Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-09-23
The Apaohes.
THEIR REMOVAL FROM ARIZONA
DANGER OF PROVOKING A GENERAL WAR


mediate following will be sent east,th ques-
/ ton Of the removal of the whole tribe will
| naturally be revived. Since 1882, and even
previous TO that. year, the Southwestern
| press and people have clamored for removal
of the Apaches to some distant place where
| they might be either so hemmed in by popu-
! lous surroundings as to render them power
| less. or else so isolated as to make it almost
! impossible for them to reach civilized settle
t ments. In either case they intend to get
/ the Indians out Of the way-good naturedIy,
/ by persuasion and treaty if possible, foreibly
! if necessary.
] The people Of Arizona are not to blame
for this. The Apaches have never been
I very desirable neighbors though they are
far from being fierce and untamable as is
/ often alleged and if some sympathy is
/ there is also a great deal Of exaggerated
antipathy towards them. OF course we are
! speaking only Of the main tribe. The
Chircahuas are distinc, band, ia whose
case the only method of redemption is ndi-
Gated by the Spanish proverb: "Muerto ell
perro, Sc muere Ia rabia." Lately demand
for the removal en- masse Of the Apaches
seems to have reached the official ear at
/ look favorably upon the measure. II matters
not here the Apaches are removed 10, once
the transfer is achieved; but the question
! is serious one whether or not it is adyisa-
bic to attempt it at all. 1t is even doubtful
I if the people Of the Southwest would be
/ benefited by.
No matter how many councils may have
( been held with ''chiefs" and cold men" at
I Washington or elsewhere, and how positive
/ ly this or that prominent" Apache may
have expressed himself in favor Of a change
Of abode, such individual utterances have no
official value, no binding effect upon the
\ whole tribe. One chief may have been duly
authorized by his ''rancherla" to make Ger
tain pledges, and the ranchera may be dis
/ posed 10 fulfill them. Several chiefs will
thus faithfully and ,ruthfully represent a
portion or majority even Of the tribe yet
their promises do not 20 beyond their i'm
mediate constituents, If that term can be
used There is not, at the present time,
among the Apaches one leading spirit Of
sufficient religious preponderance TO per-
/ suade or ooerce them into joint action.
/ Neither is there group Of principal men
I whose influence is felt all over the tribe and
4 who work harmoniously together, as, for n
\ stance, Nanuelito, Mariana, and their rela-
/ tives, among the NasaJos, or old San
Juan and Pa,ricjo among the Mescaeros.
I Three. .fourths might consent to the removal,
I while one-fourth would stubhornly refuse 10
go. What then2 TO coerce this fourth
means an Indian war. more desperate and
far NOR, da.fructiye than tha, with Geroni.
mo and hi, handful Of cut-throats. II
means the ruin Of southern Arizona and
/ .otthNp.tsTu \pv NtxITn
Bnt II i. NO, even certain TIM, an, con.
siderable number Of the AD,ch,s are in favor
Of leaving their reservation. unless the,
/ should Ne transferred IN s,n. Of their oil
home. an the Nimbr.s on III. Timer CHA
/ or near old Fort Tnlarosa Tbe>r localities
/ are moi yet tbickly settled though occupied
[ h .nffi,ient number Of whites 10 cau forth
v.ry Ly.Iy nnd u.p-yrnupd.d nrot,st
/ ,ya,n., an eventual neighborhood Of wild
/ Id. R.s,da. nil ,fsss nl,ces lie IN
\ .o,,,huas,.yp \su Nsxico IA, far from, the
( Ar,,f,,, r.,a ,rd ,he chanre would h. stmIl-
=, IN ..rrnyin,.r frnm Nrw York 10 Uoboken
/ "a, from, Cincinnati 10 Coying,on. On the
4 o,t., b,rd me- ,,,.m,, n coerce rhe
4 ,n,rh.s ,,,o s.iiIamsn, ], Greater all
,,r-s ,,i.,h, s..,iy rs.rI, nat N a partial ID,
,,..,-,.,I VAR. nl,,,l, uuul,i throw 900 10
{ 1000 armed Indians upon defenceless settle
1 men,s. upon UNPROTECTED ranches. mines. and
even towr. True such IN outbreak could
not fail 10 settle the Apache question for
ever in course of time. bu, al what cost
/ Militar, experience has shown that large
V bodi.. Of sayages can easily Dc defeated. ypt
after the Indians have been whipped their
real warfare begins. Ii is not IN the iutere,,
of the Southwest to provoke such
4 calamity.
N.ver,b,l.ss If the Anaches were ONLY
removed from their presen, location, and
I even if they were settled jus, across the
I harder in New Mexico. the people of Arl-
\ zona would be satisfied. Wh,? Because
Y the real cause Of their clamor Is no, constant
+ dr.ad of outbreaks. !, is desire on their
mart 10 own the land now constituting the
I White Mountain and San Carlos reservation.
. The Anachrs are not half as dangerous as
I they apprar. They very seldom molest any
one who does no, modest them. and under
I General Crook's st,peryision. they have en-
tered the path Of timid progress. WHY
Y .honld that nrogress be interrunted for the
benefit Of o,hers2 Their reservation is
partly beautiful country. Its northern
. half is mountainous Wild pIateaus, COW
( cred with beautiful pine timber, and fairly
watered. surround The central peaks OF the
I Sierra Blanca In the west and north
west there are some valleys of rare beauty
and fertility. as around Fort Apache on the
\ Garlic and Shibicu. Those spots certainly
look very desirable. The southern section,
however,the San Carlos country proper,is hot
and frequently arid its mountains are for
bidding in appearance and mostly dry
Even the Apache disikes this part of his
present home. and wishes to be removed
/ from it, but not to Florida nor TO the Indian
/ Territory 4 child of the mountains, high
and drv, he could not prosper among
swamps or in lowlands. His objections to
removal are not based upon anv knowledge
Of countries bevond his own. If he should
refuse to 90. il would be on the ground Of
Indian conservatism. which is so difficult 10
| liels, when VIII compel MIN 10 resist 10 the
bitter end.
lheIe Is ahotHei ieasoi WI! 'Hc -APoN.S