Tombstone daily prospector. (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1887-1891, 1889-01-11
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.
Report oflhe Secretary ofWar
Contain;ngS Some Very In
ueressiME Facts.

! The report of the Secretary of Wal
is at hand for the year 1883 and be-
side being very interesting throughout
contains very favorable report on
the Apache question and deals with
the question of their removal from the
Territory in very favorable manner.
Beginning with the surrender of Ger
onimo 10 General Crook the report
says: after this surrender and the
night following the camp broke up
and resumed their deadly work, and
/ finally surrendered Ia General Miles
in September, 1856. This raid WAS
the most bloody and savage, so far ~
| the number of persons killed, of which
We have authentic record. Between
| the first outbreak and their final sur
render they killed on our side of the
line Y persons, and in Mexico -, as
nearly as can be computed, and GRE
ated condition of panic and distress
in New Mexico and Arizona difficult
to describe. Men, women, ami chill
dren were sho. down, mutilated, and
tortured, and reign of terror pre-
vailed all along the boundary line
When taken their lives were spared,
and circumstances prevented their be-
ing turned over TO the civil authorities
To be punished for their crimes; bat
every consideration of duty and hui
mainly required that they should be
removed from that country, and that
its people should never more be en-
dGngered 10y their presence.
1t is TO be borne in mind that when
these Indians were placed ON the San
Carlos Reservation they were put in
the custody Of the War Department,
to be guarded 10y troops and to be
treated and held rs prisoners of war
The Interior Department was unable
to keep or restrain them and was
forced to hand them over to military
control, and has been and now i un-
willing to receive them. Their status
was thus established, and they could
be placed or confined wherever the
public safety demands, and are en:i-
tied only to humane and proper treat
mcnt. This status they never have
escaped from or lost, whether acting
Is scouts or coming 10 Washington by
permission as adaptation to persuade
the President that they be permitted
TO remain at San Carlos permanently
And il while so engaged, or after they
had concluded such duty or mission,
the public safety, or their safe custody,
demanded any change in their desti- |
nation or control, it WAS entirely with
in the discretion OF the Government.
When relieved from their control their |
by their powers If endurance. Once !
relieved from strict restraint we have |
no reason TO believe they would be !
peaccable; on the contrary, there Is |
every reason to fear that numbers of |
them would return to the war-path !
again when the opportunity came.
1t was decided by ~ those in any
way responsible for Their safety and
conduct that they must be removed |
from Arizona-not only those who had |
been on the war-path, but their kin |
dred and people. Some OF these had |
served as scouts and were with Cen
eral Crook when Geronimo first sur |
rendered, and it has been contended !
that they cOnnived at his escape and |
that while on the war-path this des- |
perate band received aid and comfort |
from their brethren who resided n. !
San Carlos. But there is a division OF |
opinion on this subject, which is not
possible to discover here. The short |
term of imprisonment which was sug-
gested as sufficient by the military |
commander TO whom they surrendered |
was disapproved by the President and |
by General Sheridan. and no terms but |
removal for an indefinite period was
contemplated by those on whom the |
responsibility rested for the peace of
these Territories and the lives of their
people. Not only is it necessary that !
they should be kept away from Arr |
IONA, but General Howard, in com |
mand of that division, is OF the opinion |
that other branches OF the Apache |
tribe now in Arizona should also be !
removed, and says there is but CD
relief from the Indians located near
San Carlos, and that is their rem oval
from the Territory"