The Irish standard., 1890-12-06
MONG TIE INDIANS.
Father Graft Talks Of the Cath olic
MIiGs.ous.

Save Them from, DISCRIMINATION.
Father Francis Crafts, of the James
town, n d., diocese, who has been a
missionary among The Indians for many
wear. was in New York city " short time
ago. lie has collected many interesting
fact; about tho Catholic Iuslinn missions
In the United States lie says that once
more the missions arc extended to nearly
all the Indian tribes in this country. The
,nissions We're established soon after the
discovery Of America. According to
Father Craft, their history hats been ~
record of heroic sncrince and unceasing
labor TO save the ln,ialis from the cruelty,
rnpacity and injustice OF their conquer
ors Tic says that Norsemen Spauiards,
French, DItch, English, md Americans
hive all claimed the right Of discovery or
ronuue.;t 10 the Indian 1nnds, and have
regarded the Indians us obstacles to the
''progless of civilization" to be removed
by force or fraud. and be shows plainly
that the Catholic Church alone has Ia
bored to save them from determination.
Many times the missions nave been de
stroyed, but they were az often renewed.
In 1869 Grants "pcace policy" changed
from it's original plan, drove the priests
and nuns from nearly every mission, and
others assumed the care of the Indians.
The present Bishop Of Sioux Falls, S. D.,
the Right Rev Martin Marty, O. S. B.,
who is President OF the Bureau Of Catholic
Indian Missions, u few years ago super
viEyd the establishment OF new missions
by the priests and nuns. He and his as
sistants have been worry successful in their
work
To cvilize the Indians the priests and
nuns follow a plan similar to that put in
operation by the early Catholic mission
aries They begin witt, the children,
whom they keep in the schools, under
careful moral and religious training, I'M.
til civ! lied habits and tastes are formed.
Then they are able to resist the many
evil influences which surround the saw
4.,scs. When the Indians have become
practical Catholics and adopt the ways
of the whites they are taken iuto conl-
1nnnities known Ms st. Joseph's or St.
Alnry's Societies. These societies are
governed by officers elected annually.
Their rules take the place OF the law, not
vet established on the reservations.
Social and religious life, together with
other matters relating to civilization, are
also regulated by these rules. Father
Craft has found that after two or three
years the Indians who join the conlmun-
titles are able to compete with their white
nciehhors.
Not II few Of the indians have entered
religious orders to aid in the work Of the
missions The early Indian missions had
Irouuois nuns, and later several Indian
tnaitirns Joined thc order OF Gray Nuns
The Rev. Jerome Hunt, @. S. e., who il
attached to tie same diocese as Father
Craft directs missions Oh the Great
Sioux Reservation, which have provided
six Indian girls for tho BcnedicFine Sis
tcrhood There are several Indian young
men who are being educated for the
priesthood, ana one Of the missionaries
adopted by the OAK otaS is Of Mohawk de-
scent.
Father Craft makes some suggestions
which, he thinks, il put into practice
would solve tho Indian problem This is
whnt he says:
"lf the Catholic Church had full con
troll of the Indians on its missions, and
could be allowed to carry out its plans
without opposition, the so called Indian
problem would soon lie solved. This,
however, will probably never be. The
present system Of the Indian Department.
It is supposed to be so conducted as to
end the present transition state Of the In
dams from their old life to civilization ~
soon rs possible, but it is actually so con
Quoted us to perpetllate that state, which
tends to the moral and physical corrup
tion and ultimate determination of the
Indians The present system provides
places for politicians, and makes the con
tinuance Of their positions and salaries
depend upon the perpctaation of the
Indians transition state. The success
of the plan of the missions means the
ending Of their positions and salaries.
Their attitude toward the missions must,
therefore, be evident. While dcceiving the
public 10y taking TO themselves the credit
Of work done by the Catholic Church,
Vncy oppose bilS iII45HttllS it|' IstA as pSHsA
bile Wo have an example Of this in the
conduct of Indian Commissioner Morgan.
The best remedy for this and the best
plan to hasten Indian civilization, would
ho to do away with tho Indian Depart
ment, which has proved to be failure,
aud place the Indians under the care Of
the War Department.. Its officers are
competent and honorable men, and their
positions would not depend on the per
petuation of the transition state. Their
interests and their inclinations would be
to hasten civilization. They would work
in harmony with the missionaries, and
would h;svc their active cooperation.
One officer could be detailed as agent On
each reservation and the troops could be
removed, us the abuses which are now
supposed to make their presence neces-
sary would be ended by the plan pro
posed Ii is not the cannon Of the War
Department., but the honesty, integrity
and energy OF It's officers that would be
employed, in the work.
1T is evident, from the great success
OF Catholic missions under favorable cir
~ t1x.;,, II