Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-17
OLD TREATY BARS SALOONS.

indian Commissioner Tells Of Finding
Perpetual Bar 70 Liquor Trade.
Washington. Jan. ia dramatic
story Of the governments fight to 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 q state dry thru
enforcement OF q sixty-year-o old Indian
treaty. Older treaties are being stud
led now to determine II saloons In
other territory partly populated by In
dams can be closed. 81
Minnesota Is the state in which q
vast area was freed Of saloons by
treaty enforcement. The agreement re-
vived by the government Is known az
the Chippewa treaty of 1856. For many
years It's provisions regarding the sale
OF whisky had been forgotten until one
day last summer 1t was discovered in
the Indian bureau here that the con-
vention was perpetual bar to the
sale OF intoxicants in northwest Min
nesota. Il
Indian officials determined to enforce
the treaty and began, too, the study Of
similar agreements in other states. On
Oct. 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,
kwhere 1t has been decided that the
Itreaty provisions still are in force.
Indian officials say the Indian him
Aself first realized that alcohol was a
menace to the race and that in the
Minnesota treaty as well as in most
other Indian treaties the Indian and
not the white man stipulated intoxi-
cants should not be sold in Indian ter
ritory.
In other parts of the country off,
cial. charged with enforcement Of laws
against sale Of whisky to Indians
worked thru court action. Several Off
GERS were killed.
An educational campaign against the
use OF alcohol, Indian officials declare,
did much for the enforcement Of laws.
A pledge signing campaign also was
An aid. Education Of the Indian
arainst drink was undertaken thru the
schools.
while investigating treaty arrange
ments, Indian officials discovered q
forgotten law permitting the govern
ment to hold up annuity payments IN
regions where liquor was within easy
reach Of Indians. This. officials as
sert, was one of the most fruitful
methods tried. Payments were stopped
until head men Of the tribes promised
cooperation and until officers were
convinced white residents In contigu-
GUS territory would aid in law en-
forcement.
Reservation officials in the south
west have bent their energies towards
stamping out the fermentation Of tu-
4 lapai; a native Indian liquor made from
sprouting corn. The use OF peyote
buttons, or dried castus crowns, for
making an intoxicating drink has been
checked by department of agricul-
ture order prohibiting their importa-
ton. Legislation has been asked to
rive the Indian office large powers
over traffic in peyote.
Commissioner Sells concluded his re-
view Of efforts to stop the sale Of liq-
uor 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 1t is under
stood In white communities.