Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-08-18
g HIKING aPAGaaS.
Difficult Undertaking of Govern
ment Agents.
Splendid Results Of Determined ~
forts 10 Make the Indians self
supporting and Law
Abiding.

"A uldINctOuS RECONSIDERATION HdS
taken place ON the Mescalero Apache
Indian reservation in southern New
Mexico within two years during which
period Y. L. Stottler, first lieutenant
Tenth infantry, United States army, has
served as acting agent. The Indians
number nearly 500. one-tifth being chit
dren OF school age, Nurtured in e.
noranee and superstition and reared IN
filth aid lGziness, these Indians have Ter
40 years stubbornly refused to respond
TO the governments efforts to eiyiiiGc
them. Tor n generation ley have ie.
ceired rations of beef, coffee. doUr.
sugar, clothing, farm implements, etc,
Good schools We're established for them
and dwellings, built at government eX-
pense, still they stuck to their raw hide
tepees and persistently refused to
school their children or to adopt civilian
dress, adhering to their breeehclouts
and blankets and long hair With TIE
millions expended annually in Indian
education, next to nothing was being
accomplished. There were alaut $50
acres of irrigable and good lend en- the
reservation, but the Indians were too
lazy to plant crops that would have
furnished them with the food necessary
Tor 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 25 strong, broad
shouldered bucks, educated at the cx-
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 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 TT,
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 storm, and
the matter was allowed to rest for
time. His next command was to aban-
don the tepees and move into the dwell
jngs. All children over five years Old
were ordered to attend school, This
was too much, and, by the advice of
some of the whites, n petition was for
warded to Washington asking for StCt-
tiers relief as agent. No attention was
paid to the request, and the ringleadcfs
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 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-te
break the power of the chiefs and O.
stroy tribal relations. 1t was constant
~ impressed upon the Indians that in
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
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, 20
600 pounds of cabbage, 1000 pounds Of
caulflower, $500 pounds of turnirs
l 400 pounds of onions, 500 pounds of
rndishes, 1,400 pounds of celery, 1900
pounds of pumpkins and squash, 400
pounds of peas, 960 pounds of corn.
$500 pounds of potatoes, besidescucun
bers, asparagus, etc. The school has
pen of swine, noclls of chickens, Il herd
of fine nlilch COWS, and all the hay and
fodder for them and ten horses raised
on the farm.
During 1896, upon recommendation OF
Lieut.. Stottlcr, the government issued
5000 sheep for distribution among the
tribe, and SEQ for the school. The idea
is to have the Indians raise their own
mutton. and then cut off the supply at
beef, which cost the government $1,000
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 period
that Lieut.. Stottlcr 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 vegc-