Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-18
LIQUOR TRAFFIC AMONG
INDIANS IS BROKEN UP
- Sells Outlines
Dramatic Story of Gov
ernment'S Fight

WASHINGTON, Jan. ia dramatic
story Of the governments fight ito stop
the sale of liquor to Indians Is outlined
by Cato Sells, commissioner of Indian
affairs. So we'll have the efforts of the
Indian service succeeded, he said, that
the traffic virtually has been broken up.
Not only has the government cut the
sale of liquor to Indians on reservations
and elsewhere, but In one instance it
has made q fifth of a state dry through
enforcement of a slxty-year-old Indian
treaty Older treaties are being studied
now to determine if 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 en-
forcement. The agreement revived by
the government is known as the Chippe-
wa treaty of 1856. For many years it's
provisions regarding the sale of whisky
had been forgotten, until one day last
summer il was discovered in the Indian
bureau here that the convention was a
perpetual bar to the sale of intoxicants
in northwest Minnesota.
Indian officials determined to enforce
tho 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 with
in ten days. Liquor dealers refused to
close and took the fight into the courts,
where itShas just been decided that the
treaty provisions still are in force.
Indian officials say the Indian himself
| first realized that alcohol was a menace
to the race and that in the Minnesota
treaty as well as in most of the other
Indian treaties the Indian, and not the
white man, stipulated that intoxicants
should not be sold in Indian territory.
In other parts of the country officials
charged with enforcement of laws
against the sale of whisky to Indians
worked through court action. Several
officers were killed.
An educational campaign against the
use of alcohol. Indian officials declare,
old much for the enforcement of laws.
A pledge-signing campaign also was an
aid. Education Of tho Indian against
drink was undertaken through the
schools, where students were interested
in essay-writing contests.
While investigating treaty arrange
ments Indian officials discovered for
gotten law permitting the government
10 hold up annuity payments in regions
where liquor was within easy reach of
of the most fruitful methods tried.
Payments were stopped until head men
Of the tribes promised cooperation ana
until officers were convinced white resi-
dents in contiguous territory would aid
in law enforcement.
One Indian official has declared this
touching of the white mans pocketbook
by cutting off payments was so effective
as even TO surprise the Indian service.
Reservation officials in the southwest
have bent their energies toward stamp
ing out the Termination of tulapai, a
native Indian liquor made from sprout-
Ing corn. The use of peyote buttons, or
dried cactus crowns, for making an in
toxicating drink has been checked by q
department OF agriculture order prohib-
iting their importation. Legislation has
been asked 20 give the Indian office large
powers over taffic In peyote.
State legislation is declared to have
been of material assistance to the Indian
office.
Commissioner Sells concluded his re-
view of efforts to stop the sale of liquor
to Indians by saying:
THE sentiment OF the people is
strongly with our work, regardless of
the attitude Of tho individual on the
question of prohibition AS it is under
stood in white communities"