Imperial Valley press., 1918-01-14
HAVE BEEN ON THE WARPATH
FOR MANY YEARS, AND MExI.
CAN AUTHORITIES ARE TO.
TALLY UNABLE TO COPE WITH
THEIR GUERILLA TACTICS,
SAYS A P. CORRESPONDENT
Campaign of Iron is Instituted
Against the Murderous Tribes by
Gen. Gales, Military Governor of
Sonora, Who is in Hot Pursuit of
the bands That Murdered Ameri-
cans
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Jan. IL
The Yaqui Indian has been the
trouble maker of northwestern Mexi-
co for generations and his recent out
break is but one of large number
which have occurred during the ad-
ministrations of Diaz, Madero and
other leaders.
Starting with the Bronco Yaquis
along the Rio Yaqui in southwestern
Sonora early in September, the revolt
has spread to many of the allied
tribes, including the Mansos Yaquis,
who have been peaceful in the past
and who derived their names from the
fact they worked with their hands.
In the rich Yaqui River valley of
southwestern Sonora the Indian up
rising has had it's center. The Indian
towns Of Potam, Vacuum, Bacum, La
Colorado and Suaqui Grande have
been scenes Of various Indian raids
and Mexican federal troops have
been unable to make any great head
way in conquering these warning
tribesmen. The revolt reached it's
height after the fall harvests of corn,
beans and garbanzo had been harvest.
ed. Storehouses where these crops
were put away for the winter were
looted and the Indians extended their
field of operations far into the north
toward Hermosillo, the capital. Am
1nunition and rifles were smuggled
across the Sonora border for them
: and number of engagements fought
between the Yaquis and the federals
resulted in the routing of the gov
ernment troops.
The basic cause Of the unrest
among these southwestern Mexico In
dians is the land problem. At one
time these Indians owned and titled
thousands Of acres of the most fertile
land in the republic whichwas water
ed by the Yaqui River. These lands
were gradually confiscated by the
various governments and parceled out
to favorites of the ruling powers.
The Indians claim they were given in
ferior lands in place of their original
holdings and insist upon the restora-
ton Of these tribal holdings. One Am
erican company now controls 100000
acres Of land in the Yaqui country,
much Of which is claimed by the In
dams.
During the days of President Diaz
the Yaquis were dispossessed of much
Of their fertile valley lands by Gen.
eral Torres, the federal governor of
Sonora. Large numbers were deport-
ed from the state by boat to the hot
lands Of Yucatan and to Tres Marias
Island, off the coast of Topic. This
was one of the chief grievances which
caused the Yaqui war. This war con-
tinued until the outbreak of the Ma
dero revolution when the Indians
joined with Madero against their
sworn enemies Of the old federal re-
gime.
General Plutarco Elias Wales has
undertaken mailed fist" campaign
against the Yaqui Indians in Sonora
to suppress the present uprisings. He
has intenred the peaceful Yaquis in
RECOMMENDATION camps and has order
ed all others hunted down and killed.
Wholesale deportations to the hot
lands Of Mexico have also been
threatened.
The Yaquis are divided into two
classes. One is the "bronco Yaqui''
which includes the fiercest of the
fighters and the sturdiest of the
tribesmen. The other class includes
the "mansos" or peaceful Indians.
Numbers Of attempts have been
made to convert these Indians to
peaceful ways. President Madero had
commission of Indians visit him in
Mexico City. Later he sent commits
sion to treat with the tribal leaders.
But the Indians claimed they were
not given back their promised lands
and were soon on the warpath. The
present uprising is said by officials
of the government to be the most
threatening since the days Of Diaz.
Dee Kimura won the suit brought
n~oiuCt him kvy Koncoc C:k,v