Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs - 1881

Page 25

I XX REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. I of treasure in chasge. ~es<v for duty at any time spd in any emergency, I consider it the nght srm of an ageot in the euocessfol conduot of hi8 ras~rvatlao. Ever dart to the detection of the introdoction of liquor, they are s feator that cannot he dibpeused with. I Agent Wilbur, of Yaliama Agency, Washington Territory, say8 : I ~ lthle m embers are faithful, prompt, sod efficient in the discharge of theirduties, tbonsh of course there aradeereea of merit. Their uaeftnloeas in the detention and pun- I - isbment of crime and preservation of order can hardly be overestimated. Their dis-oiuliue is .m. d .; their g.en eral spp0araDc.s and demeanor among the people is soch aa to ~ - . ~ command the respect sod contidenoe of all. They are prompt aud obedient, never hesitstibg to obey an order though it may involve great personal danger to them-, i 88ives. Agent Aodrus, of Ya~iktonA gency, Dakota, says: Tbe knowledge that there is a, body of organized police opon a reservatiaoperws ss B powerfol restraint upuo bath whites sod Indians, and checks the inception as vell as the comrnissioo of muoh crime. The police have proved prompt and efficient in the performsuce of the verions duties assigned, s t e adi l~h reakiug down and overcoming the strong uppoaitiou at first manifestedtaward thom. The chiefa have, I thiuk, with-drawn all opposition beoaose they perceived its futility. These selections fairly represent the many reports received by this office from all parts of the Indian country. Originally i~itroduced as an experiment, an organized police force has become aneoessity. One of the principal duties of the Indian policemen, as specified in the law creating the force, is to prevent the introduction of liquor into these Indian communities. This duty is faithfully performed. At Navajo Agency, New Mexico, the Indians refnse to have a police force because of the small compensation offered, yet the necessity for such a force is well shown in a report from Captain Beimett, acting agent, under date of October 14,1880. He says: The evil that has the most dsmsging effeat upon this people is whisky. There are several traders at meny points ranging from forty to one hundred milea from the reaer-vation where whisky of the ~ i l e sdt escription is dealt out to thess people in open violation of law, being en incentive to crime, and greatly impoverishing many of thom. Decieive and prompt measures should be adopted by thegovero~oent to put a stop to this nafarioos tra5c; otherwise results of the most dsplorsble ohnrsct8= may be expected. At severalcounoils, the sensible chiefa md headmen animrsally deprecated this liquor tralXo,saa said, "We have oo rivers, streams, or lskeliof whisky; why does not the Great Father at Washiogton,who can do anything he plcaees, pllt a stop to this trade and keep white men from bringing or selling whisky to us$" I again urge that the moat decisive measurea ahould be adopted to stop this whisky trade. The civilization, Ohristianization, and general well-being of the Indian tribes depends in great measure upon the arrest and punishment of these criminals, who not only destrox the happiness and lives of the Indians, but continually jeopardize the peace and quiet of our Western frontier life. The most powerful and efficient agency for the destruction of this traffic that has yet beell proposed is a thoroughly organized and well-equipped United States Indian police force.