The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1884-03-01
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.

and reading in the January Bird
number, under the caption of The
Outlook, your extracts from Gener-
al Crooks report and comments
thereon, | thought that perhaps
YOU would allow a few remarks
from the standpoint Of the white
people living in the Territories Of
New Mexico and Arizona, concern
ing the Indian Problem.
Though living in New Mexico
now, | formerly lived in Arizona,
and while there obtained a very
correct knowledge Of public senti-
ment. Three years have elapsed
since then, but we can safely as
sumo hat public sentiment there
has not, with the completion of the
S. p. R'y and the Guymas branch
of the A., T. & $. F. R'y changed
for the worse. With New Mexico
public sentiment | am pretty thor
oughly acquainted. Without as
Stunning to be an authority-such as
General Crook, for instance-yet |
think | a speak intelligently and,
I trust, truthfuIly of the sentiment
OF the people Of these Territories
as regards the Indian, and the pol
icy which should be pursued by the
government in order to bring about
the best results in civilization and
Characterization.
The charge Of General Crook,
that ''public sentiment in frontier
communities does not consider the
malicious killing Of an Indian muir
der, or the most unblushing plum
dering theft" is a most surprising
one from such a source. General
Crook has lived for many years in
such communities and certainly
should know that no such public
sentiment exists. That such SEN
timent should exist among the law
less in the Territories is not sur
prising, for that is the creed Of the
lawless everywhere not as regards
Indians and Negroes alone, but in
regard to the whites also. But
the masses OF the people in these
Territories are law-abiding, peace
able men, who + engaged in mer-
chandise, agriculture, stock-rais-
ing and mining. Millions of dol
lars are invested in the cattle bus
mess all over these Territories.
Wherever water can be had, cattle
are at once placed on the range.
Do such men want to provoke an
Indian outbreak by numbering and
plundering them! Wherever land
can be purchased nea any stream
which will answer for irrigating
purposes, you find it settled by
small farmers. Such land is very
productive and the prices for cere-
ais and vegetables are very high,
consequently such farming pays.
Is 1t reasonable to suppose that
such farners-and there are thou
sands of them-would provoke an
Indian war by murder and rob
beryl The mine owners want
peace and quiet. Every Indian
outbreak affects them seriously in
the price OF labor, hauling, supplies
and the general feeling of insecure
ty which pervades the country.
Prospectors want peace. While
prospecting he doesn't want to be
shot down by an invisible Zoe.
Nor does he desire an outbreak to
interfere, as 1t always does, with
the sales ofhis CLAIMS when located.
He cannot get capital into the
country to look at his mines, LET
alone buy them. The towns are
dependent upon the success ofmin
ing, agriculture, and stock-raising
These are all retarded and injured
by Indian outbreaks hence, the
towns all dread an indian war.
The railroads, and those employed,
all want peace, ard to sec the coun
try develop.
General Crooks recommendation