The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-15

We have a new example of the comprc.
hensive craftsmanship Of Gen. PoRFIRIo
D1Az, the President Of Mexico. Our Mex
lean contemporaries contain accounts OF
the negotiation Of the treaty of peace
between the Mexican Government and
that powerful and warlike tribe Of Indians
called the Yaquis, which has never been
subdued since the Spanish conquest Of
Mexico in the sixteenth century, and which
has always, until this time, refused to rec
ognize the authority Of the Mexican repub-
lie. They have been ruled by their own
laws, have refused to pay taxes, have kept
all intruders out of their domain, have got
the means Of subsistence In the territory
which they inhabit, and have successfully
resisted every attempt to s~ubjugate them.
All the efforts of Spain to reduce them
during the colonial period were as in
effectual as have been those of Mexico
since she became Independent. In the last
conflict with them, which occurred three or
four years ago, the Mexican troops were
unable to penetrate the mountainous re-
gion in which they live and took their de-
parture, as others had aiken it many times
within three hundred years. Our own
troubles with the Apaches, Cheyennes, and
other hostile tribes have been slight COM
pared to those of Mexico with the Yaquis.
1t is with these ~unconquerablc people
that President D1Az. half IN Indian him
| self, has negotiated a peace that promises
to be lasting. Having failed to vanquish
them by force of arms, he adopted a policy
of paci1cation advantageous both to them
and to Mexico. When he learned by eH-
p~erience that the brigands that infested
| Mexico could not be exterminated by any
force at his command, he offered to take
them into the service of the Government
as armed defenders of the public peace
with good pay. The offer was accepted;
they were put in UNIFORM; n they
have been so faithful for years in the per
Torrance of their duties that order has
taken the place of br~igandage in Mexico.
1t was probably the success thus gained
that led him to make the arrangement
which he has made with the Yaqui In
dams. He has provided for their orRaniza.
tion into a State militia as citizens OF
Mexico, and he has appointed Chief JETIA.
BALE as commander of the force at a salary
of $50 a month. AS the Yaquis have al.
ways been renowned for their bravery, it is
probable that they will render better ser
vice as militia than any other that has ever
existed in the State of Sonora.
The conversion of an invincible foe into q
serviceable friend has been accomplished
by diplomacy. 1t needed a philosophiC
statesman to effect the conversion.
In one of our Mexican contemporaries
there Is an account of a conference held neal
the city of Guaymas. The chief of the
Yaquis, escorted by o well-armed war
riors, rode to the place where the
Mexican Peace Commissioner, accompa
MED by a cavalry regiment, awaited him
and together they retired to a pavilion
that had been prepared for the occasion
The treaty was read its provisions wer,
discussed; it was approved by Yaqui ant
Mexican; it was signed by the representa-
tives of both sides; and then came tn,
time for a feast that was enjoyed by thu
high contracting parties. 1t was a cere
monious affair. 1t signalized the end of
war which has existed ever since Spain Sc
foot in Mexico.