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Show , . LIV BEPOUT OF THE COMMIS8IONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. ,. INTEMPERANCE. One of the most difficult things to contend with in the administration ' of Indian affairs is the vice of intemperauce, nnder any circumstances an evil, but particularly so on an Indian reservation. Alarge proportion of the Indians live a life of comparative idleness, and are therefore liable to yield to the temptations of drinking, gambling, etc., as they would not if constantly employed. So far as I have been able to learn, I do not think that the love for strong drink is any greater among them than among other people, for many of them are distinguished for sobriety. Before condemning them we should remember that white men among them have too often set the example of drunkenness, and in too many instances those employed to civilize" the Indian have been hut poor teachers in this respect. I , have dismissed a number of employ6s for intemperance, and have re-fused to appoint any one who did not pledge himself to abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage. I regret to say, however, that there are still in the Indian service men whose intemperance id a . . great hindrance to their usefulness. One inspector, reporting on the habits of an agent, admitted that he was intemperate, but suggested that it did not impair his faculties, nor disqualify him for his duties. I do not wi ~ hto demand too much of an Indian agent, but it does seem as if sobriety might he reasonably required of those who represent,, or are supposed to represent, to the Indians the civilization which we are trying to induce them to accept in lieu of their present condition. Intoxicating liquors are supplied to and almost forced upon the Indians by avaricious white men; for in the vicini t~o f reservations % ' there are always those who carry on an active traffic in these com. modities, and who, for the sake of the large profits to be made, are willing to run the risks of detection and the severe penalties provided for by law. (Secs. 2139 and 2140, Rev. Stat.) During the last year many complaints have been received from agents and others against parties charged with furnishing whisky to the Indians, and in a nnm-ber of cases the Department of Justice has been requested to cause indictments to be brought. .%otions 2139 and 2140 of the Revised Statutes provide as follows: 8 ~ c2.1 39. No ardent spirits ahsll be introduced, nuder sny pretense, into the In-dian country. Every person (except an Indian in the Indian oonntw) who sells, exohsnges, gives, barters, or disposes of any spirituous liqoore or wine to any Indian nnder the charge of any Indian superintendent or agent, or introdnces or attempts to introduce any spirituous liquor or wine lnta the Indian country, shsll be punish- , . able by imprisonment for not more than two years, and by s fine of not mare then three hundred dollare. But it shall be a sufieient defense to any charge of introduc-ing or attempting to introdnce liquor into the Indian country that the acts charged were dons by order of or under authority from the War Department, or any ofiioez duly authorized thereunto by the War Department. |
