The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-06
BREWERIES
ANXIOUS TO
Do BUSINESS
Planning TO Remove Obstacles
in Their Way
TO INDIAN TERRITORY
Laws and Treaties Decidedly
Against Them.
TO INDIAN TERRITORY

,Ardmore. I. T.. Nov. 5.-Emanating
from South McAlester statement has
been made upon fairly good authority
that the brewers and distillers through
their national organization axe preparing
TO receive. il possible. some way b.
which they can transact business Il the
Indian territory They are confronted
by congressional treaty guarantees TO
each OF the five civilized tribes that intox-
icating liquor shall not be introduced or
sold IN the Indian territory.
The prohibition OF the sale of intoxi-
eating beverages in the Indian territory
has long been an obstacle which brew
crs and distillers of the United States
have sought TO overcome. The enforce
ment of this law by the federal govern
nent. while not entirely successful. prob
ably has Seen more prohibitive than il
state or county officers We're required 70
do the work The possession OF intoxi-
cants by individuals. regardless OF
whether they were 10 be offered for sale
or consumed personally. is an CEense,
and deputy United States marshals every
where have no hesitancy in confiscating
the liquor. \ traveller passing through
Indian territory on a railroad train dare
cnt step TO the depot platform and take
a drink from his own flask without dan
ser of having ii seized and broken by
deputy marshal.
The demand for intoxicants has not
teen lessened by the law. however. and
eeleterious dococtions offered in place OF
q cohol drinks have shown steady and
Increasing sale in the Indian territory.
Patent medicines lemon extract, bay rum
adm even red ink. have been consumed in
large quantities Their physical effects
have been as bad if not worse. than the
consumption of alcoholic drinks. A life
insurance agent who does thousands OF
dolalrs in business annually IN the Indian
territory and Oklahoma, said recently
that a surprisingly large number OF ap7li-
csnts in the Indian territory were reject
ed by examining physicians because oe
liver and kidney disease, and that in
almost every instance the source of the
maIady was traced 10 the immocerate use
OF substitutes for the alcoholic drinks
prohibited by law.
These conditions We're or no advantage
to brewers and distiuers. who could 80
10 the boundaries OF the Indian terri
tory. but dared not go further. The unat-
tainable buiness in sight was exasper-
ating. Every tribal treaty contained
provision committing the federal govern
ment to the task of preventing the sale
OF intoxicants n the respective nation,
iE spite of all attempts TO have them
omitted. The public sale of intOXicants
meant speed moral and physical ami
biliation Of the Indians, and the federal
government took the psternal position Of
protecting them. In the Creek treaty the
prohibitory clause in the Curtis act IS
continued in force and reads; Nothing
in this act or in the laws OF the state
Of Arkansas shall authorize or permit
the sale or exposition for the sale OF any
Intoxicating liquor in said territory Cr the
introduction thereof into said territory"
The Cherokee treaty contains the same
provision, and the clause in the Choctaw-
Chickasaw treaty IS IN effect the same
Perpetual prohibition is granted by con-
gTess in the Seminole country. Most
persons believe that the dissolution OF
the tribal government in 1906 the prohbi-
tory protection given IN congres viii
cease. While the same reasoning may
not apply to the Seminole country. yet
man interested in Seminole affairs said
that any law enacted by congress could
be repealed by that body and that II
would not be . difficult matter 70 wipe
out prohibition in the Seminole country,
possibly before 1905.
The addition OF portions OF the Indian
territory to Oklahoma for statehood pur-
pc ses has been suggested as means
Whereby the proh.bitory law could be
eyaded repealed. Unless congress
should admit such portions on an equal
footing with Oklahoma there would be