Helena weekly herald., 1884-12-18
uMp3OVED INDIAN MANAGE.
MENT.

The very fact that there IS now no
Indian war or trouble and no prospect OF
any. shows more convincingly than any
other array of facts and figures that
there has been great improvement IN
the management of the Indians Inc
report of Gen. Crook in reference 10 tne
success of his course with the Apaches
is one of the most creditable and en-
couraging chapters in our long history
of dealings with the native races. Inc
Apaches were one of the worst tribes IN
many respects that our Nation ever had
to deal with, and they were worst located
to get at. So located near the border
line of the United States and Mexico,
they deprecated in turn wherever there
was prospect of the most booty, and
when pursued crossed the line and were
safe. Even when treaty gave the
right to pursue into Mexico these In
dians had a hiding place in the Sierra
Madre mountains that defied the intru-
sion of regular troops.
Gen. Crook, by his pursuit, conquest
and capture of these Indians in their
stronghold, justified his reputation OF
being the best Indian fighter our regular
army has ever produced. But his sub
sequent dealings with this same tribe OF
Indians has proved him to be something
more and better than an Indian fighter.
To conquer in battle is not to subdue.
Of course those killed will never make
any more trouble, but those who are
spared often nurse their vengeance and
watch an opportunity to glut it. Gen.
Crook thas won the admiration OF the
Indians as brave fighter and superior
in all the resources of war, and in addi-
ton he has won the confidence of the
Indians in his honesty and magnanmity,
so that when he gave his word, after
having thoroughly whipped them, that
if they would come in and behave them
selves he would, protect them, they be-
lieved him and have come in, to the
last one of them. The people of Ari-
zona had no faith in Indian promises
and for long time kept up an organiza-
ton and kept alive the the purpose to
90 on the reservation and hang every one
of them
Gen. Crook has protected the Indians
and encouraged them to 60 to farming,
procuring for them tools and seeds and
showing them how to manage. The
Chiricahuas have been located on Black
river and such irreconcileable war chiefs
as Geronimo and Chato have proved the
most energetic and successful workers.
As sample of their success, they raised
3,S5O,OO pounds of corn, 550,060 pounds
of barley, $4,000 pounds of wheat, $4,000
pounds of beans, 10000 pounds of pota-
toes and 10000 melons, besides much
other small truck the past season.
With better supply of tools, seeds
and experience better results still are an
ticipated. And in this connection we
would recall to the attention of our read
ers that at the recent Territorial Fair in
Arizona the first prizes in several de-
partments were carried off legitimately
by Indians.
The most encouraging feature of all is
that the work in raising these crops has
been done mostly by the men and has
not been required of the squaws, and the
bravest war chiefs were the foremost at
work.
Such success ought to be followed up
and the Government ought to take and
and follow such advice as that of Gen
eral Crook. In fact it would seem as if
his great success might suggest to some
one the putting of General Crook at the
head of the field work in the Indian De-
partment. We believe it wants some
man who practically understands Indian
nature to deal with them. 1t is prob
ably too much to hope to see so sensible
a thing thought of, but we are very sure
if the charge of the Indians generally
were intrusted to General Crook, we
need never have another Indian war and
it would not be full generation before
every native Indian would be welcomed
as free citizen of the United States.