No Need of Gold — Alcohol Control Laws and the Alaska Native Population: From the Russians through the Early Years of Statehood

Abstract

This study revises two manuscripts by Stephen Conn on alcohol control and Alaska Natives: "Alcohol Control and Native Alaskans — from the Russians to Statehood: The Early Years — Alcohol Control in Village Alaska" (1980) and "Town Law and Village Law: Satellite Villages, Bethel and Alcohol Control in the Modern Era — The Working Relationship and Its Demise" (1982) which were prepared under a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).Based on two earlier works by the author — "Alcohol Control in Village Alaska and Town Law" and "Town Law, Village Law" — this history traces the use of legal resources to control alcohol consumption among the Alaska Native population from the period of Russian domination through Alaska statehood in 1959 and makes a detailed examination of alcohol-related issues in Bethel in the decade immediately following statehood.Introduction / PART I / The Russian Period / The Military Period / The Navy and the Missionaries / The First Organic Act / The Revenue Cutters / Indian Police / Expansion of the Population and New Liquor Controls / Enforcement in the Early Twentieth Century / Teacher Missionaries / Renewed Efforts at Temperance / Beyond Prohibition / Influence of the Military / In the Towns and Villages / Implications of the Historical Review / PART II / The 1962 Meeting / The 1963 Meeting / The 1965 Meeting / Accidents and Deaths a Focal Point / Translation of an Interest into a Demand / Village Council Reaction to the New Rules on Drinking / 1967 Meeting / The Reign of Councils / The Problem from a Traditional Perspective / Conclusion / Afterword / FOOTNOTES / APPENDIX / Report of Governor of Alaska [1916]. Liquor Traffic Among the Natives / Arrests by Special Officers, Fiscal year ended June 30th, 1925 / Letter to Gov. Geo. A. Parks from Special Officer H.E. Seneff, July 1, 1930 / Letter to Gov. John W. Troy from Special Officer H.E. Seneff, July 1, 1933 / Excerpts from Fishnet 2 Council Hearings 1964–66 / BIBLIOGRAPH