The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-16

SAYS LIQUOR
FIGHT IS WON
BY KEEPING BOOZE AWAY FROM
THE INDIAN, CATO SELLS SOME
EXPERIENCES IN DRAWN OUT
FIGHT.


story of the governments fight to
stop the sale of liquor to Indians is
outlined by Gotta Sells, commissioner
of Indian affairs. SO well have the
efforts of the Indian service succeed
ed, he said, that the traffic virtually
has been broken up.
Not only has the government cut
the sale of liquor to Indians on res
ervations and elsewhere, but in one
instance it has made a fifth of
state dry through enforcement of a
siXty-year-old Indian treaty. Older
treaties are being studied now to de-
termine if saloons in other territory
partly populated by Indians can be
closed.
Minnesota is the state In which a
vast area was freed of saloons by
treaty enforcement. The agreement
revived by the government is known
as the Chippewa treaty of 1855. For
many years its provisions regarding
the sale of whisky had been forgotten
until one day last summer it was dis
covered in the Indian bureau here
that the convention was a perpetual
bar to the sale of intoxicants in |
northwest Minnesota.
Closed Saloons Under Treaty.
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 into the courts, where it has
Just been decided that the treaty pro
visions still are in force.
Indian officials say the Indian
himself realized that alcohol was
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 Off
cials charged with enforcement of
laws against sale of whisky to In
dians worked through court action.
Several officers were killed.
An Educational Campaign.
An educational campaign against
the use of alcohol, Indian officials
declare, did much for the enforce
ment of laws. A pledge signing
also was an aid Educa
ton of the Indian against drink was
through the schools,
where students were interested in
essay writing contests.
With investigating treaty arrange
ments Indian officials discovered
forgotten law permitting the govern
ncnt to hold up annuity payfents |
N regions where liquor was within
easy reach of Indians. This, Off |
,ials assert, was one of the most |
fruitful methods tried. Payments
we're stopped until head men of the
ribes promised cooperation and un-
il officers were convinced white
'esidents in contiguous territory
would aid in law enforcement.
One Indian official has declared
his touching of the white mans
,ocket book by cutting off payments
vas so effective as even to surpise
he Indian service.
Contend With Liquor Substitutes.
Reservation officials in the south
rest have bent their energies to-
Yards stamping out the fermentation
f Tulapai, native Indian liquor
lade from sprouting corn. The use
f Peyote buttons, or dried cactus
rowns, for making an Intoxicating
rink has been checked by a depart
lent of agriculture order prohibit
1g their importation. Legislation
as bene asked to give the Indian
ffice large powers over traffic in
eyote.
State legislation is declared to
ave been of material assistance to
ne Indian Office.
Commissioner Sells concluded his
eview of efforts to stop the sale of
quor to Indians by saying:
"The sentiment Of the. people is
rrongly with our work, regardless
the attitude of the individual on
lie question of prohibition as it is
nderstood in white communities"
Women of SedentarY Habits.