Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-06-28

ly. five thousand square miles. The num- Der of Indians on the reservation IS stated ID "The Resources of Arizona, recently published under Territorial authority. at five thousand. SupposiDg the number of Indian families to be live thousand, there would be a square mile or one section of land to each family, while a white man, the head of family, can pre-empt, or homestead but one hundred and sixty acres. But as mat ter of fa f there Is a section of land for each man, woman and child on the res ervstlon. Or, if we estimate the num- Der of families at two thousand, which we suppose to be nearly accurate, there are two and one-fifth sections for each Indian family. But the bounty of the government does not stop there, for after giving them every opportunity for self support, the government practically sup ports them.
 We are informed that Commissioner Price opposes the segregation of these mines and coal fields, and insists that, without excluding them from the res ervation, permission be gwen to work them upon payIng a royalty to the h. diaus. Does he imagine that the h.
  with all its untold mineral wealth! The White Mountain Reservation never was the home of the Apaches. They were migratory. The government selected these lands and placed the Apaches upon them. They did not go there wli- lingly. The reservation system is a prison system, iuaugursted and main tained by force, though intended to be reformatoTy and educational. It does not involve the idea of ownership. But if it Is said that tEe pay ment of royalty upon the product of these mines Is in- tended simply to aid in supporting the Indians, the people of Arizona reply, that We are under no obligation to the Apache. We have received no kind nesses or benefits at his hands which re- quire from us any special contributions for his comfort or support. The gov e!nment has invited us to Occdpy and improve this Territory and to purchase its mines and lands. We are here trying to improve our private fortunes, but III doing so we add to the wealth ot the ua- ton. We contribute our full share tO the revenues of the United States, and because We are on the frontier and Tn the face of hardships and dangers are discovering mines and trying to develop them, We are asked to pay a specific tax, contribution, royalty or whatever 1t may be termed, upon the product of our labor, either as right the Apache may demand, or as forced gratuity for bis benefit, or else by way of assuming as individuals, 0 portion of the burden which rests upon the whole people of the United States, our proportion of which We have always borne. For years our people have been murdered, our property stolen or destroyed, our prOs- psrity retarded by these Apaches agains. whom 1t is the duty of the government to protect us, and it would much more accord with right and justice that the government should reimburse Us for our iCsses, than that We should be required Co pay a special tax or royalty either to tLc Indians or the government.
 1t has never been the policy oi the government to ask or retain royalty upon the product of mines found in the public domain. The people, not only ihe citizen, but the foreigner who has declared bis intention to become a citi- zen, have been free tO locate and work mines upon the public lands of the United States. They are not even re- quired to purchase them, but may hold and work them with equal security, so far as the government IS concerned. without purchase or tax or payment of any kind to the government. That an exception shodld be made now in these cases would seem to be without reason and fragrant injustice to ou. people.
 We can understand perfectly that out siders who have no interest in these properties would prefer to see the plan of leasing adopted, SO that thereby the rights Cl the discOycTeTs might be ig- nured. and d chance given 60 them 10 secure that which they cannot now pur- chase: but we have no fear that sO great @ wrong will te permitted.
 By what lines Saddle Mountain min ing district aud the coal fields should be cx-lGied Is 6 matter of little conse- luenCe either to our people or the h. dIaus, since the whole region south of lLe Gila and below or west of the upper end of the Gila canon is of no value to the reservation. We are fully satisfied that an examination of the territory We ask to be excluded would lead any in- telligen;, disinterested person to concur m tue view herein expressed. So far as the portion north Oi the Gila Is con ceTned. line north of tine ten mile mon ument on the Gila to thrOmO Butte would exclude all the mines on that side of the river which are now known to be valuable.
 In conclusion. VIC would most respect fully urge speedy action m the prem ises. Our Territory Is beginning to re- cover from the depression principally, though not wholly, due to the Indian raids. In the southwestern part of the Territory the Quiio;oa and other valna- ble mineral districts have been recently discovered, and the work of develop ment has begun with most flattering prospects, so far as the mines themselves are concerned. But coal for making are an absolute necessity. To secure these at reasonable prices, railroads must be built come ectiDg z the coal fields with the mills and furnaces.
 1t Is therefore apparent that the dis cOvereTs and claimants of these mines and coal fields, and the promoters of the railroad between Tucson and Globe, are scarcely more interested in the matters herein presented than miners and busI- ness men of every class and every local ity; that in fact the prosperity of nearly oue-half of our entire Territory is de- pendent upon the segregation of these mines and coal fields that are not occu- pied or used by the Indians, but which are nevertheless included III the reserva- tion, and thus excluded from all profta- ble use.
 We can we'll understand that your de- partment and the President would pre- fer that Congress should act in the premises, and that such action would be heartily commended by you; but Con gress has not acted, and # is quite safe ! to say they never will. Tie President has full power to comply with our wishes, and We believe, at least hope. | would do so at your request. We have | ceased to expect or hope for anything at l the hands of Congress. Though retain | Ing the power to legislate for the Terri tories, scarcely change has been made | in the laws since the creation of the | Territories northwest of the Ono river, nearly a century ago. We have sought | the action of Congress most earnestly |