The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1939-03-16
Ito M O.
Edith

ly herb, Peyote, in the rellglouS
CEREMONIES OF Jne NATIVE Amer
lean church in the United
States. The state of Montana
Incorporated the Native Amer
lean church March ", 1925 un-
der the provisions of section
6453 ct Seque OF the revised
codes of the state OF Montana
1921. The Secretary of the State
issued a certificate to the Ma
tive American church which
from that date became a law
fully organized religious assocl-
alton OF the state OF Montana.
There has been a lot OF mis-
information ABOUT PeyOte, which
is used as a sacrament Oy the
NaJl.e American cnurCn, soln2
around curing the past years.
This plant mas even been eIron-
eouSly included in a liSJ OF mar
cOLlc drugs legISlaCeu against
by a state or two; the state OF
Montana is n of Unem. 1t Is
thought to be habit forming ana
WnaL not entliely py pcople WHO
do not know, ana mas Oeen II
cluded unWittingly IN laws oi-
recJed against sucn drugs as
opium ana marijuana. LIE AlnU-
ing of ethnOiOglcal, medlcal ara
physiological science with rel
erence 10 the administration
use and effect of PeyOLe should
be made puplicly known laying
bias aside and only with the
1o,l oc frt1n foatS in orr npGfTS
The congress OF the Unlled
states mas refused numerous
times to condemn the use OF
the heb among the Indians.
Inc Leading autnorlJieS OF the
nation nave SHOWN by expert
ment that herb is not a mar
cote or haolt forming.
Takes The Gun a represent
tatIve of the organized associa-
ton, said the state OF Mon
tana has never proved by tests
o.experImencS that Peyote is
habit forming or a narcotic as
coded in state statutes OF Mon
tana. Ann-Ong the authorities
listed in hearing IN Congress are
DR.. franz Boas professor emer-
titus of anthropology of Column
bia University, eminent Amer
ican anthropologiSt.
DR.. AL Kroeber, professor Cf
anthrOpology, university OF Cal
ifornia, Berkeley Cal, ousStand-
ing anthropologist.
DR.. Alex Hdrlicka, curator di-
vision of physical anthropology,
Smithsonian Institution, Wash
ington, D. c., outstanding phys
ical anthoropologist, who also
has a medical degree.
Dr.. John P. Harrington eth
nologist, Bureau of American
Ethnology, Smithsonian Instl-
tuition, Washington, D.. C.
DR.. M. R. Harrington, curator
of the Southwest Museum, Los
Angeles, Cal.
DR.. Weston La Eara, a grad
uate student at Yale University.
DR.. Vincenzo, Washington, u.
DR.. Petrullo is we'll known for
his book on Peyote, The dab
Ole Root, a study of Peyotism
and the Indian Religion.
Mr.. Richard E. Schultes, Bot
anical Museum, Harvard Uni
verSity. Mt. SchulteS is in the
Harvard graduate school divis-
ion of Biology Laboratories OF
Economic Botany for the last
four years he has been making
a botanical study of Peyote>
both in the laboratory and am
ong Indians in the field.
The secretary of the Interior.
Ickes, based his policy on the
constitution of the United
States on May 8, 1888. He said
the policy of the department
of the Interior, the Bureau of
Indian affairs is, we want to
encourage the Indian to live
his own life in his own way. We
want the white neighbOrs Of
these original Americans to
learn to respect their religions
and their ceremonies. The Hon.
John Collier, commissioner of
Indian affairs, also issued cir
cular No. 2970.
Indian Religious Freedom
And Culture
No interference with Indian
religious life or ceremonial eX-
preston will hereafter be tol-
Grated. The cultural liberty of
Indians is in all respects to be
considered equal to that of any
one Indian group.
Takes The Gun, representa-
tive, pointed out the Federal
constitution and laws of our
country. The first amendment
to the federal constitution pro-
videS as follows: Congress shall
make no law respecting an es-
tablishment of religion or pro-
hibiting the free exercise there
of. This amendment has been
upheld and construed by the
Supreme Court Of the United
States. In this country the full
and free right to entertain any
religious principle and to teacn
any religious doctrine t1hich
does not infringe personal rights
is conceded to all. Federal Con-
StitutiOn Sp~ecificallv denies the