Arizona republican., 1898-03-03

als, and were prosperous. Since that time the settlers on the upper Gila have built canals and have drained the river and left the Indians in pov- erty and suffering.
 In the spring of 1895 Col. J. Roe Young. superintendent at the Pima agency, complained to the Indian com missioner at Washington of the wrongs done to his Indians, and asked that a corps of photographic engin- eers be sent to view two or more sites on the Gila, fourteen miles east of Florence at the Buttes, and on Queen creek, tributary And as a result, MT. Arthur P. Davis was sent for this purpose, in December of that year, with force of competent men, who performed the work assigned, spend- ing six months at the task.
 In March, 1S97 Mr. Davis made his report to congress through his chief, MT. F. H. Newell, Photographer, as Document 27, Fifty-fourth Congress, Second Session." For the time spent and the means at hand, the report is excellent, and shows faithful service, and skill. This document states that the cost of construct ing a reservoir at the Buttes, including land owned by settlers be- low, and s15,0O0 annual expenses for running, is $2,244,0O0. Governor Hughes, in his report for 1895, states that the Papagoes in Pima county stole cattle from the stockmen at loss of s6O,O00 annually, and solely to keep their families from starving! All those 4,000 or more Papagoes, when this reservoir is built ha Pimas, and, like them, become self supporting When these 5000 In dians are supplied with water for ir- rigation, the surplus, as the above doc ument shows, can be utilized by the settlers, who, in payment for land, wa ter rights and water rents. will, in less than ten years, return the entire cost to the government. It is estimat- ed that it will cost s250,000 annually for many years to support these 5000 Indians in idlenesS and worth essness.
 Now, as a matter of economy, is it not cheaper and wiser for the govern ment to construct said reservoir and make good citizens of them? A clause calling for 1000 to investigate water storage on the Gila and it's tributaries looking to the construction of said reservoir, was inserted in the Indian appropriation bill, passed the house and went to the senate and by the committee was stricken out! Far be it from me to criticise that act They had not the information on which to base judgment, and there was not time to investigate the urgent demand for the call. Had those men been able to see the wrong and bitter cruelty of de- priving those patient suffering India s of means of support, they would had 1 never perpetuated so direful calamity But if they will reconsider and rein state that clause, there is time to av Tt the terrible evil and retrieve their honor. Will the conferees, in whose hands the power lies, unanimou :ly rec ommend such action? Last fall a hundred or more Pimas sowed wheat expecting rain to mature it, but the rain came not and the seed was lost, and the government must feed them and their ponies, or both must suffer- | Of those Indians 43O are now mem bers of the Presbyterian church under the veteran missionary, Rev. c. H. ! Cook, who has been their pastor over twenty-seven years. The writer has ] lived close to them nearly ten years and knows whereof he atfirms. He has come 5000 miles to plead that their wrongs be righted, and if he returns without this clause reinstated it will be sad day to him and more sorrow ful to them.
 It was through Secretary Bliss of the interior and Marcus A. Smith, delegate | to congress, that the clause was in- l serted and passed the house, and the writer's object in coming and remain
 ing, is to aid MT. Smith in obtaining justice to these Indians and relieve
 their sufferings.
 Is it not the voice of all patriots
 and philanthropists and the constitu-
 ents of every senator and representa-
 tive that this plea be granted?
 Gentlemen of the press, well do
 know that you are hard worked ant generous hearted body of puNic ser , vants- You receive curses when vol l deserve blessings, and co;dness where , you have earned commendation. , would not trouble you, but the burde1 7 IS laid on me. and I mistake, if yo, ) will not be glad to lend a lifting hand l have left my home and come 300 , miles to attain this object On m, field I have been preaching nearly to,