Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-05-13
THE MESCALERO APACHES
Excellent Work Accomplished by
Lieut.. Victor f. StOttler in the In
PRODUCTION of New Methods for
Indian Education.
SuBOUING THESE RRBELLIOUS SUBJECT'
Detailed Information of the Wonderful
Transformation That Has Been
Worked in the Regeneration of
This Once Savage Tribe.

Worked in the Regeneration of
This Once Savage Tribe.
The salvation to be found in work, wal
never better exemplified than in the cast
of the Mescalero Apache Indians, for th'
past three years in charge of First Lieut.
V. E. Stottler, Tenth infantry, as acting
Indian agent.
Looking over the ground, aad drawing
conclusions from the experience of Others
which represent years of futile endeavor
1and the expenditures of many hundreds
of thousands of dollars, this officer decid
ed that the keynote of the situation wai
| to be found in work, and he set about his
duties, mo wing along original lines.
In the matter of oivilizing poor Lo
the past has not been prolific of fatter
ing results. The history of this work has
been history Of blunders from the be.
ginning. A generous government haf
been for years appropriating large sums
of money for Indian schools, which are
only now commencing to do any good.
THE OLD METHODS.
Year after year, clothing has been is
sued to these Indians, only to be ex
changed for the knick.knacks of barbar.
ism, with Mexican and American traders
They would not wear the garments oi
civilization any longer than they were
forced to do so. They would not live in
the habitatione of civilized men. Build
an Indian house, and straightway he
would raise uuder it's very walls tepee
after his own ideas of architecture, which
he infinitely preferred to the habitation OF
his white brother. Most of the reserva-
tions have managed to keep 80 per cent
| of the children at school. But what good
| did schooling do them.
| No sooner did they return to their
tribal relations than the dress of civiliza-
tion was exchanged for the cleut and the
blanket, and the retrograde movement
commenced. Instead Of introducing the
knowledge that they had acquired among
the members of the tribe, they almost
| Invariably fell back into the old way OF
| living, becoming in short time, in no way
distinRuishable from those who had not
received schooling. It has been discour-
aging work.
Simon Cameron was won't to define an
honest politician, as one who would stay
bought. good Indian, might be de-
fined, as one who would stay civilized.
THE MEsoALERo REsERvATIoN.
The Mescalero reservation is situated
in southern New Mexico, comprises 450,-
600 acres and the census of 1896 shows
an Indian population of 460-190 males,
| 1853 females. Of the whole number there
are 1O4 children between 5 and 18years u
age.
Lieutenant Stottler assumed charge OF
the agency December II, 1894, and to say
that he has accomplished wonders in civ
ilizing these Indians, is to give only a
meager idea of his splendid work. Those
who are interested in the subject of In
dian education may study with profit the
methods of this officer, which have yielded
unparalleled results. 1t goes without
saying that the west is vitality concerned
in this matter, but most of all the govern
ment, which annually makes generous ap'
propriations, is interested in this educa'
tional enigma.
AN APPALLING COMBINATION.
The Mescalero is in reality an Apache
that is to say for all the purposes of civi
lization. Closely related to this savage
and warlike tribe by ties of blood, the
Mescaleros possess all the characterlstlcs
of their better known relatives-lgnor
ance, superstition, cruelty, cunning, filth
laziness, stubborness, immortality, drunk
enness, treachery, begging, stealing, lying
An appalling combination against which
to urge the advantages of civilization
The government had treated these Indiant
very generously. For years they had beer
receiving rations of beef, -four, coffee
sugar, salt, soap, baking powder, etc
clothing and agricultural implements. A
good deal of moral suasion had been added
to physical necessities, in the vain hopt
of opening to them the door of highel
life, It was entirely thrown away, ant
with an awful tenacity they clung to tn
4 old way, determining to maintain th'
status quo, in spite of all efforts on tn
| part of those who would lead them up tt
better things.
THE STATE OF AFFA1Rs IN 1896
Lieut.. Stottler found them living j.
tespees, wearing breech clouts and blank
cts, in superstition and ignorance, ant
far, In very many respects, from the rudi
ments Of civilized life. A few raised corI
and vegetables and the Indian police livet
in block houses, but practically they wer
no better of than when the governmen
4 took them in hand. They resented an!
attempt to change their condition or mod
of life, and this may be an opportun
time to mention the fact that IT required
no ordinary degree Of courage to intro
duce radical reforms among these viclen
and treacherous people, without even to
support Of company of soldiers. An
displav Of this character would in 81
probability have defeated the very jec
for which Lieut.. Stottler strove, and b
vent 70 his stern duty alone and singl
handed. The manufacture of liquor from
corn. called 'ttiswin," was carried on open
10. and drunken brawls, 10 which live
vere lost, resulted. About 80 per cent Q
the children were at school, In face of tn
most strenuous opposition OF the parents
This Was the state Of affairs Of the ageno
when Lieut.. 6tottler assumed charge u
the latter part Of 1894.
J He quickly recognixed the futility o
the methods there 10 vogue and set abou
his work on original lines. With th
millions expended annually In India
education, next to nothing was being &C
com plished. There wore about 500 acre
OF irriRable and good land on the reservs
tiop. but the Indians were too lazy :
plant crops that would have furnished ther
With the food necessary for their suppor
Il was much moro pleasant TO draw rs
! tions from an indulgsnt and patterns
, government, and reserve their energy fo
} var dances and brawls. There we're 2
/, stroup broad shouldersd bucks, educate
AZ tho expense Of the government, rur
ming around tho reservation In paint an
blanket