The Daily Tombstone., 1886-01-25
The Apache Trail.


 tilities contains no "war" so full of peculiar difficulties as is that which continually goes on with the several bands of Apaches. It began as soon as they were near enough for colli- sion. and it can hardly be said to have ceased at any time. The waterless, treeless, burning levels of rock and sand break down the horses of pursu- ing cavalry. They receive trail but fainly, and it soon disappears. They are bordered or broken by mountain ranges, whose rugged slopes arise from the very sand, and whose passes are known to the red men, but have been little explored by the whites.
 A further complication of every at tempt to bring the Apaches within the control of our very efficient and devoted military police is the vicinity of the Mexican boundary line. Be yond that political barrier United States cavalry may not ride, and it is rarely possible to secure the coopera- ton of Mexican armed forces. In fact, the Mexican states bordering New Mexico and Arizona have been so desolated and weakened by the de- predations of these savages as to be no longer able to do much for their own protection. Such troops as they at times gather are said to be but lit tie feared by the Apaches. The most vigorous and persistent trailing and hard riding is baf1ed by the Rio Grande or the landpasSks further westward, which inform command ing officer that the dim traces he is following have crossed the frontier.
 The vast regions exposed to the operations of the Apaches can not by any absurdity be considered "their country" They are not all desert and mountain, but contain rich agri- cultural areas, as well as valuable mineral deposits. That settlers will venture deeper and deeper into the land of danger, is one of the certain ties of American enterprise and dar' ing, but each exploring party, each ranch, each drove of quadrupeds, offers another temptation to chiefs like Geronimo and born raiders like his followers. It is probable that the greater pat of their exploits is unre- ported, but that which is known is sad enough.
 All honor is due to the army officers who have had this trying and thank less warfare in charge. They have moderated and restrained the venge- ful wrath of the settlers, while they have made the best use possible of the limited forces at their disposal.
 The difficulties of desert and noun tain trailing have been overcome in part by the employment of the Chiri- cahua band as army scouts. They are Apaches precisely like the rest, no better, and are all looked upon as "coyotes" by such tribes as the Sioux, Cheyennes, or Navajoes. Even physic- ally they are inferior in size and strength, and are for the greater part of mixed race. For three centuries, in their raids upon the Mexican tribes, they have carried the women off as booty, like the horses.
 As the settlements increase in mum Der and population, the need of pro lection increases, and the capacity of the settlers for self-protection becomes a positive assurance that they will act with increasing vigor, and not always wisely.
 The Apaches must be suppress ed but the fighting to be done should be under the intelligent control of reg ular army men, amply supplied and re-enforced as they never yet have been.-Harper's Weekly.