The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-18
ATSOME|HO|ANSOR|nK
PENALTIES PRESCRIBED
Harmless Liquids Blended With KNOCK
Out Druss-Whits Muis md Hsd
Ink a. Beverages-Jemascs Gin
ger and Wood Alcohol.

From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Hop ale" and white mule will be-
come "reminiscences with the dissolution
of the Indian nations. The 'boot-leg-
ger" will disappear. Opening of these
reservations means great changes for
the Indian territory. One Of the great
est will be In the character Of the
liquor trafnc. For 90 years the govern
ment has enforced prohibition. Con
gress made II a crime to carry insoxi-
eating liquors upon any Indian reserva-
ton. and another crime to sell 1t to
any Indian anywhere. Heavy penal
ties were prescribed. Judicial machIn-
cry of the government was applied
without regard for cost to make the
law effective. The inspiration for this
legislation was well understood at the
time. Material rather than mora con-
siderations prompted the enactment.
Firewater was a bad thing for the In
dian. 1t put him in a fighting mood.
To lessen the turbulence and the saw
agery of Its wards. the government APP
piled these stringent provisions against
all liquor traffic. To keep liquor from
the Indians. federal courts were in
creased and strengthened. And. by the
way OF Incentive. fees OF court on
GERS were made dependent upon prose-
cutions.
In the early years, when these were
no more than reservations. whiskey
was fairly well kept out of the terri
tory. But with the coming of the white
man the difficulties OF enforcing the
law increased rapidly. To-day half OF
the business OF the four federal courts
OF the territory is credited to the con-
frnh an 1fattn. tra "a IT, zA~t.zr A.
thirst of $4,000 or rs, 900 Indians was
bad enough, but when $50. 900 white
people were added the problem be-
came complicated almost beyond be-
lief.
Such a situation as exists here was
never contemplated when congress
passed the Indian prohibition law. The
courts. however, have undertaken to
keep the territory as free from liquor
as If the Inhabitants were all Indians.
When the profits on the illegal trafic
are into consideration, the
chances taken by those who engage in
IL can be appreciated. A very Inferior
article Of whiskey Is furnished for In
dian territory consumption. II costs
the dealer not over 31.50 a gallon. The
peddler usually adds as much water as
his conscience permits. and then retails
the stun at from 81 to IS a quart. Men
who will risk the penitentiary for such
N itaibii dtt cutlCltutiy numerous 10
furnish a long list of Bookkeeping cases
at every term of court.
The most recent phase of the liquor
fight in the territory is that developed
by the introduction of what are called
hop ale or hop tea and Rochester tonic.
Al frequent intervals the federal judges
arc called upon to settle nice questions
as to what $ and what is not ~intoxicat-
ing liquor. Taking his stand upon scien-
tifc ground n relying upon chemical
analysis. Judge Springer some time ago
decided that any beverage containing
less than 2 per cent. of alcohol might be
sold. This looked very well on It's face.
Two per cent. of alcohol is hardly dan
gerous. Many soft drinks contain as
much OF a sting as that. A man In
search of intoxication would have 10
get outside of something like a gallon
to obtain the desired result upon 2 per
cent. alcohol. Immediately upon the
establishment of this definition of ligiti-
mate beverages in the Indian territory.
the hop tea and tonic dispensaries began
to open In a surprisingly short time
there were several places doing business
in each town. Joint Is the territory
designation for an establishment which
deals i'm such drinks. Hop ale or tea
and the tonic were shipped in by the
carload. White men. indian and ne
groes rolled through the streets of the
town not stupidity BIT crazy drunk. They
were brought before the judges. One
and all testified that they had drunk
nothing but hop tea or tonic. The stun
was sent for and anaiyzed. Much of IL
came within he 2 per cent. limit estab-
lished by Judge Springer. The judges
pushed the investigation. II wasn't long
before they discovered various tricks
which were being employed to add the
intoxicating quality to what were sup
nOse1 IN ha n armlegs drinEsL
Rochester tonic and hop tea are prod
ucts OF breweries In the states. They
are turned out for Indian reservation
consumption. The low percentage OF
alcohol enables the dealers to escape
the penalties in many places. Rochester
tonic has considerable popularity In pro-
hibition states as well as In indian
reservations. 1t is made from the mash.
After the beer has been drawn on the
mash Is heated a second time n al
lowed to ferment Ms much n II will.
The product of this last n weaker fer
mentation Is the tonic. 1t 10 about as
stroag in taste as beer. but not nearly
as Intoxicating. When produced In
court for inspection and analysis the
tonic seems to be a rather harmless
beverage. As II goes down the throats
OF these residents OF the Indian terri
tory IL Is something different. II would.
to quote Judge John r. Thomas expires
sive language, make a craven image
drunk" Two bottles. as sold to con-
sumers. would inspire Bacchus to dance.
The hop tea and tonic exhibited In court
are not the hop tea and tonic which NIL
the glasses of the patrons OF the Joints.
Judge Thomas has given the subject a
thorough investigation. He has discov-
cred that there are several ways In
which the joint keepers give the tonic
its body" One of the most common
is to keep a bottle of Jamaica ginger or
capsicum within reach OF the drinker
when a glass of tonic is poured out a
little of the Jamaica ginger Is poured
in. The result IL all that h worst
drunkard can crave Along the Arkan-
sas and verdigris rivers grow What are
called coffee beans. They are gathered
and crushed. An extract is obtained.
This is kept by the Joints. Five drops
of IT added TO a glass OF hop Tea or