from among us.
 Whenever we are convinced the pa per has taken a wrong step, it will not '' keep on going wrOng;" but its pro prietors, like those of all other papers, will be the judges of when and where in it is wrohg The Miner is further informed that no paper in Arizona has ever been more free to expose and de- nounce wrong, right in opposition to the Department of Government which at any time could have punished its editor, than THE CITIZEN. That paper is also advised that this paper spoke encouragingly in behalf of Gen. Crook, without any selfish design, and when it was very unpopular in Arizona to do so, and when The Miner was giving expression to the popular distrust of him. No local paper did as much in the Generals behalf as THE CITIZEN, and no man labored more zealously for his success and overlooked his errors with more care, than the editor of THE CITIZEN in his private and public ca pacity. The General many times erred as to men and sometimes as to meas ures. AS a whipper of Indians, he has no equal in the United States army. We stated this before he came here and he verified our statements. But he was never content to let the civil manage ment of Indians on reservations be conducted by the agents of the Interior Department who under the law were and are entitled to their exclusive man agement. This was exemplifed at Beale Springs and the Colorado re- serve; also at Verde, Apache and San Carlos He was perfectly willing to work with the agents, if the agents would yield to him and his subordin- ates. This policy is continued at Camp Apache, or has been up till lately, and If persisted in IS very likely so result in breaking the leGGe the General did so much t0 5r1llll '.IS 160uU; ar1Q Nc are very glad to hear that Gen. Kautz dis approves of usurping the functions of the Interior Department, as we know Gen. Sheridan and President Grant did in 1874. The Interior Department is charged by law with the full care and management of Indians on reserva- tions, and military interference there with IS wrong in law and courtesy, and tends to keep the Indian unsettled as to who he should obey, and hence lia- ble to precipitate outbreaks and undo the work the military have done so well. As before stated, Gen. Crook determin- ed to break Agent Cum down in ad- vance of any knowledge of his fitness or line of policy. That determination has been continued at Apache, and there and at San Carlos are the major ity of reservation Indians, who at war again, would make a pandemoni- um in Arizona. For the present, we will not argue about whether men with military or civil commissions are the more fit to manage Indians at peace, for the law decides who shall do it. At present it would be just as proper for an Indian agent to give passes or leaves of absence to soldiers at mill tary post, or dictate to the command ing officer how he should control and feed his men, as that a military officer should do similar things with Indians and agents in lawful control of them. It IS too plain that such policy is bad in its effects to say nothing of its file gal character, and if persisted in must endanger the peace of Arizona. This policy of interference is peculiarly that Of Gen. Crook. But for its con- tinuance with reference to the same Agent the General especially wanted opposed from the time of his appoint ment, we would not have referred to him as we did. The occasion justified it, for the very peace the General was mainly instrumental in giving Arizona, was in danger of being broken by a policy of his own. We made no refer ence to but one case, and that because it was a live one, one in which the highest interest of our Territory is in volved. The people generally will comprehend this fact.
 Now, as to letting Gen. Crook rest,