Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-17

COMMISSIONER WRITES A LETTER TO FATHER
CHAPELLE-THE SCHOOLS CONDUCTED BY
CATHOLIC MISSIONS To BE tut on THE SAME
BASIS AS OTHERS.
ihe official relations between the bureau o.
Catholic Indian missions in this city and the
Indian office have been severed. Hereafter
con tracts with Indian schools conducted by the
Catholics will be made, Commissioner Morgan
says, directly with the schools instead of through
the mission. The reasons for this action are
set forth by the commissioner in letter to
Father Chapelle, the vice president of the
bureau. He states at the outset that the gov
srnment had established and was maintaining
three classes of schools the large training schools
on OF reservations, the reservation boarding
schools and the reservation day schools.
The attendance at these various government
institutions for the year ending June 80, 1889,
showed an enrolment of $3.50 and an average
attendance of 6.956 (while the enrolment
III all the contract schools for the same
period was only 6.I2i, with an average
attendance of but 1850 These various gov
eminent schools were in full operation and my
work has been limited to enlarging and i'm
proving the system. was in no wise RESPONSE
bic for and claim no credit for it's organiZa-
ton. but its proper administration was COM
mltted to me as great trust.
THE QUESTION OF SEcrARIASIsM
ION entering upon my present duties l
expressed my preference for the governments
rather than the contract system, as being more
In harmony with the American idea of education
by means OF the public schools. At the same
tinle stated that the schools maintained by the
government for the education of the Indians
should be strictly non-sectarian and non-par-
lisan; and. further, that the appropriation Of
publc funds TO sectarian institutions was. in
my opinion, contrary to the spirit. if not the
lie policy
L said. however distinctly and repeatedly,
that II was not my purpose or wish to inter-
fere In any way with the contract schools then
eAlsting, unless for good and sufficient reasons,
expressing. however. a determination not to
authorize any new contract schools
MY position on the question was violently
assalled by your bureau. False charges
we're preferred against me, and the most
determined but futile efforts were made to
prevent my confirmation and to secure
my displacement. An employee discharged for
cause from this Office was imme diately given
employment by your bureau, where he lie still
retained, and during the entire two years the
bureau has both directly and indirectly. in sea-
son and out OF season, publicly and pri-
vately, through newspapers and personal in
tervlews, through official correspondence and
in the lobby of Congress. ass;iiled the policy of
extension and successful operation OF the
government schools. Those in your employ
in the field and others, instigated
apparently by the attitude Of the bureau. have
endeayored, directly and indirectly, to hinder
the efforts of the government in its beneficent
work of educating and ciyiliZing the Indian
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 the mission schools under
your charge, your bureau has thrown the whole
weight Of its influence against the government,
upon whose bounty it subssted.
Your attitude of hostility. criticism and ag-
gressive antagonism has rendered official in
office very difficult and harrassing, largely
increasing its work and hindering and
delaying the general cause of Indian education.
During this period of time the president Of
your bureau, Rev. ]. 4. Stephan, has never. SO
far as known. taken any pains TO bring about
pleasanter relations with the Indian once: has
never spoken to me or, SO far as am aware,
been in the office, and 10 entirely unknown to
me, even by sight
RECEST CRITICISM.
The commissioner refers TO recent inter-
view with representatives of tho bureau, the
conclusion being that the antagonism exist
ing should cease. He then quotes in full an ar
ticle from the New York Sun of June 20,
in which it asserted that the board
of Catholic missions in this city attribute the
trouble at the Moquis Indian school in Arizona
TO the commissioners plg-headed obstinacy
and opposition to the contracts, schools. &c.
Receiving no explanation" continues the
commissioner, ''or apology from you therefor.
as had right to expect, sent you word that
would be glad to see you in reference to it,
and, in full conference, you expressed your
self as being displeased with the often
sive article, disclaimed all responsibility
for it, and said that you had repri-
manded the employe Of your bureau from
whom it emanated. You admitted that lie was
the person who had been dismissed from this
office for cause and who was at once taken into
your employ, where he still remains and
pointed out TO you that he had been the pro-
moter of discord during the last two years. and
that i'll my opinion there could be no harmon
ious relations while he continued in your sery-
ice.
further maintained that no employee of your
bureau. sustaining the relations it does to this
office. has right to make these assaults, and
suggested, in the interests of harmony. that
this man be Immediately discharged from your
bureau.
To this proposition you would not consent.
although repeating with emphasis your disap-
proval of his action. stating that it was unwar-
rantable that he had used your name without
authority and that you were both panied and
shocked.
have reflected very carefully over this mat
ter, taken high counsel regarding it, and
most reluctantly feel constrained to say that
the office declines 10 enter into contract with
your bureau icr the education OF Indian youth"