Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-03
YAQUIS DIRECTED
BY MYTHIC CHIEF
Associated Press Correspondent
Learns PeeuEIaxities OF Indians
On Visit ITO Hanufs.

Acgaies. Ariz,, July although
the YaGuf Indians sof Sonora are said
TO have declared mar on the United
States-ats least 50 far as American
settlers in*their region are concerned
and Unt1ea States warships have
been dispatched 10 scope with the sit
uation- information as to the process
by which this declaration of war was
made is still lacking. 1t ia known
that the tribe retain a political or
ganization. What appears to be All
almost mythical supreme chief reigns
in the hills above the ir valley and is
said 10 direct the actions Of the minor
chiefgs who have taken groups of the
tribe into the Mexican. warfare
The Associated PreBs correspond
ent. during recent tiiip 10 the west
coast with Carranza. learned this and
q number OF other interesting things
concerning the Yaauis, about whom
little true Anaterial has hitherto been
published.
Although they have ibeen in almost
constant warfare since the organiza-
ton OF the Mexican ma tion, the Yaquis
never have been fully conquered or
won over to European civilization.
But their struggle aga inst the advance
of civilization did not, assume threat
enfng proportions until the recent rev.
oiutionary activities gave them mod
ern was munitions and military train
ing. Previously this most warlike
Mexican Indian had confined himself
to guerilla fighting. THE arming Of the
Yaquis TO take part in Mexicos do
mestie quarrel made possible their
more extensive military movements,
threatening not only the American
coIonists In the Yaqui valley about
Guaymas. hut the sovereignty of the
Mexican race alongethat rich portion
of the west coast
The Yaqui regionj lies a few miles
inland from the important California
gulf port city of Gusgmas. The Indians
years ago lost most of their rich agri-
cultural lands in the valley Their
stronghoids are in the hill country, |
from which strong positions they make |
frequent raids on the Mexican settlers |
in the valley below. It has been only |
recently that their assaults we're d. /
rected against the American settlers |
IN the valley, who had given the In |
dians neutrality-suspicious. as labor /
ers.
The Yaqui was not considered an es- /
pecially dangerous neighbor until the /
advent OF the Constitutionalist revo- /
lutiou With the separation of the |
carranza andfVIlla factions a struggle |
began batween those two parties in /
Sonora state THE Indians already had /
been armed and enlisted as troops in |
the Constitutionalist army. doing the |
bulk of the desperate fighting in the |
contests for theA towns along the Ari !
IONA Sonora borier These Indians
were considered "pacifico," or peace
full Yaqnis. Butt on opportuue occa
sions they demssfded the return of
their tribal lands and only would re-
main In the revelation service after
securing promises from the factional
leaders. For more than a year, how
ever, il has become evident that the
supposedly friendly @YaQui was work
ing in conjunction with his wilder
brother who had remained in the hills.
Arms and ammunition in large guam
titles given TO the Indians enlisted in |
the Constituencies army were Snug
gled 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 ammuni-
ton. Their Mexican officers did not
dare to refuse 1T.
The situation became more serious
when Jose Maria Maytorena, the villa
governor of the state, brought the
Yaqui troops into northern Sonora.
Previously they had been used only
against Huerta's federal troops about
Guaymas Maytorena's Yaquis took
part in the attacks on the Carranza
garrisons at NogaIes, Naco and Can
anea In former years under the Diaz
administration these Indians had been
driven into southern Sonora by con-
tinued fighting along the Arizona Dor
der in which they met the federal
"rurales." Mexfeo's rural police which
was considered the most efficient fight
ing arm of the former dictator The
forcefui exiting into southern Mexico
OF large numbers of Yaqui men had
failed TO break the warlike spirit of
the race.
Rumors asserted that the Yaqui |
leaders were controlling the Maytor
aua government These were denied 10
officially until the more recent devel-