The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-07-04
Struggle against Advance Of
Civilization Assumes Threat
ening Proportions.

NOGALES. Ariz.. July AL
though the Yaquf Indians of Sonora
are said to have declared war on the
United States-at least SO far as
American settlers in their region are
concerned-and United States war
ships have been despatched to cope
with the ation----infor as
TO the process by which this declar-
alton OF war was made Is still lack
ing. 4 It fs known that the tribe re-
tafns q political organization. What
appears to be an almost mythical SUI
preme chief reigns in the hills above
their valley and is said to direct the
actions of the minor chiefs who have
taken groups of the tribe into the
Mexican warfare.
The Associated Press correspond
emit during a recent trip ITO the west
coast with Carranza. leaned this
and number of other interesting
things concerning the Yaquis, about
whom little true material has hith-
srto been published
Never Fully Conquered.
Although they have been in almost
constant warfare since the organize
ton of the Mexican nation, the va
uufs never have been fully conquered
or won over to European civiliza-
ton. But their struggle against the
advance of civilization did not as
sumo threatening preparations until
the recent revolutionary activities
gave them modern war munitions and
military training. Previously this
fined himself to guerilla fighting. The
arming of the Yaquis to take part
In Mexico's domestic quarrel made
possible their more extensive mill
tary movements, threatening not only
the American colonists In the Yaqui
valley about Guaymas. but the SOW
ereignty of the Mexican race along
that rich portion Of the west coast
The Yaqui region lies few miles
inland from the Important California
gulf port city of Guaymas. The In
dams years ago lost most of their
rich agricultural lands in the valley.
Their strongholds are in the hilly
country, from which strong positions
they make frequent raids on the
Mexican settlers in the valley below.
1t has been only recently that their
assaults were directed against tne
American settlers in the valley, who
had given the Indians profitable em-
ployment as 4aborers.
Enlisted as Troops.
The Yaqui was not considered an
especially dangerous neighbor until
the advent of the Constitutfonalist
revolution. With the separation OF
the CarranZa ana VITA IacllonS
struggle began between those two
parties in Sonora state. The Indians
already had been armed and enlisted
as troops in the ConstitutfonaliSt
army, doing the bulk Of the desper-
ate fghtfng in the contests for the
towns along the Arizona-Sonora bor-
der. These Indians were considered
"pacifico," or peaceful Yaquis. But
on opportune occasions they demand
ed the return of tribal lands. and
only would remain In the revolution
service after securing promises from
the factional leaders. For more than
a year, however. it has become evil
dent that the supposedly friendly va
qui was working in conjunction with
his wilder brother who had remained
in the hills. Arms and ammunition
in large quantities given to the In
dams enlisted in the Constitutionalist
army were Struggled on the backs of
Yaqui runners into the mountain
passes and there were hidden. The
enlisted Indians would return after
an Insignificant skirmish and demand
more ammunition. Their Mexican
officers did not dare to refuse it.
The situation became more serious
when Jose Marta Maytorena, the Viii