El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-12

to the south of them not favored by
irrigation. They have learned readily
at the government Indian School and
their progress towards modern civiI'za-
ton has been regarded as one of the
encouraging features of the Indian
problem. During the last ten years
their irrigating water-their life
blood-has been taken away from
them and they are perforce lapsing
into Incidence, misery, and vice.
The waters of the ella. above them,
have been diverted by white settlers
and instead of waving fields OF green,
they now, during the summer, look
out upon the dry parched earth. ear
after year they plowed, and sowed and
irrigated their crops, only to see them
with err and die before maturity owing
to lack of sufficient irrigation water IN
the dryer months. A few who are
favorably located at points where water
appears in the dry bed of the CHA, can
still mature their crops, others can exc
out bare existence by hauling wood
or other precarious employments while
the la ger number have become more
or less dependent upon charity or have
degenerated into thieves aud vaga-
bonds.
About 600 of these Indians are
dependent for their subsistence upon
the lands of the reservation which
contains $50, 900 acres while the water
supply in the ella last year, owing to
use for lands above. had not been
sufficient to irrigste 1000 acres be-
longing to the Indians. Fully half the
crops planted have not produced
enough for seed, notwithstanding the
great fertility Of the soil. Two acres
per Indian of irrigated land have been
shown by competent authority. as
ample land for their use and comfort.
Government engineers have pointed
out the solution of the problem through
the building of 8 storage reservoir on
the ella which will supply water
not only for the Pimas, but for thousa nds
Of other Indians whom the government
could then move to this reservation
and commence the process of education
and agricultural civilizations Statesmen
have urged upon the government the
necessity for such action. from stand
points of justice, humanity, and even
economy, bat thus far Congress has
turned a careless ear to such eutresties.
Had the Indians been private Amer
lean citizens, they could have claimed
their rights aud enforced them. but be-
ing wards of the nation. others have
come in and taken their water to which
they have had undisputed title for four
hundred years, aud the government
turns indifferently away even direct
ing its attention to new wards thous
ands of miles distant, while its origin
al friends aud allies a-e left to steal
and beg an existence or starve.
The United States has expended large
sums of money for the Introduction of
irrigation on the Indian reservations
where 1t is desired to educate the
Indian into agricultural habits as
means to his civilization. Here is
tribe Of Indians who have for centuries
been engaged in agriculture by irriga-
tiOn, and who we're until recently the
only successful irrigators in Arizona.
They are now deprived of Their water
t trough the agency of the white man,
dir sctly encouraged by the United
States government. IL It not an impera-
tivs oblig CATION of honor upon the Amer
people that their supply should be
rest pred to them: The only means lies
through the construction by the
government of a storage reservoir on
he ella. And instead of the uncertain
possibility of elevating a savage or