The Washington herald., 1908-08-02

] - years ago The 1aquts have always
been a free and independent people Even
in The sixteenth century. when Herman
Corfez overthrow the empire Of the Monte
zumas. the Taqui people restrained their
Independence in their native hills Of So
nora.
/ When the Mexican patriots cast OF the
Spanish yoke. these brave Indians fought
IN -he ranks OF the revolutionists. and
helped 20 achieve Mexican independence.
Af-sr the establishment Of the Mexican
republic. they became embroiled with the
new administration. and have been fight
Ing the Mexican authorities intermittently
ever since
Long, FerOciOus Struggle.
/ It has been a ferocious struggle. a com
bat TO the death. with no quarter on
either side. The Yacuis have been grad
ually eXterminated. and thousands o.
| Mexican regulars and r7lraIes have
found bloody graves IN pursuing an eIu-
sive and death-dealtug foe.
The Yaquis in large numbers enlisted in
the ranks of the revoIutionists. who start
ed 10 overthrow the Diaz government
along the northern border the early part
OF July
/ Notwithstanding the recent announce
ment in the press dispatches from Mexico
I that the Taqui Indians had agreed 10 sur
{ render % the Mexican forces they have
resumed their hosulities against the Mex
I Jean troops and all others they may have
| CHANGED 10 encounter
The Taqui struggle for Independence
has been going on for ten years and
hardly has a parallel IN the history Of the
Z years the Yaquis have fought army after
army q Mexican troops. whipping them
/ in many bloody engagements. and have
I often CUrEeueTaied and defeated Ihc fs-
I nous rursIes Cf the Mexican govern
ment.
/ The negotiations for a treaty OF peace
! between the Mexican government and
these wild men OF the hills were almost
completed the early part Of June but fell
through
Ire treaty q peace had gone SO fs-
that 80 q the red warriors surrendered
tneir arms 20 representatives. Of the gov
ernmeut near TORN. and AZ that tine
there were stiH over SEQ EOstiles remain
ing 81 the mountains
Fighting for Over a Century.
The Yaquis have conducted an inter
rnit;ent warfare. OF and on. for more
than 70 years with the Mexican govern
meut At the beginning OF this conflict
over q century ago. the TsGuis we're a
powerful nation. and were able 70 put an
army of e1'o1 men IN the field.
Although they received Christianity
from the Spanish pioneer priests they
steadfastIy refused. even when Mexico
was a vice royalty of Spain 10 submit
20 Spanish rule When Spain was driven
from Mexico they assisted the soldiers
OF the revolution in achieving i1depend-
ence. hut afte-ward turned on their allies,
and for more than Il years have been
A. war. Whenever they were defeated
I ir the field by the Mexican troops. they
{ refraatef 70 the mountains and wdEed
. an unreIentinE guerrilla warfare These
/ struggles were most blood-thirsty- and
Z quarter was neither given nor asked by
either side When exhausted by long
struggles there would be short interval
Z Of peace but neither the Indians nor the
I government Ct Mexico would again PIE
{ cIpitata the conflict They have robbed
and murdered ranchmen. miners. and
prospectors without number. and have
been. with few exceptions, able 20 escape
I % the hills
IN return. they have been shot tor
/ tured. hanged. and depor5ed by the Msxi-
/ can government. Several times large num-
hers OF Yaqui families have been de
| ported 70 Yucatan and OZaca- where
they were virtually slaves on immense
plantations owned by MeIicaus-
l Il is Impossible 20 estimate the number
I Of Taquis who have been slain in battle
or executed bv the -urales Half-growu
boys are condemned 20 death as often as
the men. During the past two years
tness Indians have ambushed and killed
over So persons. and the NeKiCaus have
I killed. or deported. nearly 200 Of them
Enormous Cost of the War.
The cost Of this prolonged warfare has
been tremendous The actual loss of life
4 can never be actually computed The
property loss. by conservative estimate
during the past two years Is easily over
I S510N,oo0.
/ The rurales and other Mexican troops
have been known 20 torture prisoners in
. order 70 make them give information
against their fellows. but in every case
this has been entirely without success.
: They will not. under any compulsion. be-
tray their friends. But curiously enough,
after they are captured they make not
the slightest attempt 10 escape their own
rate. They confess. and Justify whatever
outraees they have committed. and walk
out calmly 10 the scene Of their execu-
ton. They accept the fortune q war
with impassive faces. possibly Preferring
/ Immediate death TO rotting on a banana
hacienda o. TUcatan.
A witness OF one Of these executions. in
I a recent newspaper article, described il
Z as follows
l With an escort Of Mexican troops. he
was passing from the city Of Gusymas
70 q mining point in the interior. They
[ camped at water hole the second night
Of the journey. and party OF vaQueros
| brought in three captured Yaguis- They
I were all boys. none Of them over eighteen.
! and were as stOfcal as an Apache. though
/ they knew they would shortly be killed,
/ without even the sembIance OF a trial A
/ conversation took place as 70 whether the
! prisoners would be shot OF hanged The
/ youthful YaQuis, though they heard this
I conversation and understood Il. betrayed
not the least interest. It was decided to
shoot them
They were marched few rods from
| TIE camp half a dozen troops lined mp
/ in front OF them. there was a sharp word
/ OF command. and the next instant the
/ Yaquis fell over dead. pierced by MauseT
/ bullets The troopers and the vaqueros
returned laUghly to supper. leaving the
bodies where they had fallen
The Country of the Yaquis-
| The country Of the Yaquis lies in north
west Mexico. close TO the Arizona line.
They belong to the same racial tribe as
the Pimas. Yumas. PapagOes. and Mari
! fonaz Of Southern Arizona the Huala-