The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-11-09
MIR. MORGAN EXPLAINS.

MIR. MORGAN EXPLAINS.
The pressure upon Indian Commits
sioner Morgan, on account Of his singu-
lar action in regard to Indian schools,
has forced from him writing in expla-
nation and defense. Firstly, he denies
that he has discontinued the practice
of the government hitherto to provide
for the education Of Indian children by
contract in "denominational' shoots,
on account OF the predominance Of
| the Catholics in those schools; but he
|lnaugurates the new policy because he
| is in favor of the public school system
that is, the reduction Of Indian edu-
cation to the same system provided for
| the children Of American citizens.
Secondly, he denies that he has dis
Terminated against Catholics, either in
the appointment OF teachers in the
government schools or the retention Of
contract schools. The government
schools at present number l59; the con.
tract schools 70. He has renewed the
contract with the latter when there
were no government schools, but re-
fused to make contracts with new
schools, intending, in all other cases
where schools are hereafter needed, to
establish government schools.
In reference to the charge Of dismiss
ing Catholic teachers from the govern
ment schools, Mr.. Morgan says:
The number of Catholic teachers in
the government schools has increased
recently in much greater proportion
than those OF any other denomination.
But in all the changes which have been
made, and none have been made recent
lly, endeav0red to act for the best
| interests OF the service and without
reference to religious belief. If more
Catholics have been dismissed than
Protestants, it was probably due to the
fact that there were more Catholics in
the service. 1t is not known positive
ly what is the proportion OF Catholics
and Professionals among the teachers
that have been dropped from the rolls.
| never made any inquiry as to teach
er's religious faith, but DR.. Dorchester,
in recent letter, a copy of which |
have, says that undoubtedly more Prot
estants than Catholics have been drop
ped.
What DR.. Dorchester says may be
lentirely true, yet If, as the complaint
against Commissioner Morgan read, of
Is Catholic teachers in the government
schools II were dismissed, the dismissal
of % of the $50 protestant teachers,
would still show IA larger discrimina-
tiOn against the Catholics.
We have no desire or purpose to do
Commissioner Margan an injustice, yet
his defense affords no answer to the
chief complaint against him: that his
proposed new policy, Of ultimately en-
tirely disseminating the contract sys-
TEN and supplying its place by estab-
fishing government schools, does as a
matter of fact, involve the substitu-
tion of an inferior for a superior class
of schools; and the reason given for
this change, that he desires to place
the Indian schools upon the same
level with the public schools of the
|country-that is, eliminate from them
|all religious, or "sectarian' teaching
coupled with the fact that u large
majority OF the contract schools were
Catholic, and the other fact of Mr..
Morgan's strong anti-Cathoic antece-
dents and those Of his lieutenant, DR..
Dorchester, certainly did have the dp-
pedrdnce of being found in prejudice
against the Catholics.
The strength of the objection to the
proposed Morgan system is twofold:
First, the wretched character of the
government schools as compared with
those OF "the denominations and,
secondly, the unwisdom of depriving
the Indian children of all opportunity
to receive christian teaching. In the
public school system of the states this
loss is supplied by the Christian family,
the Sunday school and the church; but
there are no Christian parents, Sunday
schools or churches to look after the
little heather at the military posts
away out in the wilderness. Yet his