Arizona republican., 1903-01-02

of the tribe wore brooches, and women of the vilest class wore dresses, per haps to advertise their calling, while the others wore none. This missionary taught his school for six years. until the establishment of the boarding school at Sacaton.
 "The older Indians ct this time could speak no English and were not mem bers of the church. They had no re- ligion beyond the medicine man. Vir- tue was an unknown quantity. The boys and girls held dances when they chose, unrestrained by their parent=, which lasted until morning, and mar riage and divorce were a matter of no consequence to them.
 The nation was wealthy, having plenty of wheat to trade and cattle to sell. They had good horses and sp:en- did saddles and brides to adcrn them The income of the Indians from their farms at that time amounted to fifty thousand, dollars yearly, or about lif- teen dollars each.
 That was the condition of the Pima thirty years ago. when that noble man, Rev. Charles Cook came among them
 To-day we find that the tribe has in creased in population; all wear cloth ing as good as tney can afford. and over two thousand profess Christianity and are members Of the church of God, recognizing the marriage ceremony, 9e- ing married by some clergyman and trying to control their children. In this respect. insisting that they arrive at a mature age before their marriage.
 Many of the older Indians have erected adobe or brick houses, with doors and windows, and furnished as nearly as possible like those of their white brethren.
 Not long ago I had occasion to visit an Indian home and asked to see an Indian boy. a former pupil of the Sa- eaton school The mother motioned to a room set apart from the main house, which I entered. and was sur prised 10 see that it had a we'll kept appearance, equal to any bedroom, ex- cept. perhaps, the furnishings were not so expensive.
 Their thrift is unquestioned; they have been self-supporting Up to five years ago. but the successive dry years have deprived them of wa5er for irrl- gation. hence it has impoverished them to such an extent that it has been nec- essary to issue wheat and flour for sus- tenarce. You cannot call this condi- ton else than a misfortune as a Pima never bcgs unless necessary to sustain life.
 If water were provided, by means Of pumping plants or through the con- structiOn of the San Carlos reservoir. the Pima would soon be a seIf-supporl> ing. Independent individual. and as . tribe, who has auopted Christianity and education, would soon be a credit to the government and be useful citi- zens.
 By comparison I leave the ladies and gentlemen of the institute to judge Of the advancement of the Pima.
 Thirty years ago they were intelH
 Thirty years ago the were ignorant but had wealth and were industrious.
 Today they are Christians, are edu- cated. 10 some extent, are poor, but are still industrious
 The great progress of the Pima is due, in part. to the unfailing efforts of Rev. Charles Cook, who has made iU his life's work to civilize them. and has spent over thirty years in their service, and to other missionaries. as well as to the excellent educational policy of our government.
 With the great int crest taken in the Indians by our pre-ert commissioner and his cO-workers. 1r1 the organized efforts of our band Of workers. we will make further advaTcC--ent and make the Pima an intelligent, useful. law abiding citizen"