The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-29
DECISION SELLS DOOM
or FIRST IVzzARZ7AN7S|
L,s11i1ns MN AzlOfvents Are AMeyic0N CitiseNs
and Nay Buy and Drink Avto1icaa,ts- IN
/ aian Officials and .SatishciaNs Sum
~ III. Consequences.
ing Of this ruling Of the supreme court
becomes apparent.

ing Of this ruling Of the supreme court
becomes apparent.
Wiped Out in a Hundred Years.
For illustration: A record has been
kept Of the Winnebago Indians, in Ne
braska. There are now LIPS in the
tribe. Last year there were 70 deaths
and Ii births among its members. For
eighteen years the numbers OF the tribe
have been decreasing per cent an
nually, rate which would wipe out the
Winmebagoes in 100 years. This is with
out doubt exceptional, for the Winnie
bagoes, thanks to 8 corrupt ring Of boot
leggers and traders which has operated
for twenty years in defiance Of the fed
eral authorities, are the most degraded
in the United States.
Figures issued by the commissioner
of indian affairs show the total number
900; in being explained that there
has been no appreciable increase or de-
crease in the whole number, except that
the full-blooded reds have been falling
off In number. 5
Now, of the northern Indians, the
Winnebagoes, the Omahas and the Sis
seton, Yankton and Santee Sioux have
received nearly all their allotments and
the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Sioux will
do likewise as soon as their land be-
comes sufficiently valuable. This means
alone, may now step boldly into saloons
and drink their fill Of firewater.
Bars Let Down. ~ 7.
For quarter of century, the hand
of the federal law has been laid heavily
on every saloonkeeper and he has been
Informed that the sale Of liquor to In
dams would land him in prison. But
now the dealers can mock the officers.
They have the indisputable right to
keep the reds in a state Of constant in
toxication. With the records showing
that with all the protection Of the gov
eminent. the full-blooded Indians of the
United States have been falling off, it
is apparent that The downward push of
this court decision will subtract decades
from the period in which the red men
of America have been destined to live.
The baneful influence Of whisky has
upon Indians cannot be measured until
all the long trains of consequences are
taken into consideration. Inebriety
among the reds brings with it the most
demoralized social conditions. The
most innocent of these is the braWl
that frequently ends in death De-
bauches have been found to add i'm
mensely to the licentiousness which has
always prevailed to considerable lex
tent on reservations This is attested
by the fact that on many reservations
the titles to lands are hopelessly in,
volved because no one knows the par
entage Of a large part of the younger
generations. Bucks take squaws fol
wives without any formality and leave
them with as little concern. Children
are left to- drift about and otter
papooses die xof neglect. Tt has long
since become appar rent that no laws vii
legislate self-respec the Indian
but now that the BAT Her before the sa
looms have been let many viii
lose what little they already possess
| What the Decision Means. 4
| u Last year, within 200 miles Of here