The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-25
YESTERDAY 1REss.

AAASO0A AAsAo0s
WASHINGTON, July A.-1he house pro-
ceeded. after short parliamentary wran-
gle. to vote upon committee amendments to
the bankruptcy bill. These amendments
were principally verbal. In view of the fact
that the bill had never been read in the
house, Mcmillan, of Tennessee, demanded
separate vote on each amendment. Much
time was thus consumed. The committee
amendments having been disposed of an
amendment was adopted enforcing the
laws of the states giving wages for labor
the preference. The bill was passed, yeas
III, nays 81.
In the senate Morgan introduced bill to
fix the limit of value and provide for the
free coinage of silver. Referred to the
committee on finance. It recites that the
market value of silver bullion is rapidly
approaching the value of gold on the stand
ard relation fixed by the laws of the United
States; that there is no provision Of Law for
the coinage of standard silver dollars or the
purchase Of silver bullion by the govern
ment when the value of silver bullion ex-t
ceeds one dollar for 371A grains of pure
of value in the United States shall be the
dollar of 412h grains of standard silver, or
25 10 grains of gold; that those coins shall
be legal tender for all debts, public and
private; that any owner of silver or gold
bullion may deposit it at any mint to be
formed into dollars or bars for his benefit
without charge. He called the special at
tention of the finance committee to the bill,
which. he said, was the same as had already
received a majority of II in the senate. He
had introduced it because convinced that,
in the rapid advance of the price of silver
bullion in the markets of the world, the
time was not now far distant, to say the
least, when silver and gold bullion would be
on par with each other. When that time
did arrive, the law, as it now stood, would
not permit the government to buy silver
bullion t! II Il thele % vas any shade of apprecie-
In view of what appeared to be in the eair,
as we'll as on land and on sea, in regard to
the immediate future of the country, he
thought it wovld be we'll enough to make
provision so that silver or gold bullion
would not be Withdrawn from the United
States BY other interested governments and
boarded up in the great banking institu-
tions.
The Senate resumed consideration of the
Indian appropriation bill.
An amendment which provoked discus
sion was one increasing the appropriation
of 100000, for the support of Indian
schools including the construction of
school building at the Blackfoot agency,
Montana. Vest opposed the amendment as
theintroduction of a system intended to
abolish denominal education among the
Indians. He spoke of a visit he made to an
of his observation of the work of the Cath
olic church in educating Indians. The
school building which had been erected by
the Catholic church was standing unoc-
cupied because the agent would not permit
Jesuits to teach any Indian children. The
Jesuits had succeeded etter than any
other people living in the education of
Indians. Whatever prejudice he might have
against the society of Jesuits, he had
to say that much. Davis also opposed
the amendment and spoke of. the
Blackfoot agency. These good people ap-
piled to the philanthropio Miss Drexel. Of
philadelphia, and obtained $4,000 which
they expended in the school building re-
Gently completed. These men were now to
be told not only that there was to be gov
competition with them, but that they were
to have no contract whatever for the educa-
tlon of Indians, as has been plainly implied
in the correspondence between the commits
missioner of Indian affairs and persons in
bis position n to I be that if the Catholics were
doing better in educating Indians
in favor of Catholics; and If
Presbyterians or Baptists were doing bet
Ter, ne was In faVOr OF them, but he was
convinced that the Catholics were far more
efficient among the Indians than any pro-
testant organization could be. No other
denomination could take their place be-
cause the Indians, like all other people
emerging from barbarism. had received re-
ligious impressions that were permanent. |
He did not care whether it might be caled
religion or superstition. The Indians were
Catholics and would remain Catholics.
There were some tribes, however, which
had received from some peculiar personal
influences direction toward some particu-
lar protestant denomination. The discus
sion was continued by Teller, who also |
spoke of the Catholics as the most success
lul educators of the Indians, and by |
Jones, of Arkansas, who gave figures |
to show great difference in expense be-
tween government schools for Indians and |
those carried on by religious denomina-
tions. He ridiculed the idea put forward |
by the commissioner of Indian affairs as to |
the necessity of his education for Indian |
and said it was much more i'm
portant for them to learn how to carry on
farms, build houses and raise cattle. After |
further debate the amendment was agreed
to.
The amendment containing an appropria-
tion for the support of the Blackfoot agency |
school was retained. On motion of Petit
grew an item of $4,000 was inserted for
territory school buildings for Sioux In
dians: also an item to pay the Indians of |
Sta nding Rock agency for ponies taken |
from them in 1915 The hill was nm aaa1