Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-05-13
SANTA FE n M, THURSDAY, MAY l3 1897

eastern citizens who have never seen An
Indian, would olothe and feed at the ex-
pense of the government, and civilize by
moral suasion Here are set forth the
results of some 20 years of moral suasio IN,
not especially brilliant il must be ad-
mitted.
The agent before Lieutenant Stottler
had ordered the bucks to cut their hair,
and a small revolution resulted. They
refused point blank and that settled it.
Lieutenant 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 obeyed. Then he ordered
them to cut their hair. This caused a
storm, and the matter was allowed to
rest for time. His next command was
to remove all the teepees from the cabins,
which was obeyed. Several girls had not
returned to school from the vacation of
the previous year, and their parents,
cousins, aunts, unoles, brothers and sis.
ters, were deprived of rations and or
ders issued that at the beginning OF the
school year on June l, all children S
years old and upwards, must be plnced
in school, whether their parents we're
willing or not. This was too much, and
by the advice of some of the whites a
petition was forwarded to Washington
asking for Stottler's relief as agent. No
attention was paid to this request, and
the ring leaders 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 spokesmen, under which
system the other members made their
wants known to the agent. In this
capacity the head men had been allowed
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, for the bucks
now saw that it was work or starve.
This was an important point, to break
the power of the chiefs and destroy tribal
relations. It was constantly impressed
upon the Indians, that in a few years
rations would be cut off entirely, and
those who had not taken land for cultiva-
tion, would 60 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 salutory effect and
induced many of them to 60 to work.
THE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER COMMENCES.
The manufacture of "tiswin," as we
have already seen had been for many
years a curse to the tribe. Those engaged
in this work were arrested and put in the
guard house, and an order issued that
after certain date, any camp harboring
this stuff, would be burned. This broke
up the liquor trade. The order for hair
outing was issued but no attention was
paid to it. Then the agent induced one
of his policemen to cut his hair as spe-
ciel favor. His wife made life burden
for him, and he in turn begged Lieuten-
ant Stottler to have the other policemen
do likewise. They were told by the agent
that unless they obeyed the order, they
must leave the police force, and after
time they reluctantly complied. Follow
ing up this advantage, every ons in the
tribe who had ever attended school yer
com PEELED to cut his hair and put on
civilized clothing. It was necessary to
put several in the guard house, before
they would obey this order, but they
came around gradually and finally all
com piled. Then the order was extended
to the whole tribe and obeyed, for by
this time they had come to realize
that Lieutenant Stottler was master.
Civilized clothing was issued to every
man in the tribe, and they were given to
understand that failure to wear it,
would mean confinement at hard labor in
the guard house. Now they come to the
agent and ask for scissors and comb for
hair cutting and the clothing of white
men. All this was accomplished in q
little less than a month, and the change
is permanent, they would not 60 back now
to the old style if allowed to.
SCHOOLS ARE FULL OF CHILDREN.
One hundred per cent of the children
are now attending school, the force of
which comprises two teachers, matron,
.aundress, cook, assistant cook, seam
stress, industrial teacher and carpenter.
All vacations we're abolished during 1895.
To allow the children to 20 home two
months during the summer, meant lapse
into the Indian ways, and the old mode of
life. In this short period the effect of the
schooling would have been entirely de-
stroyed, 30 Lieut.. Stottler cut of the vaca-
tion entirely. Each child has half day in
the class room and the other half at indus
trial work. The girls take turns at the
kitchen, laundry and sewing room, and the
boys chop wood and farm under the in
dustrial teacher.
Fourteen Indian policemen are allowed
the agent to enforce his orders. Their
duties are confined principally to herding
the beef cattle. Each policeman had a
cabin, beside which they had every one
built teepee in which they insisted upon
sleeping They refused to wear uni
forms, but clung to leggings, clout and
blankets.
THE STATE OF ArTA1Rs IN 1896.
During 1896 there was raised on the
farm $4,000 pounds of beets, 10000
pounds Of cabbage, 1000 pounds of eau
liflower, $500 pounds of turnips, 1,4OO
pounds of onions, 500 pounds of radishes,
i,4U0 pounds OF celery, 1000 pounds of
punkins and squash, 400 pounds of peas,
$50 pounds of corn, $500 pounds Of po.
tstoes, besides cucumbers, asparagus, etc.
The school has pen of swine, focks Of
chickens, a herd of fine milch COWS, and
all the hay and fodder for them and ten
horses is raised on the farm.
During 1896, upon Recommendation OF
Lieutenant Stottler, the governments is-
sued 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 out of the supply OF
beef which cost the government $500
In 1896. On July l, 1897, all ratione ex.
cept beef will be cut of.
These indians have been made nearly
| laslf-annnnrfinr within the brief period