Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-10-27
OUR PzAcEABLE INDIANS.

] ~ VI AS NeAe6 tue nHNlOn no LFDnNle,
 that reap the rich allowances from the
 Indian Department. There is more
 money paid out in salaries to the keep
 CTS of the Apaches on the San Carlos
 agency annually than has been paid
 whole tribes Of peaceable Indians in
 Arizona since the Territory came into
 the possession Of the United States, to
 say nothing of the enormous annuities
 Tn provisions, clothing, agricultural im- plements, mich COWS and various other
 articles distributed among the Apaches,
 many of which are unnecessary and use-
 less The Humas, Naricopas, pimss and
 the Papagos receive little or nothing
 from the government, yet they are much
 more numerous than the Apache The CITIZEN does not advocate the cause of
 'ese peaceable Indians for the purpose
 securing annuities for them. But it thelp but see the injustice of treat
 ing murderous cutthroats with the ut-
 most generosity, while the peaceable
 and good Indians receive no aid from
 the government. The Yumas, Maricopas
 and Pimas have reservations Of
 good, productive lands along the Gila river, where by very httle
 aid and instruction in agriculture
 and stock raising, they could be made self supporting. But the situation Of ! the Papagos is not SO encouraging. | They have a small reservation of pro- ! ductiye land at San Xavier, that nay be somewhat increased, by clearing of the l timber and developing more water and
 by cutting irrigating ditchessouth of l
 the mission, and leading water tO the !. surface. But small portion of these | ! Papago Indians reside permanently ou l ] the reservation; they are scattered over l the southwestern portion Of this county l
 for loo miles and into Sonora, Mexico. |
 But in all this region Of country, there | IS no land suitable for agriculture. The
 grazing is good, but there is little water
 for stock purposes: yet by digging there
 is plenty of water to be had. But tle
 Indians have no tools with which to
 sink wells, nor they do understand hoE
 to use them if they had them.
 Now 1t would be very gracious act on the part of the Indian Department
 if it would asslst the Indians above
 named a little, while it is helping the
 Apaches so much. 4 good
 practical farmer should be ap-
 pointed for the Papacos, to instruct them for at least two wears in agriculture, and show them how Go bring water out and utilize it iu lrriGat- ing the lit5le land that may Jo used for agriculture on the reservation. Some thing should also be done towards bet teriug the condition of those who are trying Co live on the fruit oF sabuaro= and the few stock they raise iu the southwestern portion os the county. They should all be brought in to the or other lands should be assigned to them, upon which they could settle. This done, the Governmeu; should put them in the way of making their own living, which they are willing Co do There are no less than eight or ten Papago IndIan villages in the south western portion of this county, with [ populations ranging from 90 to IjO each who are doing their best Co live from wild fruit, and the few head of cattle and horses they produce, but how they , to keep body and soul together , IS a mystery to every one who has been , among them. During ordinarily rainy ' seasons, they raise small patches of corn , 0n the plain, which furnishes them with ( l good living for one or two months; C but during the past season, owing to | limited rain fall they were unable Co ! raise any corn. The government should ? come to their assistance and do some 6 'upy to the southwest, at least S20,000 .hould be expended in digging wells to supply water for stock. The grazing is ;ood; they already have 0 limited sup t ply of cattle and horses, and with a t mall expenditure of mcrey by ta5 h. I iian Department could bemade s1',aUp- i 'orting The Yumas, Maricopas aui Pi- % mas should be assisted in the same Way. t All of the aid and money should not be a avished upon the breeding pens at San $ 'arlos. Some small portion should be a .iven to the good Indians, who ar C. friendly and who are disposed to d. a for themselves. More eau n .e accomplished in the way of civi.iziug V hese Indians ID a decade than can be O one among the Apaches ID loo years. o his being the case it seems t. us that n hey are better worth saving than the lld renegades of the southeast. al