The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1954-07-30
| LIQUOR Issue Still an
Unsolved Problem

Sale and distribution of intoxi.
eating liquors on the reservation
has developed number of com.
plications that are being aired in
the district court in Helena this
week, with the final outcome
still to be determined.
When Congress passed a bill
several months ago authorizing
the sale and possession of liquor
on Indian reservations. numerous
problems were posed as to what
methods should be used in i'm.
plemcnting the new law and set.
ting up the retail and wholesale
distribution system on the Black.
feet reservation. Members of the
Blackfeet tribe authorized the
Business Council of the tribe to
act on behalf of the whole reser.
walton, and in due course a pro.
gram was adopted, whereby the
Tribal Council was to first issue
permits. or licenses for retail out.
lets. and then the matter of juris.
diction of the State Liquor Con.
troll board came into the picture.
There we're a number of mis-.
understandings and disagree.
ments between the Council and
the state board. The Council first
approved list of applicants for
the retail places. and these in
turn were submitted to the liquor
Control board. The state licens.
ing agency failed to act in con.
formity with the recommends.
tions Of the Council in some
cases. and proceeded to issue
licenses.
Later on number of appli.
cants for licenses who had been
approved by the Council. but did
not obtain a license from the
state board. filed SUI. In district
court at Helena to force the state
board 10 issue them licenses as
recommended BY the Tribal Coun.
Gil. The Blackfeet Tribal Business
Council entered the case as inter.
vening plaintiff as q question of
Tribal Council jurisdiction Is In.
volvcd.
To further c0mplicatc matters,
the state liquor board has cstab.
lished a state liquor store in
Browning. and opened temporary
quarters in a room formerly used
as q school supply store. close to
the grade school building. Com.
plant was made to the United
States district attorneys office
on this situation. Wednesday OF
this week o representative of the
district attorneys office arrived
In Browning. and rumor quickly
spread around town that the
liquor store had been closed, but
investigation Thursday morning
proved this rumor was without
any foundation in fact. II was
stated at the liquor store that the
attorney did not even appear ut
the store. and no notice of any
kind was given Mr.. Chattin. the
vendor. The place was open for
business as usual Thursday.
a number of Browning people
are In Helena this week for the
trial coming up in district state
court In that city on the com.
plant Of the applicants who did
not receive licenses recommend.
cd by the Council. and some mem.
bcrs Of the Council are also In at.
tendance. II Is understood.
a new building Is being erected
by W. X. Mcdonald. local attory.
cy. TO house the state liquor store
and this building is nearly ready
for occupancy, and II Is under
stood the store Is to be moved IA
the new quarters In the next few
days. This building Is located Just
across the alley from Buttrcy's
Al q meeting of the Tribal
Council on Friday of last week q
resolution was passed to notify
all tavern operators that the
state law against selling liquor IA
minors. intoxicated persons,
habitual drunkards or alcoholics
would be strictly enforced. and
warning all operators that viola
ton Of these provisions of Law
would he grounds for suspension
of their license.
There arc now four retail
places licensed to retail liquor
but two Of these places orc
operating with beer licenses only
and two are licensed to sell both
beer and hard liquors. Fred Con
way and Ida Connolly are opcrat
Ing with the restricted license
both on the highway. Council,
recently opened In the building
formerly occupied by the Mart,
Wolfe meat market. and Conway
place Is next to the Conwa,
Stcakhousc. cast Of the llagcrtj
Hotel. The Minyard bar. across
the street from the Ycpcn Hotel