The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-04-17
MAKE WAR ON
USE OF PEY0TE
Narcotic Used by Indians
in Their Religious
Ritual.
SACRELIGIOUS RITES
'gata Gathered on Which to
Urge Anew the Prohibition
of the Mescal Bean.
1ly c. VI. SARCHET.


poNtN CITY, April t6.--There
.-c SOME indian tribes in the United
s.,tos alleged believers in Christ
on,,y who, in performing the bap-
.snai rite. do so in the name of
.be "Fathcr. the son and 'peyote,'
,,stoad of the prescribed and always
suoo.,l trinity Of Father. Son
and Holy Ghost" according to DR..
A. y Ucley Of Chicago, who Is in
'bsrrc OF all Methodist missionary
work among the Indians, head of
cha indian missionary department
~ all Protestant churches in Amer
i.s and also member OF the In
Alan Rights association. The tribes
ia, follow this custom are those
st.eNy that have become addicts to
1e use OF the mescal bean or pey-
o.e. tho latter being the common
name used by a majority OF In
dams.
Doctor Hlgley was in Ponca city
rsr4utlv on an investigation tour
rreparing a report to be made next
month at a national convention in
Cincinnati During the past seven
years a close study OF peyotc and the
intoxicating affects II has on Indians
has been made by the allied mis-
sonary council, representing II diff
farent denominations, according to
Doctor Higley. and the findings are
astounding and alarming. he says,
This announcement from Doctor
Higley is very important to OKLA
homans because of the general use
Of the pcvote among the so-called
blanket tribes. and particularly in
fhs section Of the state since, ac-
g. Indian n~t
p,snt representatives, Ponca City IL
ne greatest peyote distributing point
this side Of FL iaso, Texas.
The mcscal bean comes from
Mexico. Eating IT, which the In
dians claim to do as a religious
rite produces a period Of dreamland,
perhaps much like that produced by
opium during which the users of
the bean see many beautiful and en-
tranc.ng visions, being supremely
happy During such periods, too,
they claim they are aNfe to get in
touch with the supernatural.
Whites Are Not Addicts.
Asked IL white persons ever be-
come addicts to the use OF peyote,
Doctor Higley answered that in his
opinion they do not. The investga-
ton the missionary societies made
did not reveal that whites ever used
the bean unless perhaps in the case
OF some one always closely allied
with tribes for years" explained
Doctor Higley.
How does the peyote effect the
Indian users?" Doctor Iigley was
asked, and his reply was:
Tho habitual users of the bean
are always less responsive to moral
and educational training. II Is i'm
possible almost to do any great
good among peyote tribes. Cold
bloody speaking II is almost waste
Of money to invest II in missionary
work among the Indians that use
the peyote, to say nothing Of the ef-
forts put forth otherwise. This
same money invested in work among
the tribes that do not use peyote
brings such greater and more sat
piactory results that there is really
no comparison.
Among Northwest Indians.
The northwest Indian tribes do
not use the peyote; seemingly they
DO not know anything about It. and
among these the missionaries ac-
complish wonderful results. A far
less amount Of effort and money
spent among such tribes brings Tar
more sat sfaction than do the at
tempts made among the peyote
users. The latter become thorough
N irresponsible and 1t is difficult TO
work among them"
Doctor Higleys solution of the
f'0blem IS to prevent the use or
peyote by congressional action. just
the same as the national prohibition
law torbids liquor that intoxicates.
such bill was before congress sew
g.al years ago but 1t was defeated.
Inc Indians maintained a strong
lobby In Washington while the bill
was pending and many political
leaders worked in their favor
Claim IL Is Religious.
In answer TO the question why
congress has not acted" Doctor
h.gley said;
Because the Indians always
MAINTAIN that the use of the peyote
" religious rite, and they claim
exemption from any law because 1t
would violate that provision Of the
national constitution which provides
10Y religious freedom. They claim
mat congressional enactment would
ions"
". NNN III TINS tONHetl4uU llldt
'p'llor flieley explained that some
~ the tribes hapt!se in the name OF
,heyoie' instead Of the Holy
most Doctor Higley contends
way peyote dcddens the mentality
User.
continued effort is 70 be made by
,rg Missionary organizations to get
'lsreSs To forbid the use of the
an or its Introduction into the
,.D,ed states, Doctor Higley main
ans The" are far more prepared
,"tn ever before to fight for such
1'H Tor the reason that they have
~" result OF their several years in
,'"sauon 20 place before congress
a.. probability such bill will be
SION ''
UDocior Hgley was here princi-
ds"y 10 investigate the feasibility
W., le'es'ablshing the Methodist
V,--tsss'on among the Ponca Indians at
A.'tg. g.g five miles south of here