The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-01-20
Sale Of Liquor To Indians
Almost Mi, Says
Commissioner.

! 1ghC TO stop Cne SAFE or ilquOr 10
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 has been virtually 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 a fifth
of a state dry through enforce
ment of 6O.year-old Indian trea-
ty. Older treaties are being stud
led now to determine 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 agree
ment revived by the government
is known as the Chippewa treaty
Of 1855. For many years It's pro-
visions regarding the sale of whls-
KEY had been forgotten until one
day last summer it was discovered
IN the Indian bureau here that the
convention was perpetual bar to
the sale Of intoxicants in North
west Minnesota.
Indian officials determined to en-
force the treaty and began, too,
study Of similar agreements IN
other states. On October 20 last
an order went forth chat saloons
in several of the larger towns IN
the territory must close within 10
days. Liquor dealers refused to
close and took the fight into the
courts, where it has just been de-
cided that the treaty provisions
| are SJlil III FORCE.
Indian officials say, the Indian
himself first realized that alcohol
was menace to the race and that
ia the Minnesota treaty as we'll as
in most of the other Indian trea-
ties the Indian and not the white
man stipulated that intoxicants
should not be sold in Indian terri
tory.
In other parts of the country
officials charged with enforcement
of laws against the sale Of whis-
kew to Indians worked through
court action. Several officers were
killed.
An educational campaign against
the use Of alcohol, Indian officials
! declare, did much for the enforce
mont Of laws. a pledge-slgnine
campaign was also an aid. Edu-
cation of the Indian against drink
was undertaken through the
schools, where students were IN
terested in essay writing contests.
While investigating treaty ar
rangements Indian officials discov
cred forgotten law permitting
the government to hold up annu-
i;y payments in regions where
liuuor was within easy reach OF
Indians. This, officials assert, was
one OF the most fruitful methods
tried. Payments were stopped un-
til head men Of the tribe promised
cooperation and until officers
we're convinced white residents III
contiguous territory would aid in
law enforcement.
One Indian official has declared
this touching Of the white mans
pocketbook by virtue or cutting
off payments was SO effective as
even to surprise the Indian SER
vice.
Reservation officials in the South
west have bent their energies to,
wards stamping out the fementa-
ton of tulapai, a native Indian
| liGuor made from sprouting corn
| The use of peyote buttons, or
dried cactus crowns, for making
an Intoxicating drink has been
checked by Department of Agri-
culture order prohibiting their
j importation. Legislation has been
,sl-a1 RI DIVE the Indian Office