Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-15


these pathetic words:
There are only six Apaches living
who fought against the Government.
we and our children are held here as
prisoners of war. which we feel is un-
just. Some of oGr band who are held
in captivity. instead of fighting against
the Government. We're enlisted in the
United States Army and helped il. II
tends to make our people restless and
discouraged, feeling the great Injustice
done Them
Furthermore, their captivity Is not
merely nominal or constructive. as .is
sometimes claimed, but very real. even
though they are not in shaekles- or
surrounded by prison walls They
must report day by day to the officer
in charge for assignment to work. and
although perehance their own little
field needs tillings may be ordered out
TO ride the fence or prepare for the
branding camp. They may not leave
the reservation for more than a few
hours without permission, nor enter
into business arrangements of their
own. No member of another tribe win
marry into their captivity, so that now
they must marry in and in" to the
detriment of their offsprings. No
home with even a trifling plot of
ground which they may love and
beautify can be assured to them. To
be denied freedom, independence. love.
home-is this not captivity de facto?
few months ago the writer met
with the leaders of the tribe, who sat
around him in the moonlight in the
oh aafn f-ff
to two of the most thoughtful and best
educated of them he said: What is
the thing deep down in your heart
that you want most?" One said sim
ply. "A ilome,' and the other, "A place
l can call my own" The one has
never married because he had no home
to which he could bring the woman of
his choice. The other, welded legally
TO finely educated girl, and blessed
with beautiful children, longs for a,
place he can call his own where he
may harbor them.
Shall such heart cries pass unan-
sWered because a mans skin is red?
Shall innocent babies be born prison.
ers.and harmless, laughing children
grow up in captivity, because their
grandfathers taught against, or posi-
bly, for-thing of it, possibly for-the
United States Government? ''Intoler-
able" you say. How has. this thing
been possibe?' The explanation is
summed up in one woodland. Long
ago the Apaches would have been set
free had not the act involved the set
Element of their land rights
With the coming and going of the
Spanish War the martial spirit awoke.
the army was expanded, and Fort
Sill, instead of being abandoned, was
enlarged to regimenta1 post at a
cost of s1.250,0e0. while plans were
conceived and drawn for its develop
ment into an immense brigade estab-
lishment. For the execution Of these
ambitious designs, ii was deemed nee-
essary not only to retain the 23.240 acres
of the original military reservation in
tended for the Apaches, but also to alb
sorb the $4,000 acres given by the Kio-
was, Comanclfes, and Kiowa- Apaches
specifically flor the permanent settle
ment thereon of the Apache prisoners
of war" To this end there have been
repeated propositions looking to the
transportation of the band to some
Western reservation, with scant re-
gard for the rights of the Indians.
Unfortunately the old-time element
among them. drawn by the "call of
the Wild and the traditions of the
past, as well as the longing to escape
captivity at any cost, have cooperated
with the plan SO manifestly to their
disadvantage. The most potent factor,
at present however III preventing JUS
tice to these long-suffering people. is
| found in the selfish and clamorous OPP
position of the white population of the
region, with headquarters at Lawton.
Under the leadership of their Con-
gressional representatives they are
stubhornly opposing the settlement of
a single Apache in the vicinity on the
ground that the expansion of the pro-
,, posed brigade post would be thereby
curtailed. If this project should fail,
they want the country settled with
taxable white people instead of Indian
allottees on inalienable lands.
| Legislation ada piistii 10 the wishes of
both of these parties is now being
framed. and it is the earnest hope of
, all friends of the Indian that Congress
will bring an end to regime SO
, anomalous and unjust. Southern
IEorixnnan