The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-12-15

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!! MEAT
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NAvAJos INCREASING.
The Tribe Is Prosperous and Their
Numbers Have Doubled in
Thirty Years.

| the heritage OF the American lndlan
would do well to study the Navajo tribe.
In 1868 1t numbered 10000 souls. To-day,
through natural increase and not
through immigration, almost entirely
without admixture of other blood, there
are $4,000 Navajos. Every individual
tribesman appears prosperous. Many
of the bucks are rich, even from the
standpoint Of the white man. 1t is
roughly though conservatively esti-
mater that the tribe has 100000 sheep,
10000 head of cattle, 100000 goats and
horses in such numbers as almost to
defy enumeration. Horsefesh, indeed,
is one of the main food staples. The
ponies, not necessarily Of poor stock,
are unstable, even at three dollars
head. A very large percentage of the
wool crop is sold for shipment to Bos-
ton, just as is sold the crop Of the white
woolgTower. The Navajo blankets are
still famous, though the better speci-
mems are to be had only on payment
of seemingly exorbitant prices. One of
the main sources of the tribes revenue
now is from the sale of blankets that
cost the purchaser little if any more
than would blankets of ordinary mill
manufacture. Most of this modern
weaving is done, singular to relate,
with ordinary Germantown yarn,
brought 10 Arizona for the Indians by
the car load. If special colors are re-
quired by the Indian weavers recourse
is had to common dyes. Yet, despite
this strange admixture of aboriginal
handicraft and modern convenience, the
Indian has never before so prospered.
Little assistance is received by the
tribe from the general government, con-
sisting only in occasional gifts of wag-
ons and agricultural implements and
in the support of schools. Throughout
the Navajos have an independence that
is refreshing. While they have a his
tory far from peaceful the casual trav-
eler across the reservation is as safe
as he would be in New England vii
lage. Prospectors they dislike, dis
like shared by nearly all southwestern
tribes. But they appreciate fully the
power of the great chief in "Washin-
tona" and rarely molest fellow tribes
men or whites. Rugged health is the
attribute of almost every individual,
and there is every indication
that coming centuries will know
the Navajos as one of the
most considerable of the subdivisions
Of population in the southwest.
The Navajo reservation is the larg-
est in the union. Yet already it is too
small for the expanding tribe, fact APP
preciated in the Indian bureau. Ne
gotiations are in progress for the pur-
chase by the government of a consider
able number of land claims to the west
ward of the reservation. When these
have been secured the reservation line
win be moved a number of miles fur
ther toward the setting sun. This adj
vance of the Indian has in it nothing to
lation of northern Arizona. A large
part of the region now and hereafter
to be occupied is only grazing land at
the best, abounding in scenic features,
but lacking In water.
The main property rights to be SCI
cured are at Tuba City, on Moen Copie
Wash, 90 miles north of Flagstaff. Here
Mormons, numbering 13 families, have
been settled for Is years. They culti-
vaet about 800 acres of land, irrigated
by never-failing flow from Moen
Copie creek. At Tuba is expected to
arise the metropolis of the Navajos.
When the Mormons are dispossessed the
rich land win be divided up among a
number Of the more industrious In
dians, and, to start them well in mod
ern husbandry, the irrigation system
is TO be remodeled on the most approved
lines. On the site of the present traders
store win he built an Indian school. for
which an appropriation of $4,000 has
already been made. The older Indians
are not averse to progress and send
their children 10 school in all good viii.
The little ones arc remarkably bright
and learn English readily.
For such people as are these it is
easy to prophesy a prosperous future.
Yet pastoral must they ever remain,
eventually 10 become supreme in the
west in the rearing Of range cattle and
sheep. Their lands, with little excep-
ton, are not arabic and the scheme of
farms in severalty will never be tried
with them. The tribe must continue as
a tribe. a nation within our nation, in
dependent, yet willingly subordinate to
the white mans aufhorftv with a1-
vantage over the white man because
untaxed, thrifty and ever wealthy IN
the abundance Of their aocks.-