The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-16

Washington, D. c., Sept 15.-In
the files of the committee on Indian
affairs of the house OF representa-
tives there slumbers bill which
was designed to take away from
the American Indian a certain drug
plant. which he uses to bring him
dreams and make him forget his
troubles, as alcohol is used by
white men and opium by yellow
ones, and h4shish in India and
something or other by almost ev-
cry tribe of men on the globe.
The bill was strongly backed. 1t
was given a place on the calendar
and a large sum OF the peoples
money was spent in holding hear
ings upon it, which were duly
printed. bound and fled along with
the bill 1t never came TO a vote
The reason it did not was, in all
probability, that it was made clear
to the committee that the Indians
would not stand for it. They would
have resented to the last ditch
what they regarded as an infringe
ment of their personal liberty. The
government does not hesitate to try
to take alcohol away from millions
of white men who believe they have
right to use it, but it does hest
tate to try to take peyote away
from few thousand Indians who
believe they have a right to use it.
1t would seem that the Indian here
has a force of conviction which the
white man has lost, and little
conversation with the Indians on
this subject confirms one in that
opinion. The white man, living in
a tangled wilderness of laws, has
almost lost his sense of personal
liberty. 1t has been violated so
often that he scarcely knows what
it is. The Indian, who long lived
a life of savage freedom and who
has never really become a part of
civilization, really values his Lib
ready to stake his life for his free
dom.
The use of peyote is an Indian
custom. The Indians had peyote
before the white man came Sod
gave it to them. What right has
the white man to take it away? We
will never give it up"
This was the reply Of a "Peyote !
chief" to a question as to whether
the Indians would give up peyote !
II the government passed law !
its use.
What Peyote Is.
Peyote is plant related to the
mescal of old Mexico and growing I
in that and other southern coun-
tries. 1t appears to be a sort of
cactus It's fruit is in the form of |
little buttons" about as. big as a |
quarter. These contain various |
drugs which produce powerful |
effect on the nerves, something
like that of opium or cocaine, but |
in some respects from that |
Of any other known substance
Peyote is taken by sleeping the
substance in water and drinking
he resultant beverage. 1t has diff
,erent effects On different individ- !
Ials, but its unique effect is that it
gives the one taking it a feeling of
extreme philanthropy. He feels
hat he is the brother of all men
md would do anything for their
good.
Several white men have expert
with the drug for scientific
purposes, and one of these, who
estiffed before the committee, de-
'cribed his sensations as follows:
Il seemed incapable of having a
'ase thought, but all were of a high
'rder. 1 seemed to have forgotten
hat there was any evil in the
was pure and good"
There is usually no tendency to
-iolence in one under the influence
# peyote. His need for sleep is /,
-bolished and he stays awake,
hough inactive for "a hours at a
tretch- During this time he is !,
He'd with emotions of joy and love /
or all mankind. His sensibility to
olor is greatly heightened, so that
be world suddenly strikes him as
bright and beautiful picture. At !
ines ne is said to see visions, |
hough the white men who have ;
ried the drug seem not to have