The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-19
INDIAN EDUCATION
The Controversy Between Nor
gan and the Catholics.
LETTER FROM CARDINAL GIBBONS
Reasons Why Contracts with the Bureau Were
Dsscontinued-The Commissioner Insists
He Has Been Misrepresented.

WARRINGTON. July 1S.-ln letter 10
Father Chappelle, vice-president of the
Catholic missions bureau, giving the rea-
sons which influenced his action in no
longer making contracts with that bureau,
Commissioner Morgan says: ''On entering
upon my present duties / expressed my
preference for the government rather than
the contract system as being more in har-
mony with the American idea of education
be means of public schools. AT the same
time l stated the schools maintained by
the government for the education of In
dians should be strictly non sectsrian and
non partisan: and further. that an appro-
priation Of public funds to a sectarian in
stitution was, in ny opinion, contrary to
the spirit, il not the letter of the constitu-
ton and opposed to public policy.
MY position on the question was
violently assaiied by your bureau, false
charges preferred against me and
most determined but futile efforts made to
prevent my confirmation and to secure my
displacement Those you employ in the
field and others, instigated apparently by
the attitude of the bureau, have endeavored
directly or indirectly to hinder the efforts
OF the government on its benihcent work
OF educating and civilizing the Indians
through its own appropriate means. These
influences, emanating from your bureau,
have been in some respects at least hurtful
and it is certainly not its fault that the
government schools have not been crippled
or even destroyed while drawing hundreds
of thousands OF dollars of government
funds to build up and sustain mission
schools under your charge Your bureau
has thrown the whole weight of its in
fiuence against the government upon whose
bounty it subsisted."
Further correspondence was made public
this afternoon. Under date of July s,
Father Chappelle, vice president of the bur-
eau of Catholic Indians. replied to Morgan,
asserting that each and every member Of
the bureau declared he had no knowledge
OF any kind relative 10 newspaper articles
rejecting on the commissioner. The article
was later discussed in the presence of Mr..
German, an empioye of the bureau, aud the
person alleged to have inspired it, and the
conclusion reached was that no member or
employee of the bureau had right to maze
such an assault upon an Indian officer or
any other public officer German there
upon resigned his position in the bureau.
In conclusion, Father Chappelle says the
policy of Congress, as understood by the
bureau, is in perfect harmony with the OBJ
iects OF the bureau, to wit: TO aid in per-
fecting the system of education among the
Indians inaugurated by President Grant
when he established his celebrated peace
policy.
The commissioner also received letter
from Cardinal Gibbons, dated at Cape
May, in which the cardinal expresses re-
greet at the appearance of the newspaper
article referred to, as he says he is very
much opposed to personal attacks of this
character. Referring to Commissioner
Morgan's announced determination to
sever the relations between the Indian
office and the bureau, the cardinal submits
this is a very grave step and one, he
fears, that will be fraught with much en-
bsrrasment and productive of discord and
trouble. The cardinal trusts the COM
missioner will reconsider the matter and
conclude TO continue the relations hereto
fore existing with the bureau.
July Is the commissioner sent another
letter to. Father Chappelle, in which he
says he sees no reason for a modification of
his act. He adds: "Your assurance that
the efforts of your bureau in future will be
as in the past they have been-to cordially
cooperate in harmony in every proper
manner with the Indian office-is little
too suggestive and promises anything put
friendly relations. If l had read Director
;,I
90 prior to the interview with you, that in
terview, Notwithstanding my sincere desire
for friendly cooperation with your bureau,
would never have been sought, and while
that letter remains on the files of this Office
without apology, and Stephens remains
officially connected with your bureau, any
official relations between it and this office
will be by courtesy and not by right. /
have already signed several contracts
with Catholic schools. which are appar-
emily glad to enter into the new order of
things
In replying to the letter from Cardinal
Gibbons, the commissioner says brief and
summary statements of his two letter to
the bzreau can give but faint idea of the
enormity of the offensss of the bureau,
continued through nearly two years, of
lenses which have been patiently endured
until forbearance is no longer a virtue. The
commissioner says the position that the
bureau has taken that it is not to be held
responsible for the action of its employees
or attaches unless these actions are
officially endorsed by it, is not con-
sidered tenable by Office, and the position
of the bureau in declaring that private
grievances Of officials should not in any
case be allowed to stand in the way of the
due administration of the public business
entrusted to their charge. will hardly stand
the test OF reason. Assaults upon his per-
son could hardly have been pleasing, but
when they went forth under the sanction
of the great bureau, styling itself Chris
tian, some Of them embodied in official
communications to the United States SEN
ate, they cannot he regarded as merely
trifling personalities. Many of them were
laid before the President by a committee of
bishops and made the basis of demand for
the removal Of the commissioner of Indian
affairs.
The commissioner insists he has been
maliciously misrepresented and misunder-
stood. He had not now and never had the
slightest antipathy toward Catholics, and
his attidue toward the Catholic contract
for schools he insists is sufficiently evinced
largely by the increased amounts conceded
to the bureau for the next year. He is
prepared. he says, as q government official,