The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-06-24
TRAINING INDIANS.
Good Work Done by Government
Agents Among the Apuchcs

period Y. +. Stottler. first lieutenant
Tenth infantry, United States army. has
served as acting agent. The Indians
number nearly 500, one-fifth being chill
dren of school age. Nurtured in ig-
norance and superstition and reared ia
filth and laZinesS, these Indians have tor
40 years stubbornly refused to respond
to the governments efforts to civilze
them. For generation they have re-
iceived 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 brecchclouts
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. 1t 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 % strong. broad
shouldered bucks. educated at the eN-
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 We're usually taken out of
school at ten and twelve years OF age
and sold for ponies into a bondage
worse than death.
Lieut. Stottler's predecessor had or
dered the bucks TO cut their hair. and a
revolution resulted. They refused
pointbIanll. and that settled it. SLOT
tiers first move was to increase the ra-
tions 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 ADAM
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, a petition was for
warded 20 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
k wants known through the agent. In
Atlsis 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 tribc
to apply personally for what he needed
in the way of land, implements, etc.
This was an importaE- points
break the power of the chiefs and dn-
stroy tribal relations. 1t was constant
Iy impressed upon the Indians that in
few years rations would he 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 ii would be a very easy
matter 10 stop all rations. This had
salutary effect. and induced many of
1 i
woman caught manufacturing ''tisWiu'
was made to understand that it means
Il long season in the guardhouse on
bread and water.
Now all is changed. The govern
ment's agent is absolute master Last
fill there was harvested from the irri-
gated lands $4,000 pounds of beets 20
600 pounds OF cabbage, 900 pounds of
cauiiflower, $500 pounds of turnips,
1.400 pounds of onions, 500 pounds of
radishes. HOO pounds of celery, 1000
pounds of pumpkins and squash, 400
pounds of peas, $50 pounds of corn,
$500 pounds of potatoes, besides cucum.
bers, asparagus. etc. The school has a
pen of swine, focks of chickens. a herd
OF line nllcn COWS. ana All me nay ana
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, and 500 for the school. The idea
is to have the Indians raise their own
mutton, and then cut off the supply of
beef. which cost the government SC, 500
in 1896. On July l next all rations eX-
cept beef will be cut off.
These Indians have been made nearly
self-supporting within the brief period
that Lieut.. Stottler has been in charge.
Every male on the reservation has cut
his hair, put on civilized dress and taken
a piece of land which he has fenced and
commenced to raise grain and vege-
tables They all have cabins with cook
stoves and utensils. There is no drunk
enness. Every man las ten head of
sheep, and a like number for each MEM
Der of his family. Every child on the
reservation is at school. EvelS man
has a wagon, harness and pillow. In two
years these indians have been trans
formed from lazy, filthy savages in red