Arizona republican., 1899-05-08
PHGNIx. MAY 8. 1sse.
ARIZONA AT OMAHA.

The United States Indian commits sion is taking steps to strengthen the
 idea that prevails largely in the east that Arizona is given over to Indians
 and cacti by exhibiting at the Omaha
 exposition soc Arizona Indians and specimens of the cacti of this region.
 The Indians are to be drafted from
 every tribe in the territory and the cactus shcw is to ex5and tl1i every va
 rieity that grows in Arizona. Indians and cacti, What an al1uIing picture
 for homeseekers to gaze upon! What an interesting story it will tell of the possibilities in mining, in grazing and in agriculture in the treasure terri toryi There can be no dougt that
 this display, made possible through the enterprise of the Indian oommis- sion, will lead all others at the expo siItich in point of general interest. Of course there will be plenty of people who will desire to see the Patagonians ard FilipinoS and other curios that the exposition will provide, but the great majority will hover about the Arizona section and feast their eyes On the real thing" in redskins and p.ickly pears and s2huaras. Why not? Hasn't the eastern world been S ven to understand through the me 1fEm of, 'qThe Arizona Kicker Wolf vflle," Captain Kings novels, and cor respcndents of tie New York Sun and other eastern papers that Arizona abaunds in these products? Of course | there are plenty Of Indians elsawhere; | New York has several reservations, 50 has Pennsylvania, and the Indian Territory is full of them, but Arizona | heads the redskin proce ssion in the eastern imagination, and the com1nis- sloner of Indian affairs doubtless feels that he will be slaking a popular thirst for sight of Indians -tas are" Indians by sending trainload of Arizona red people to camp on the exposition grounds. If to the lay mind it appears queer that he should cal for a full line of cacti in connection with this shlcw a reasonable explanation will be that he desires to demonstrate the wonders that have been wrought in the de- veicpmen:t of race that slli1sists en- tirely upon this product of the Ari- ZcnIa desell5. The commissioner of Indian affairs is t3 be complimented upon his action in the interests Of Arizona and the gayety of the world at large. While the withdrawal of all these leading citizens and the thinning out of some of cur handScme1t and most profitable cactus groves will work a temporary hardship there is no doubt that It will be borne with Spartan for titude by the remaining inhabitants, particularly in view of the bo6m in Arizona investms nts that is certain to follow. It may be that some envicms Arizonians will try to belit.Ie the h. dnin commissioners show by getting up a display of minerals and agricul- { tura1 and horticultural products and fine horses and cattle and a few other things that venturesome customers have found to exist in this te-ritcry. It is doubtful, however, if such a pa1pa- ble slight upon the Indian commission would be tolerated in Arizona. Be- sides, tt has been Arizona's policy as territory to ignicre the benefits pop rlar.y supposed to flow from organized at great expcSitions. The ( commissioner of Indian affairs is evil I dently aware of this policy and in tends ito make uD for the ts-ritcry's shyness. Every friend Of Arizona should take off his hat to the commls t sfoner and bid him God-speed in his effort to shcIw the world what an ideal spot Arizona is
 3