Arizona weekly citizen., 1885-08-08
AN UNnIAsEp opINInN

. FOAoaOAe iOT the ORrDarl- 'ies perpetrated by band of western ruffans. as to charge the whole of tbs Apaches with the crimes of the Cbirica. huss. In reality the Apaches as a ns- ton were thoroughly defeated in 1872 recognized the helplessness of further struggle, submitted, and have not been moved to revolt since then by even the maladmlnistrstion of the Interior De pertinent. The Chiricahuas at tha. time were assigned reservation in the Cbir. icahua mountains. on the extreme southern frontier of Arizona, where they could raid Mexico without molestation isey made good use of their position. devastating for } ears the states of Sono. "a and Chihuahua, and becoming more and more sudscious and skiIlful, and not less sanguinarY than when in their pristine state of ssvsgery. After using for years the United States frontier as a basis ot operations against Mexicaus. they reversed their policy and made their stronghold in the Sierra Madres. rniding thence Arizona and New Mex ico. Their regularly recurring raids be- came so intolersble that. two years ago, Crook, with force almost entirely composed of friendly Apaches, followed them into the heart of the Sierrss. What transpired there is vsriously interpreted.
 According to Crook, his intended surprise of the Apache camp was frus. trated by the accidental discharge of a scouts rifle. At any rate, when he did occupy the eamp,he captured only some women. These became the ambasss- dors, and the result of his diplomatic efforts were, that the Indians prom ised to follow him to the San Carlos reservation, and he promised to welcome them and let by-gones be by-gones.
 "In March, some of these same Apsch- es, supposed to be about l75 in number, under Geronimo. left ihe reservation with their squaSs, broke mp into bands, and for three months kept the terri tories in R state of panic by killing rancher here and miner there, leaving the print of their moccRsins where least looked for, and generally disturbing the whole trade ard industry of two territo- ries. They have damaged mining, not only by killing s number of miners In secluded camps and irighteDing away from their clsims many isolated pros pectors, but still more, by jmpressing the people of the Ess: with the idea that life and property are more insecure than they really RIe. It Is. therefore. not to be wondered at that the people of Ali zonR have sen: a number of deie- gstions 10 Washington to lay before the Executive and emrhasize . numter of resolutions. many 0! them very unreas- enable in their terms and unique ln their literary construction. Tie citizens of the southwest territory have certainly just cause of complaint. A large pro- portion of the best land IS appropriated for military and Indian reservations. The r3ncher may not feed his cattle on i., the miner must not extract from It even the coal he so much needs d that the Indian certainly does no.; and yet return for this large military reserva- tion, the army can not keep Gs prisoners less than 200 Indian criminals; and 1t would seem that the White Mountain reservation is so large that this little band of cut-throsts, when turned loose upon it, can not be watched.
 "The true rcmsdy lies in them to live side by side in healthy rivalry with the white man, not in fostering race distinct ion by isolating the Indian on his res ervstior, and excluding the white man from mines that the Indian does not work and pastures that he can not ocou- py. The policy of isolation IS not nec- eseary.
 ssThere are on the San Pedro River in Arizona bands of pure, unadulterated Apaohes, who are becoming rich as cat tie ranchers, and whom their white neiehbors have ceased to fear and nev- CT think of molesting.
 Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest. Whether, therefore, there be good mines or not on reservation ana no matter how much unexplored coun- try there be of 1t, it is a grievance that the reservation should not be open to location.
 "The creation of thriving mining camps within the reservation, and the market they would afford for the pro duee of the Indians farm and stock yould. it seems, be almost necessary for the success of Crooks system, when IS to scatter the Apaehes over the fertile lands of the reservation. assign them lsnds in severalty, thus render them selt-supporting, and at the same time break up their tribal relations.
 At present, the exclusion of the min ar from the White Mountain region Tn Arizona IS particularly irritating. The territory needs cheap fuel for the reduc- ton especially of its copper ores. Coke for the purpose is brought around the Horn to San Francisco, freighted thence over one thousand miles of railroad by the Southern Pacific Railroad, while e1- tepsiye beds ofcoking coal are supposed ed to lie in the heart of the country. though unfortunately within this reser- ton.
 aTbe Indians do not own the coal and do not mine it, but consideration for their very susceptible feelings compels the government to allow no one else to do SO. The government IS doubtless right, and the military unqusstionably SO. in preventing any set that might irritste these swarms of human wasps. Under existing rules, the reservations are