The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-01
A WORD FOR THE APACHE.
An Indian Fighter Talks Freely About I'm
Gle SaHa's Indian Policy.

An Indian Fighter Talks Freely ABOUT IN
Gle Sana's Indian Policy.
Especial Correspondence
ALBUQUERQUE. N. NJ, July 25.-The be-
lief is general that the invaiable army
opinion OF tho red man Is that the only
good Indian is a dead me, But l have
talked with many army officers who re-
pudiate that sentiment quite rs emphatic
ally as would a member of the Indian
Rights association. And the other day I
saw one who had q passably good word
even for the Apache He knows what he
Is talking about, too, for he has warred
with tho Indians all over the west and the
southwest and taken part in an Apache
campaign. He is a captain in the Tenth
infantry.
He said: "vVhy, even the Apache isn't
such n bad sort of an Indian as no Is usual
ly madeout. There ia much to be said in
his favor. A bloodthirsty fiends Oh, l
know that is the way he Is generally de-
scribed. But go around among the
Apaches after a campaign and talk with
them and find out their opinion of the
bloodthirstiness of the United States sol
diery, and perhaps it will dawn upon you
that there are two sides to that question.
THE Apache does as he has been done by,
with as much interest added as his ingenu-
ity can invens. The law of revenge Is the
prime rule Of his life, and if any person does
him an injury that person must be madeto
sufferfor it. Well, there are plenty of civil
lied, c~hurchgoing white people who take
that same view of things and whose actions
are based on that same principle. They
fight with different weapons, that Is all.
Now, the Apache reckons among his enc
mics all white people, and the United States
army in particular. And considering the
policy that the army and the conquering
race in every way have pursued against him
from the start | reckon he is about right.
Consequently his most ardent desire is to
down them, singly or collectively, when
ever he gets the chance. If that principle
existed solely among the Apaches, we of
the Caucasian race might carry on our at
tempts at determination with q good deal
better grace.
Notwithstanding his grievances the
Apache isn't apt to go on the warpath un-
less he thinks he has received some new
and particular injury or has got drunk
on tiswin. It's usually the tiswin that
starts himoff. OF course it's very naughty
Of him to drink tiswin, and he ought not to
do it. But the meekest man that ever
lived, white, red, brown or black, could
moo uFluk ttSWlu WibnOub OGluS tuFueu
from a timid lamb into a roaring lion with
al overwhelming desire to 20 out and devour
somebody. 1t has got more concentrated
essence OF iniquity in it than any other liq-
uor that mar ever invented. Get the New
York Lotus club down to atiswin feast on
stomachs-the Apache fasts for two
days whenhe is preparing for atiswindrunk
and they would need a detachment of
United States troops to take care of them
before they got through.
1.-The first duty of the troops in the
Apache country is to look out for signs of
tiswin and break up as quickly as possible
every attempt to brew the stuff.
"The Apache isn't so very different at
bottom from other men after all. OF course
he doesn't like to work, but can any rea-
sonable man blame him for that?
do l believe in the governments policy
the Indian tribes? It's not my
place to ~criticise the governments policy
toward the Indians. It's my duty to go
out and fight 'em, and | do so to the best
of my abilities whenever l awe to. But
do believe that if the government were to
collect all the Indians in the United States
and board them at full rates at the Fifth
Avenue hotel and furnish them with poker
money in the bargain. it wouldn't cost any
more than does the present way of taking
care of them.'
FLORENCE FINCH KELLEY.