The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-11-20
CIVILIZING A PAC HES.
Difficult Undertaking Of Govern
ment Agents.
Splendid Results of Determined Eff
forts to Make the Ind ians. Self
Supporting and Law
Abiding.

A marvellous transformation has
taken place on the Mescalero Apache
Indian reservation in southern New
Mexico within two years. during which
period Y. E. Stottlef, first lieutenant
Tenth infantry, United States army, has
served Us acting agent. The Indians
number nearly 500, one-ffth being chill
dren of school age. Nurtured in ig-
norance and superstition and reared in !
filth and laziness, these Indians have for
40 years stubbornly refused to respond
to the governments efforts to civilize
them. For generation they have re-.
ceived rations of beef, coffee, flour,
sugar, clothing, farm implements, etc.
Good schools were established for them
and dwellings, built at government ex-
pense, still they stuck to their rawhide
tepees and persistently refused to
school their children Or to adopt civilian
dress, adhering to their breechclouts
and blankets and long hair. With the
millions expended annually in Indian
education, next to. nothing was being
accomplished. There were about 500
acres of irrigable and good land on the
reservation, but the Indians were too
lazy to plant crops that would have
furnished them with the food necessary
for their support. It was much more
pleasant to draw rations from an in
dulgent and paternal government, and
reserve their energy for war dances and
brawls. There were Is strong, broad
oh l,1o7 ac1,, 41I IN
pense of the government, running
around the reservation in paint and
blanket. They were too lazy for manual
labor. Several educated squaws were
married and living in filthy tepees,
while girls were usually taken out of
school at ten and twelve years Of age
and sold for ponies into bondage
worse than death.
Lieut.. Stottler's predecessor had or
dered the bucks to cut their hair, and
revolution resulted. They refused
pointblank, and that settled it. SLOT
tiers first move was to increase the ra-
tons of the police. He then informed
them that they must all put on uniforms
under pain Of duress. They reluctantly
obeyed. Then he ordered them to cut
their hair. This caused a storm, and
the matter was allowed to rest for a
time. His next command was to aban-
don the tepees and move into the dwell
ings. All children over five years old
were ordered to attend school. This
was too much, and, by the advice of
some of the whites, petition was for
warded to Washington asking for Stot-
tiers relief as agent. No attention was
paid to the request, and the ringleaders
were spotted and severely punished.
The chief of police, an Indian, had been
one of the instigators in this move, and
he was discharged as such and put on
reduced rations.
Several of the head men of the tribe
were ordered to work and deprived of
the office of spokesman, under which
system the other members made their
wants known through the agent. In
this capacity the head men had been al
lowed extra rations and a small salary,
and their reduction to the ranks made
it possible for any member of the tribe
to apply personally for what he needed
in the way of land, implements, etc.
This was an important point-to
break the power of the chiefs and de-
stroyi tribal relations. It was constant
ly impressed upon the Indians that in q
few years rations would be cut off en-
tirely, and those who had not taken
land for cultivation would go hungry.
At first they laughed at this, but the
officer, by way of example, cut off the
food occasionally, and they at last came
to realize that it would be very easy
matter to stop all rations. This had a
salutary effect, and induced many of
them to go to work. Every man and
woman caught manufacturing ''tiswin''
was made to understand that it means
long season in the guardhouse on
bread and water
Now all is changed. The govern
ment's agent is absolute master. Last
fall there was harvested from the irri-
gated lands $4,000 pounds of beets, TO-
900 pounds of cabbage, 1000 pounds Of
eaulifower, $500 pounds of turnips
1,4oo pounds of onions, 500 pounds oil
! radishes, 1,400 pounds Of celery, 2,0oc
pounds of pumpkins and squash, 4oC
pounds of peas, $50 pounds of corn
$500 pounds of potatoes, besides cuculn
bers, asparagus, etc. The school has q
pen of swine, flocks of chickens, a hero
of fine mich cows, and all the hay an6
! fodder for them and ten horses raised
on the farm.
During 1896, upon recommendation Of
Lieut.. Stottler, the government issuee
5000 sheep for distribution among the
tribe, and 500 for the school. The ides
is to have the Indians raise their ow1
mutton, and then cut off the supply o:
beef, which cost the government Sc ,5ot
in 1896. On July 1 next all rations ex
cept beef will be cut off. ~
These Indians have been made nearly
self-supporting within the brief periot
that Lieut.. Stottler has been in charge
Every male on the reservation has GU
his hair, put on civilized dress and take1
a piece of land which he has fenced ant
commenced to raise grain and yege
tables. They all have cabins with cool
stoves and utensils. There is no drunk
enness. Every man has ten head o
sheep, and like number for each mem
Der of his family. Every child on TIL
4 5racerva +inn is AT school Every ma