Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-06-22
clWLlzINo THE ApAcAss.
REMARKABLE RESULT ACHIEVED BY AN
ARMY LIEUTENANT.

Otvt6t6tvO tUG SERSVSSs
REMARKABLE RESULT ACHIEVED BY AN
ARMY LIEUTENANT.
A marvellous transformation has taken
place on the Mescalera Apache Indian
reservation 10 southern New Mexico
within two years, during which period
V. Z. Stottler, lst lieutenant 10th In
fantry, United States army, has served
a. acting agent. The Indians number
nearly 800, one-ffth being children Of
school age. Nurtured Ia Ignorance and
superstition and reared In filth and lazi-
ness, these Indians have for 40 years
stubbornly refused 10 respond to the
governments efforts to civilize them.
For q generation they have received ra-
tons Of beef, coffee, -four, sugar, cloth
ing, farm implements, etc. 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, ad-
herring to their breechcl0uts and blankets
and long hair. With the millions ex-
pended 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 indulgent and paternal
government, and reserve their energy
for war dances and brawls. There were
25 strong, broad-shouldered bucks,
educated at the expense Of the govern
ment, running around the reservation In
paint and blanket. They were too lazy
sQuaws were married and living In filthy
tepees, while girls were usually taken
out OF school at 10 and II years OF age
aud sold for ponies into bondage worse
than death.
Lieut.. Stottler's predecessor had order
ed the bucks To cut their hair, and r rev.
olution resulted. They refused point
| blank and that settled Ii. Stottler's first
move WAS TO increase the rations OF the
police. He then informed them that
they must all put on uniforms under
pain Of duress. They reluctantly obey
cd. Then he ordered them to cut their
hair. This caused storm, and the mat
ter was allowed to rest for time. His
next command was to abandon the tepees
and move into the dwellings. All
children over five years old were ordered
TO attend school. This was too much,
and by the advice Of some Of the whites
petition was forwarded TO Washington
asking for Siottler's relief as agent. No
attention was paid to this request, and
the ringleaders were spotted and severely
punished. The chief Of police, an In
dian, had been one Of the instigstors In
this move, and he was discharged as
such and put on reduced ratiGus. Sew
eral OF the head men of the tribe were
ordered TO work and deprived OF the
Office OF Spokesman, under which sys-
TEN the other members made their wants
known through the agent. In this cspac-
II ty the head men had been allowed
extra rations and small salary, and
their reduction TO the ranks made IL
possible for any member Of the tribe "a
apply personally for what he needed Ia
the way Of land, implements, etc, for
the bucks now saw that II was work OF
starve.
This was an important point-,o break
the power of the chiefs and destroy
tribal relations. Ii was constantly i'm
pressed upon the Indians that In few
wears rations would be cut of entirely
and those who had not taken land for
cultivation would 20 hungry. At first
they laughed nc this, but the officer, by
way OF example, cut oil the food occa-
sionally, and they at last came 10 realize
that II would be very easy matter tC
stop all rations. This had sslutary
effect. and induced many Of them 10 x
To work. Every man and woman caught
manufacturing "tiswin" WAS made "a
understand that IL means long season
In the guard house on bread aud water.
Now all Is changed. The govern
ment's agent Is absolute master. Last
fall there WAS harvested from the irri
gated lands $1,000 pounds OF beets, 10.
600 pounds OF cabbage, 1000 pounds OF
cauliflower, $500 pounds Of turnips,
400 pounds OF onions, 800 pounds OF
radishes, 400 pounds of celery, 200t
pounds Of pumpkins and squash, 400
pounds Of peas, $50 pounds Of corn,
$500 pounds Of potatoes, besides cucnm-
bers, asparagus, etc. The school has q
pen OF swine, focks OF chickens, herd
of fine milch cows and all the hay and
fodder for them and 10 horses raised on
the farm. During 1896, upon recon-
mendation Of Lieut.. Stottler, the govern
ment 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 govern.
ment $1,000 In 1896. On July lst next
all rations except 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 vegeta.
bles. They all have cabins with cook
stoves and utensils. There Is no drunk
enness. Every man has ten head OF
sheep and like number for each mem
Der Of his family. Every child on thu
reservation Is at school. Every mar
has N wagon, harness and pillow. In two
years these Indians have been trans
formed from lazy, filthy savages in red
paint and breech clouts into reasonable
working human beings, with care fol
the morrow and u desire to become use
full citizens. The history OF government
Indian work has been series OF blum
ders from the beginning, but this seems
TO be marked exception to the rule
Santa Fe Correspondence OF st. Louis
Globe Democrat.