Bisbee daily review., 1907-02-01
NAVAJO INDIANS HIGHEST TYPE
 SAYS DAY
Apache County AssembIyman Declares They Excel All Other Tribes as Type of American Aborigine.

. Hon. s. E. Day, a member of the assembly from Apache county, had to ira'e! thirty miles through New Nexi. co Tn order to reek. Phoenix. He lives only three t-iles from the territorial line but the nearest railroad point to him is well on this side Of the line.
 Discoursing on the Indians of his neighborhood. he said
 The NayaJos are mainly a pastoral people. A little corn, squash, beans and wheat is raised, but just enough for their own use. But herding sneep and making blankets of the wool is the principal industry. They also work up great many Mexican silver coins into ornaments, bride bits, etc
 The NavaJos are undoubtedly the best Indians in the world, being self supporting. The government gives them nothing that would tend to pau perize or make them dependent on others for subslssencG No rations are issued but they are given wagons and faKm implements for doing a certain amount of work. A gooa wagon is earned by working thirty days, and a set of harness viii De thrown in If the Indian cares to labor a few days longer. As they work for all they get they have a good idea or the value of property.
 There are about 16,c00 on the res ervation. Many of them, however, have strayed off for some reason, usually water. Some of them are as far As forty miles south. and have taken up allotments, or homesteads on government land.
 "The Navajo is a good worker, but not reliable. He will work for you a little while. but when the first sing is held he Is gone, and nothing can keep him.
 -There is no regular time to have frostan dan othe rtust bef orer'ietao these sings One occurs just after frost and another just before frost ceases in the spring and at other times when people are sick wierd ceremonies are performed and strange prayers. have never known them to pray for anything bad, however. all ways for something that Is good ana not evil. NaVajos have many gods and are very superstitious about the copote and rsttlesnake. If a snake comes into one of their hogans' they endeayor to drive him away. If he gets on the fight shey reluctantly put an end to him. If he bites any one he Is followed up and slain.
 "If some dies an a hogan the dwelling is never occupied again. A hole is made in the rear, the body taken out and the building abandoned. They thind it is 'chindee' or haunted by evil spirits.
 Tt Is very hard to prevent white men and Mexicans from selling them whiskey and they are often drunk. A sort of intoxicating liquor called tis- win is sometimes made from corn, but it is much easier to secure the white mans fire water now.
 "The Navajos are all petty thieves and liars and are taught that it Is wrong not to steal if they have a good chance to do so without getting caught. They do not often steal cat tie or horses. The Indians will steal from each other as readily as from a white man.
 Fl have raised three boys right among the Indians. The boys speak the language fluently, have their con- fidence and know of many ceremonies and traits of character that are not known of by the outside world and not dreamed of by the casual ob- server"