The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-09

st. Paul Dispatch: II Secretary
Ballinger sticks to the announcement
he made Wednesday that he intends
to set about enforcing the prohibition
clause in the treaty of 1851. all that
territory in Minneapolis west OF the
Mississippi may be declared dry" and
the saloons in West st. Paul may also
be closed. The two treaties OF 1851
made with the Sioux Indians include
all that territory east of what is real
ly the western boundary of the state,
to the Mississippi
The first treaty of 1851, made with
the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands of
Sioux Indians, includes all that terri
tory between the Mississippi and
line beginning at the junction of the
Buffalo and the Red river of the
North. These streams meet at George
town in Norman county. The line runs
south then to Lake Traverse and then
on the Sioux river, southwest into
Iowa and thence to the northern
boundary of Iowa. The second treaty
covered the same grounds and in
cluded two other bands of Sioux In
dams.
To Punish Indians,
In these two treaties the United
States government offered to pay to
the Indians a sum slightly in excess of
S2,500,000 for the lands ceded to them.
This money was to be paid in the form
of annuities and certain lands in the
southern portion of the states were set
aside for the use of the Indians. When
the Sioux outbreak of 1863 occurred,
the United States government passed
what is known as the act of 1853. This
act abrogated all the treaties made up
to that time with the Sioux Indians.
and caused the annuities and all
money due to the Indians from the
sale of the lands to be annulled and
paid to the settlers who had suffered
at the hands of the redskins. The
heading of the act in, the congressional
record and the preamble of the act
itself, make it plain that congress
passed it simply to punish the Indians,
who by the same act were excluded
from the territory included in the
treaty.
United States District Attorney c.
C. Houpt refused to express an opin-
ion yesterday upon present status of
the treaty of 1851, as far as the prohi-
bition clause was concerned.
There is no doubt" he said, that
the prohibition clause in the original
treaty was inserted for the express
benefit of the Indians, and when they
were excluded from the territory COW
cred by the treaty it would seem, on
one hand. that that section OF the
treaty would at once become annulled
But the act of 1868 makes no mention
of the prohibition clause, and simply
states that the United States is freed
from all obligations regarding claims
and annuities on the part OF the In
dams. But, on the other hand, no act
becomes void OF itself, save of course
where time limit is attached.
Twin City Certainly Affected.
I'm regard to the territory covered
by the treaty of 1851. which was sign
ed at Traverse, of the Sioux, it is GER
tain the business section of Minneapo-
lis and that part of this city known
as West st. Paul come under the
terms of the treaty. I cannot say
whether Secretary Ballinger will make
an effort to close the saloons in that
territory, and / am unable to make |
any prediction as to what action the |
president will take in the matter. All |
/ know is that If Mr.. Balilnger fol- |
lows the same policy in this disputed |
territory that he has in other cases.
the saloons in most of Minneapolis |
and in West St. Paul will be closed"