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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF IXDIAN AFFAIRS 21 thetic, and searching, and its concluding resolutions are a valued contribution to the Indian Service. I am greatly encouraged thereby and wish to share in grateful acknowledgment of the councils closing expression, as follows: We, the members of the adri~oryc ouncil on Indian affairs,h l ~ h i yap preciate the pririicge of this conference, nmde possible by the invitation of t1.e Secretary of tlle Interior. aud desire to assure him we ere dec.olv" c onscions o..f r..h.e-fact that he, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. and their associates are rendering great service in protecting and promoting the interests of the Indians within the limitations of their authority and have at heart their largest welfare. LAW AND ORDER THES UPPRESSION OF THE LIQUOR TIL~FFIC.-MUCa~tt ention is given to protecting the Indians from the use of intoxicating liquors. The isolation, ,seclusion, and remoteness of some of the reservations, and the location of the largest reservations near the Canadian and Mexican borders make the manufacture, sale and introduction of illegal liquors easy. The bootlegger is a cunning, resourceful, and treacherous offender, and finds the Indian an easy prey. Following national prohibition, the continued reduction of the special appropriation for the suppression of the liquor traffic among Indians has made it impossible to maintain an adequate force, but the small number of special enforcement o5cers employed, who know the habits and characteristics of the Indians, with the coopera-tion of the reservation superintendents and employees under the jurisdiction of the superintendents, have obtained gratifying re-sults. The number of convictions secured and the quantities of ille al' liquors seized are convincing evidence that the work of theqiquor suppression service of this bureau is valuable and effective. PEYOTE.-Legislation has not yet been enacted to enable effectual action in stopping the spread of the peyote evil among Indians. The national antinarcotic conference held in Washington last year adopted the following resolution: In view of the medical and other evidence showing that peyote is an article which is detrimental to the health and moral welfare of the American Indians, and in view of the insidious and alarming rapidity with which its use is spread- , .i.n.--. , h"0- it &.. Resolved, That we recommend and urge that Congress pass appropriate legis-lation to stop the spread of the evil influence thereof by prohibiting its use, sale, and possession. A bill was introduced in the present Congress, but it has not yet been enacted into law. FORESTRY The first half of the fiscal year fell within a period of unusually heavy production of lumber in the Northwest. This resulted in a large surplus of lumber at the mills and a consequent decline in pro-duction on Indian lands during the first six months of the calendar year 1924. The income from Limber cut on the Flathead Reservation m Montana in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1924, was approxi-mately $250,000; on the Colville, Spokane, Quinaielt, and Tulalip jurisdictions in the State of Washington nearly $500,000, and the actual cash return for timber removed from lauds within the Kla- |
