The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-04
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.
The Policy Of Gen. Crook Ioicard tie
ApacIteS.

ApacIies. '1
,, St. Louis Globe Democrat. 'o '.-f
Gen. George Crook has given the re-
suit of his policy toward the Apaches
in letter to Mr. Welsh, of the Indian
commission. Crook, more than any
other man in America, has been sue
cessful in his dealings with Indians,
and is the only officer who has ever
won and retained the respect and the
! confidence of the Apaches, the most in
tractable Of all the native tribes. In
| full command of the department of
Arizona, with all the army at his back.
the iron hand of authority has been
hidden by the glove of gentleness, but
none know better than he how and
when to make his power felt and re-
spected.- His methods have been con-
demned by those who thought they
perfectly understood the Indian pro-
blem, but he has mostly had his way
because his superiors had the good
sense to trust his experience and judg-
ment. There was much difficulty
year ago when he insisted on admitting
the Chiracahua Apaches, who had sur
rendered to him in the Sierra Madre.
after committing horrible atrocities, to
the San Carlos reservation with the
others who had remained peaceably be-
hind, though Cooks advice was taken |
in the end. Of the results he now saws
that the reports are of the most encour- |
aging character. Of the 512 members
of that band all save the small children
and few broken down men and
women are now hard at work At farming. |
The Apache has been kept from fdleness
and made producer. He has begun TO
realize the value of money and that he
may I'LL the measure of his needs with his
labor. The Apache is quick to know
his rights and as quick to defend them
with vigor and ferocity that made his
name synonym for all that was horri- {
Die and repulsive in the Indian charac-
Ter, and rendered it hard to do Justice
20 his natural sense and robust virtues.
Crook first applied his policy to the
Apaches in 1873, IA and rs, but dur
ng his removal from the department of |
Arizona for some years, the good re-
ults he had attained were nullifed by Q
he acts of sharks in the posts of Indian n
gents and their abettors, who plumber 4
he Indians right and left, until the lat a
nent and were on the brink of an out s.
reak. Itrequired all of Crooks tact t;
nd influence to keep them at peace Y
III an adjustment could be made. He d
elleves that had there not been such
n interruption of their progress in the ID
ath of civilization, the Apaches would III
ow, at least many of them, have been ID
'irly well qualified to receive the cleo ot
We franchise, or with little doubt have SO
zen self-supporting and generally a
rosperous. Crook finds the Apaches Tn
DIV beginning to be anxious to follow va
srlculture and stock-raising, to give sd
elr children to the schools, and with Sc
'neral inclination to make money.
have awakened such desires in the WI
casts of such savages has gone very M
ng ways toward solving the problem MS
how to produce good Indian with INC
t killing him. 1t is not in the char CO.
ter OF all the tribes to produce such an
suits, at least not without efforts last DE
through generations. But when me
N. Crook closes his letter by saving
1t there is not in the State of Penn
wanna a village of the same popula- Ma
n more peaceable and law-abiding pes
IN the live thousand Apaches on the LOT
n Carlos reservation, he presents an esu
raordinarily strong case and seems ma
have fairly demonstrated the posi- TO
ty OF making peaceable and useful wh
zens of these hitherto implacable Ior
e-booters of the plains. 1t is not to Ten
expected that the red tape which pril
DIS the Indian bureau can readily be SUI
so that the methods Crook has are
nd so efficient may be applied in 1ar r.,
er quarters, but the results he gives
' should not have influence in CON-, thei
legislation on the Indian problem. m mar