[piasa]

It is an old technique... land speculators liked to lube up the Indians with whiskey then get them to sign away anything; it also made the young men more rowdy and prone to cause trouble that would be taken out against their whole town or nation. Indian leaders leaders appealed to the government to halt the trade of whiskey into their territories where it corrupted everything, but to no avail; corn growers and whiskey makers relied on the easily transported stuff for income and knew how to ply politicians as well.

That booze addiction tore apart families, communities, and neighbors, and cost them everything in the end, not just the drinkers.

[dfwgator]

It is an old technique... land speculators liked to lube up the Indians with whiskey then get them to sign away anything;

"Are you crazy? They'll never go for it. And then again they might. Those little red devils... they love toys!"