El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-29

sE state government Of Sonora feels that its first
duty Is the pacficaton of the Yaqui Indians either
BY diplomacy or by force Of arms" The statement IS
credited to Roberto v Pesquera financial agent for the
Caranza government IN the border district who has re-
turned to the United States from Hemosio, the capital
Of Sonora where he talked with Gov AdOO de Ia Huerta
Er Pesqueras statement has the color Of an Official
announcement and indeed he goes to say that the
Sonora government plans to invite all Industries TO
close down @while everyone takes the field to make
ual drive against the Indians either to externate
them to take them prisoners"
This sounds like a new declaration Of policy, but it
isn't The Mexican government has been exterminating
the yaqui Indians for long that many half grown
Yaoui Bow cannot remember when his tribe not at
war with the government The fact is that the policy Of
determination gives promise Of being successful within
the decade There too many Yaqu and they are
good fighters and they have the natural refuge of the
Bacatete mountains Sonora troops have tried mfny
times to storm Bacstete heights, but much advertised
beginnings have invariably led much censored endngs
Only has the Mexican government attempted to
coneate the Yaquis in the only way possible to con
cate them namely, by return Of their lands IN the faqu
valley which were stolen from than by constituencies
officials Of the old Diaz regime That the plan did not
succeed the fault Of both sides The Indians were
quite as much TO blame, because they demanded too
much as the Mexican commissioners because they
were willing concede too little That paIley took place
during the Madero administration, ended in disagree
ent and the Mexican government renewed its policy Of
determination which has been in force to this day.
There have armistces IN the intervening years,
generally of rather brief duration These armstoes in
varaby commenced when the government hard pressed
for troops TO meet revolutionary developments ana rea
zue the Yaquis the dependable fighters that
could be secured promised amnesty and lands to the tribe
If its members would join the federal army for the period
Of the emergency Yaquis, under Mexican command drove
Oedas forces out Of Guaymas and Yaquis formed the
backbone Of the Mexican army under obregon which broke
Villas power Celaya and Leon Yaqus have been rec
egnized as the hock troops Of Mexico in the past nine
wears But the Mexican government has never made
good in the matter Of restoring land to the Indians
Il Is true the Indians have been rather extreme IN de-
handing the return Of al their lands in the Yaqu valley
The Mexican government is much involved with trans
rs Of some Of the lands to private ownership partly Tor
eign that complete restoration would be impossible But
this does that plenty Of good land, highly fer
tile and vel irrigated land, Is not available IN the Yaqu
valley It may be that the Indians would be content now
having suffered much loss Of life and many haTdshps IN
their war against the government to accept much less
tan their original demands. plot Of land with water
right house. team Of mules wagon and plow for
each Indian adult male whether single OF the head Of
family would an offer hard to resist, especially II the
government went little farther and offered reasonable
money compensation for the lands impossible to return
The first part of the offer suggested is substantially that
which was made the Indians by the Aadero commits
sion but there talk then Of compensation FOR the
land which would remain in Mexican foreign ownership
The Yaqus are industrious and good farmers as ig
noant natives can be expected to be They have been able
to keep I'd their warfare against the Meeans only be
cause many Of the tbesmen have kept the money and