Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-12-08

from those who did not plant as he d.
rected. This was all done at a time that
was more u~nfavorable for such progress
than has since existed.
He seems to question the motive of
persons who are interested in the pre-
.servation of our forests, and states that
the reason that the agent in charge
does not want the reserve opened is that
the agent is afraid of losing his job.
Let us enlighten the gentleman a little.
HiSignorance of Indian matters seem to
be rather dense for a person who wishes
to succeed in accomplishing the opening
of the reservation. He has not yet
learned his little piece very well. The
positions of United States Indian Agent,
clerk, physician, blacksmith, teamster,
Indian assistant, three assistant farm
ers, and eight police, II positions, have
all been abolished since ohe present in
cumbent has had charge of the agency,
and all by request and on his recon-
mendation. The reservation and agency
are now in charge of the superin-
tendent of the Mescalero Boarding
school. The superintendent job does
not depend a particle on whether the
reservation is thrown open or not. In
fact he would have less work and less
responsibility if it were opened. The
reservation has been in charge of only
two Army ollicers-one was opposed to
having the reserve thrown open and
recommended that these Indians be Civ.
Ell more rations and more clothing. The
other officer did wish it thrown open.
Not all civilian agents were opposed to
the reservation being opened. The
facts are that two civilian agents want
ed it opened. and did succeed in having
a strip on the north and one on the west
opened. Personally we do not know
what the gentlemans motives are for
desiring that the reserve be opened, we
do not care. We have been informed
that he has been employed by a lumber
corporation to have this reservation
opened. We have also listened to a long
drawn out story by the attorney of the Ell
Paso and Northeastern Railroad as to
Mr.. Stephens motive in introducing his
bill. From the apparent i%mprobability
of his story the. chances are that the
attorney had been misinformed or else
he was simply another" Mr.. Perea's
action in opposing the bill was very COM
mendable, he should receive the appro-
baton of all citizens of the territory of
new Mexico, and of all persons who are
interested in the preservation of our
forests and Il water supply. Mr..
Stephens wishes to relieve the govern
ment of the burden of supporting these
Indians" The government now furnish
es two police, one field matron, and one
engineer at a cost of only $500 per
annum to look after the interests of the
Indians and to keep the "Tejanas" out.
In the eyes OF some people it is a horrible
crime of the government to expend a
little drip of money in the territory of
New Mexico. 1t would be all right,
however If about ten million dollars
were sunk in a dam at Ell Paso, Texas.
We have also been informed that
"men of influence and money! were be-
hind the scheme to open the reserve,
and that it would be done in spite of the
objections and opposition of the people
the Territory of New Mexico. Pos
sibly. Are men of influence and money
seeking land for settlement or for home
stead purposes? Is it not likely.
He also states that if thrown among
Americans they will be given the bene-
tit of schools, churches, etc. What are
the conditions of the institutions around
this reservation? These are the facts.
There is a small school at T%ularosa, N.
M, 10 miles distant, maintained at ir-
intervals, some years none
whatever, and very much overcrowded.
There are no facilities at present, nor is
there any likelihood that there will be
in the near future, for the accommoda-
ton of more than one-third of the chill
dren in that district. There ara no
facilities for the white children
Of settlers who now reside within the
limits of the reserve. They'have no in
struction whatever except as they are
by their parents. The hundreds
Of white children surrounding the reser-
get no schooling except at irregu-
lar intervals, about three months every
two or three years. Many of them grow
into manhood and womanhood without
being inside of a school house, for
the reason that it is forty or fifty miles
from their home to a school. Would
these Indians take advantage of school
facilities if placed within reach? Of
not. We find it necessary to
the children into school, often
ind it necessary to use threats of the
guard house, imprisonment, or the bust
ness end of a policeman's revolver in or
Ter to cause some refractory old man or
squaw to see the wisdom of permitting
lis or her grandchild to be educated.
Do Indians take advantage of school fa-
in any state? Say for instance,
Michigan. Do white people encourage
heir attendance, and their association
With their own children? DO not whites |
lebar the Indian, just as the negro is
lebarred in the great state of Texas?
DO not give US SO much popycock, SEN
mentality and rot about the Indian,
i've us a few facts. let US use a little
lorse sense, and apply business methods
little more; the Indian will fare better
ven If some body does o get his land.
We are certainly opposed to haying the
opened on misrepresentation. If
he timber is wanted, say so, open it up,
ut it off; but do not open it for settle
lent and have a lot of poor people
pend their last dollar getting into this
onntry only to find that they will have
0 buy ever water enough to drink.
In order that the people of the ter
tory may understand the conditions
n this reservation the following is Civ
The Mescalero Apache Indian Reser-
alton contains 474. $40 acres and is sit
ated IN the northeastern corner of
'tero county, New Mexico. Otero
ounty is located in the southeastern
of the territory OF New Mexico,
nd was recently formed from parts of
iona Ana, Socorro, and Lincoln coun-
es. The reservation lies in the Sac
amento and White Mountains (Siorra
~lanca), has an elevation of from 5000
$4,000 feet and is composed of narrow
anons, rolling table lands and preci-
'us and rugged mountains. The higher
bile lands and mountain sides are
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