The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-07-08
INDIANS DECLARE WAR AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES.

INDIANS DECLAkE WAX AUAlNSl lnE
UNITED STATES.
The Yaquis in Sonora, Mexico, at
War With Us.
Noeales, Arlz., Especial. AL
though the Yaqui 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 Observation-Disclosures as
to the process by which this declara-
ton of war was made is still lack
ind It is known that the tribe re-
tains political organization. What
appears to be an almost mythical
s,1preme 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 trlDe
into the Mexican warfare. =,
The Associated Press correspond
ent. during recent trip to the west
coast with Carranza, learned this
and a number of other interesting
things concerning the Yaquis, ABOUT
whom little true material has hlther-
to been published.
Although they have been in al
most constant warfare since the
or6anization of the Mexican nation.
the Yauuis never have been fully
conquered or won over to European
civilization. But their struggle
AGAINST the advance of civilization
did not assume threatening proper
tons until the recent revolutionary
activities gave them modern war
munitions and military tralnlne
Previously this most warlike Mexl-
can Indian had confined himself to
guerilla fighting. The arming OF the
Taouis to take part in Mexicos
domestic quarrel made possible their
more extensive military movements.
threatening not only the American
colonists in the YaQui valley ABOUT
Guaymas, but the sovereignty OF
the Mexican race along that rlcn
portion of the west coast.
The Yaqui region lies a few miles
inland from the important California
gulf port city of Guaymas. The In
dams years ago lost most OF tnelr
rich AGRICULTURAL lands in the valley;
Their stroneholds are in the hill
country, from which strong posi-
tons they make frequent raids on
the Mexican settlers in the valley
below. 1t only recently has been
that their assaults were dlrecteo
AGAINST the American settlers IN
the valley, who had given the Indians
profitable employment as iaoorers:
The Yaqui was not considered an
especially dangerous neighbor until
the advent of. the Constitutionallst
revolution. With the separation OF
the Carranza and Villa factions a
struggle began between those two
parties in Sonora State. The In
dams already had been armed and
enlisted as troops in the Constltu-
tionalist army, doing the bulk of the
desperate fighting in the contests
for the towns along the Arizona
Sonora border. These Indians were
considered "pacifico," or peaceful
Yaquis. But on opportune occasions
they demanded the return OF their
tribal lands, and only would remain
in the revolution service after secur.
ine promises from the factional
leaders. For more than year
however, it has become evident
that the supposedly friendly Yaqul
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 smuggled on the backs
of YaQui runners into the noun
tain passes and there were hidden
The enlisted Indians would return
after an insignificant skirmish and
demand more ammunition. Thell
Mexican officers did not dare to re-
fuse it.
The situation became more serious
when Jose Maria Maytorena, the
Villa governor of the State, brought
the Yaqui troops into northern Son
ora. Previously they had been uset
only against Huerta's federal troops
about Guaymas. Maytorena's Yaq
uis took part in the attack on thu
Carranza' garrisons at Nogales
Naco and Cananea. In forme
: wears under the Diaz administration
these Indians had been driven int
southern Sonora by continued fight
ing along the Arizona border in which