The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-01-11
STOPPEDSSALE OF
LIQUOR TO INDIANS
Government Successful in Breaking
Up Trafic-6O-year Treaty Had
Been Forgotten.

WASHINGTON, January 11,-A dra-
matte story OF the government s fight
to stop the sale of liouer to Tnai9ns
is outlined by Cato Sells. commissioner
q indian affairs. SO well have the
efforts Of the Indian service succeeded
ne SAID, that the traffic virtually has
been broken up.
Not only has the government cut the
sale of liquor to Indians on reserva-
lions and elsewhere, but in one in
stance it has made a fifth of state
dry through enforcement of a sixty
year-old Indian treaty Older treaties
are being studied now to determine
II saloons in other territory partly
populated by Indians can be closed.
Minnesota IS the state in which
vast area was freed of saloons by
treaty enforcement. The agreement re-
Vlved by the government is known as
the Chippewa treaty of 1855. For many
years ITS provisions regarding the sale
OF Whlskey had been forgotten until
one day last summer it was discovered
IN the Indian bureau here that the con
Fentlon was perpetual bar to the
sale OF lntoxicants in northwest Mime
sofa
Indian officials determined to en-
force the treaty and began, too, the
study of similar agreements in other
states. On October 20 last an order
Went forth that saloons in several of
the larger towns in the territory must
close within ten days. Liquor dealers
refused to close and took the fight in
to the courts, where it has lust been
decided that the treaty provisions still
are in force.
Indian officials say the Indian him
self first realized that alcohol was a
menace to the race and that in the
Minnesota treaty as well as in mos.
of the other Indian treaties the In
dian and not the white man stipulated
that lntoxIcants should not be sold in
Indian territory
In other parts of the country Off
Gals charged with enforcement of
laws against sale of whiskey to In
dams worked through court action
Several officers were killed.
An educational campaign against the
the use of alcohol. Indian officials de
clare, did much for the enforcement Of
laws. a pledge-signing campaign ais.
was an all. Education of the Indian
against drink was undertaken through
the schools. where students were inter
ested IN essay writing contests
Nhlle investigating treaty arrange
ments Indian officials discovered a for
gotten law permitting the government
TO mold up annuity payments in re
gIons where liquor was within EASY
reach of the Indians. This, officials as
sert, was one of the most fruitfu.
methods tried. Payments were stopped
ntll head men of the tribe promised
cooperation and until officers were
convinced white residents in contigu-
GUS territory would aid in law enforce
ment.
One Indian official has declared this
touching of the white man 5 poke
cook by cutting off payments was so
effective as even to surprise the Indian
service.
Reservation officials in the South
west have bent their energies toward
stamping cut the fermentation Of tn
lapal, native Indian liquor made from
sproutlng corn. The use of peyote but
tons, or dried cactus crowns, for max
ing an Intoxicating drink has been
checked by department of agricul
tare order prohibiting their importa
ton Legislation has been asked t.
give the Indian office large bowers
ever traffic in peyote
State LEGISLATION is declared to have
been of material assistance to the In
dian office.
Commissioner Sella concluded his re-
view of efforts to stop the sale of liq-
nor to Indians by SAYING
The sentiment of the people is
strongly with our work, regardless Of
the attitude Of the individual on the
question of prohibition as it is under
stood in white communities. y