Evening journal., 1910-11-29
One INDIAN MAY
GET HIS DRINK
But Crime to Sell Firswater
to Another Living
Nearby
ONE INCONSISTENCY
OF UNCLE SANS LAWS

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Black
Hawk, a Chippewa Indian and citizen
Of the United States. may drink whis-
ky to his hearts delight.
Yellow Thunder, also Chippewa
brave, is refused even a sip. Uncle
Sam has made II a crime to sell Yel-
low Thunder a drink of whisky. He
is not recognized as a citizen and It
is stipulated in the several Indian
treaties signed between 1850 and 1865
that no spirituous liquors shall be
introduced I'm the Indian country
until otherwise ordered by Con-
gress..
Tho State Of Minnesota has popu-
lation OF 100000, comparatively
small proportion of which is Indian.
A troublesome and most complicated
condition exists regarding the en-
forcement Of the Indian intercourse
laws I'm that State. AS the matter
now stands national prohibition laws
exist in that part of Minnesota which
still is Indian country. The Indian
lands cover even the city OF Minneap-
oils, with a population Of nearly
three hundred thousand, while St.
Paul, across the the Mississippi river,
| is outside Of the Indian country and
exempt from any restrictions.
Agents Have Difficulty.
Considerable difficulty is expert
enced by agents Of the Department
, Of the Interior in enforcing the pro-
hibition law in the portions Of the
districts where the law may be ap-
piled. Complaints have been made to
81, h. T.,N. hat he
/ enforcement of the law has not been
uniform and general. II was alleged
/ that the officers attempted discrimi-
nation, permitting saloons to operate
4 in one city but closing them in others
Charges were made that certain sa-
looms were allowed to operate in a
town while the ban was placed upon
others in the same place.
Bitter Controversy.
There charges were productive OF
considerable i'll feeling In Minneap-
oils, resulting in the arrest Of several
1 Federal officers and much bitter con-
/ troversy. There is a large number
of prohibition advocates in the State
who urge a vigorous enforcement OF
the law. Opposed to them is another
large body which resents bitterly the
attempt to impose Federal prohibition
on certain portions of the State. They
point out that Minneapolis is fully
able to handle the liquor traffic and
declare that its laws are better and
more adaptable to the purpose than
are the Federal laws.
Further complications arise from
the fact that about four-fifths of the
Chippewa braves in Minnesota ar,
citizens and have been so for thI
last four years. Therefore the Fed
eral law prohibiting the sale of liquo'
does not affect them. On the othe
hand, there are numerous other In
dians in the same immediate neigh
borhood who are prohibited from pur
! chasing liquor.
The Interior Department caused
Sigid investigation to be made o
all these charges and now makes tn
! announcement that wherever It ha
! been found that improper method
have been used prosecution Of the of
ficers accused will follow. The de
! partment also asserts that il is no
responsible for the law, but is strictl.
charged with it's enforcement.
Six Treaties Involved.
There. are six separate treaties in
volved in the Minnesota situation. Il
each OF these It is declared that thos
! portions of the law of the Unite'
States prohibiting introduction o
traffic in spirits, wines or othe