Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-04-15
SAN CARLOS AND TIE INDIANS.

The San Carlos Indian reservation
 embraces an area of territory larger than
 many of the New England States. It is
 in no sense an agricultural country, but
 there are a number of rapid flowing
 streams skirted with narrow valleys of
 rich bottom land, enough to furnish
 garden spots where vegetables could be
 raised ID sufficient quantity to supply
 stock ranches. The territory embraced
 within the limits of the reservation con-
 tains many gold and silver lndes, and a
 vast amount Of most excellent grazing
 land, but it is not a fit place for the
 Apache Indians, for many reasons. It
 is impossible for the army to keep the
 Indians upon the reservation, or con
 trol them when they are there. The central northern portion is cut by deep
 canyons and impossible gulches which
 render it difficult for even small detachments of soldiers to traverse the country without the aid of experienced
 native guides. Proceed to an elevated piece of ground sr.9east Sc1r eye over the country and 1t has the appearance of smooth tab.e land, but advance in any direction, and you wIll suddenly come upon an immense gorge or a clean
 cut canyon from 100 to 1000 feet in depth. White men who were uu- acquainted with the country have at tempted to pass across the reservation,
 but became hemmed in and entangled among the canyons and deep gOrges where they have spent days and weeks in trying to find their way out, and It B believed not few were lost or perished in despair It is net fit place for the ApEches, because they are a lazy, shift less set of vagabonds, who will not work, and can never be mad. to do g., unless they are placed upon productive land, with overseers to show them when and how to plant, and encourage them to labor, which eau never be done or tie San Carlos reservation, where the little farms would necessarily have to he miles apart. Indians love n wild life, hut they have nO desire to be lar away from the main band. 1t is alsC surrounded by mountains and valleys with remote white settlements winch are liable to be attacked and murdered at any time, their stock driven away, and their houses aud property destroyed, without the slightest chance of aid or help from their neighbors or from the army. With the best civilizinG influences brought to bear upon the Apaches, they can not be made to earn thei- daily bread for years to come, and can never be made to do it on the San Carlos res ervation. Therefore, the government will, for years, be compelled to feed thenD and 1t costs two dollars to feed them in Arizona, where 1t would cost but one in the Indian Territory, or some other suit able place. As a matter of economy, we claim that the government sould remove them. if no other reason existed. We claim that, in justice to the hardy pio- neers of ArIZJna, many of whom have settled upon government land and have title to the same, the Apaches should be removed from the reservation, that our people-citizens of the United States, and as such have rights-may be protected that they may enjoy the fruits of their labor. As we have repeatedly stated in these columns, We can expect DO lasting peace and no protection sc long as the reservation, as such, exists. We believe that it is the duty of every Arizonan to come forward and labor l for the remova! of tEe Apaches from this time on. If the people will do | this and represent the case in its true light before the next Congress they can not in justice deny our request.