The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-30
CIVILIZING THE APACHES.
Good Results or Lieut.. stot:Ier's Work In . Ffel,
That Was Very UupromisinE.
From the st. Louis Globe. Democrat.

INIT y NeFy tupromlbiuR.
From the st. Louis Globe. Democrat.
SANTA FL, n. NJ. May ls.-A marvellous trans
formation has taken place on the Mescalero
Apache Indian reservation in southern New
Mexico within two years, during which period
V. E. Stottler. First Lieutenant Tenth Infantry,
United States Army, has served as acting agent.
The Indians number nearly 500. one-fifth be-
ing children OF school age. Nurtured in igno-
rance and superstition and reared in filth and
laziness. these Indians have for forty years stub
bornly refused to respond to the Governments
efforts to civilize them. For a generation they
have received rations Of beef. coffee, flour, sugar,
clothing, farm implements, &c. Good schools
were established for them and dwellings built at
Government expense. still they stuck to their
rawhide tepees and persistently refused to school
their children or to adopt civilian dress, adher-
ing to their breechclouts and blankets and long
hair. With the millions expended annually in
Indian education. next to nothing was being ac-
complished. There were about 500 acres of
irrigable and good land on the reservation, but
would have furnished them with the food neces.
sary for their support. 1t was much more
pleasant to draw rations from an indulgent
energy for war dances and brawls. There were
twenty-five strong, broad-shouldered bucks. edu-
around the reservation In paint and blanket.
They were too lazy for manual labor; Several
in filthy tepees. while girls were usually taken
out of school at 10 and IL years OF age and sold
for ponies into a bondage worse than death.
bucks to cut their hair, and a revolution re-
suited. They refused point.blank, and that set
rations Of the police. He then informed them
that they must all put on uniforms under pain
storm, and the matter was allowed to rest for a
time. His next command was to abandon the
drcn over s years old were ordered to attend
school. This was too much, and. by the advice
to @ "a sns " asking for eG!'s s%tott InS ,o reiiof as
agent; No attention was paid to this 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 and put on reduced rations.
dered to work and deprived OF the office OF
spokesmen. under which system the other mem
bcrs made their wants known through, the
agent. In this capacity the head men had been
allowed extra rations and a small salary, and
their reduction to the ranks made it possible for
4 t he need Hs ' in the ireo Way 70 Of Sp iaHd pf inpIensn l9r
&c. for the bucks now saw that 1t was work or
starve.
This was an important point-to break tho
power of the chiefs and destroy tribal relations.
II was constantly impressed upon the Indians
tirely, and those who had not taken land for
cultivation would go hungry; At first they
pie. cut OFF the food occasionally, and they at
last came TO realize that 1t would be a very easy
matter 10 stop all ratlOnS. This had a salutary
effect, and induced many of them to go to work.
Every man and woman caught making "tiswin"
was made to understand that 1t meant a long
season in the guard house on bread and water.
Now all Is changed. The Governments agent
Is absolute master. Last fall there were har-
vested from the irrigated lands %, o pounds
OF bcets. 10000 pounds of cabbage, 900 pounds
OF cauliiower, $500 pounds OF turnips, 1.4OO
pounds OF onions, 500 pounds of radishes. 400
pounds of celery, 1000 pounds of pumpkins and
squash. 400 pounds Of peas, 800 pounds of corn,
asparagus, sc. The. school has a pen OF swine,
focks Of chickens. a herd of fine mitch cows, and
all tho hay and fodder for them and ten horses
raised on the farm.
During 1896, upon recommendation OF Lieut..
Stottler. the Government issued 5000 sheep for
distribution among the tribe, 500 for the school.
The idea is to have tho Indians raise their own
which cost the Government so, 500 IN 1896. On
July ! next all rations except beef will be cut off.
These Indians have been made nearly self-sup-
porting within the brief period that Lieut.. SLOT
tier has been in charge. Every male on the reser-
yation has cut his hair, put on civ
which he has fenced, and commenced
70 raise grain and vegetables. They all
have cabins with cook STOVES and utensils.
head OF sheep, and n like number for each mem
Der OF his family. Every child on the reservation
is at school. Every man has u wagon, harness,
and plough. In two years these Indians have
been transformed from lazy. filthy savages in
red paint and breechclouts, into reasonable
working human beings, with q care for tho
morrow. and a desire to become useful citizens.
been q series of blunders from tho beginning,
but this seems 10 be n marked exopDtion.