The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-02-23
Taft ACTS IN
INDIAN CASES
SENDS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
BEARING ON MINNESOTA
lMBROGLIO,
ACTS HIMSELF WHERE HE CAN
Asks Repeal Of Laws Prohibiting
Liquor in Certain Territory
Old Pacts Outgrown, He
Says.

Washington, Feb. 18-The long de-
layed message to congress and the or
ders of the executive, together with
recommendations to congress for leg
lslation, which are to bring to an end
the prohibition of liquor in the sec
tons of Minnesota not now occupied
by Indians, were issued by President
Taft. In the message the president
gives full history of all the treaties
and legislation bearing upon the In
dian liquor question and formally
makes recommendation that congress
extend the laws of the United States
prohibiting the sale of liquor in GER
tain described territory. Bills to car
ry into effect these recommendations
of the president will be introduced by
Representative Miller and other mem
bers of the Minnesota delegation.
"In the years which have elapsed
since making these treaties" the pres
ldent says in the message, "conditions
have largely changed, the Indian popu-
lation being reduced, large white set
Elements have been made and great
cities like St. Paul and Minneapolis
have come to occupy portion what,
at the date of the treaties, was denom-
mated Indian country. Notwithstand-
ing these facts, this territory still re-
mains subject to the regulation re-
specting the traffic in liquor original
ly imposed for the protection Of the
Indians.
"Such an anomalous condition of
affairs" he continues, should no long
er continue, and the regulation Of traf.
fic in liquors in those areas, now al
most exclusively occupied by white
people, should be left to them. In
those instances where the treaty au-
thorized the president to repeal or
modify the provisions have exercised
that right. Some of the treaties, how
ever, provide that the provisions re-
ferred to shall continue and be in force
until otherwise provided by congress"
The essential features of President
Taft's message recommending certain
dry zones, which are described in de-
tail, are as follows: .
First, referring to the treaty of 1855:
"By the treaty of Feb. q, 1855, with
the Winnebago tribe of Indians, that
tribe coded to the United States tract
of land granted to them by the treaty
made Oct. 10, 1916, within the terri
tory, now the state of Minnesota, ly-
ing north of st. Peters river and west
of the Mississippi river, estimated to
contain about $4,000 acres, and, in
part consideration for the cession. the
United States agreed to grant to the
said Indians as their permanent home
a certain tract to be selected as there
in provided.
"As there are but few, if any, In
dams residing within said area, and
the Indian office reports that there is
no occasion for the continuance in
force and effect of the treaty provi-
sion above referred to, l recommend
that legislation be enacted declaring
the treaty provision to be of no furth-
err force or effect
Would Extend Laws.
II therefore recommend that appro-
pirate legislation be enacted, extend
ing the laws of the United States pro-
hibiting the Introduction and sale of
spirituous liquors in the Indian coun-
try through that portion of the ter
ritory coded by said treaty, particu-
larly described as follows:
Beginning at a point where the
line between Townships As and 46
north intersects the line between
Ranges Is and 16 west of the Fourth
principal meridian, thence north along
said line to the northeast corner of
Township So north, Range 16 west,
thence west along the line between
Townships SO and 81 north to the point
where it intersects the western bound
airy established by said treaty of Sept.
30, 1854; thence following the said
treaty line in a southwesterly direc-
ton to the point where it intersects
the line between Townships Is and &c
north, thence due east along the said
line to the point of beginning, and all
that portion of the state of Minnesota
which lies east of the Fourth principal
meridian.
"By the treaty of Feb. %, 1856,
with the Mississippi bands of Chippe-
wa Indians, an area extending almost
entirely across the northern part of
the state of Minnesota and from it's
northerly boundary practically to it's
center, was coded to the United
States.
Can Protect Indians.
"The records of the Indian bureau
show that there are within said area,
under the jurisdiction of the superin-
tendents of the White Earth and Leech
Lake reservations, 7,196 Indians, who
can be amply protected by limiting the
territory as to which in force and eff
feet to the area within and contiguous
to said reservations, particularly de-
scribed as follows:
beginning at the mouth of the Wild
Rice river, thence in a northeasterly
direction along the line established by