Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
THEY WENT TOO FAR.
Commissioner Morgan Says
the Managers of the Cath.
0lic Indian Bureau
PLAYED THE GOVERNMENT.
Accepted the Appropriations and
Then Abused Him Mercilessly.
FATHER CHAPELLE ANSWERS BACK
Cardinal Gibbons Writes From Cape May
Deploring the Trouble.
pTTTPpNISS 0VIp NCWSpLpCp lTTArES
PLAYED THE GOVERNMENT.
FATHER CHAPELLE ANSWERS BACK
Cardinal Gibbons Writes From Cape May
DeplOring the Trouble.
BITTERNESS OVER NEWSPAPER ATTACKS
rFRoM STAFF CoRREsPoxDExr.l

WASHINGTON, July Isl do not know
that can add anything to these letters
which 1 am giving to the press to-day, said
Indian Commissioner Morgan this after
noon, indicating by a wave of his hand a
file of typewrtten matter. 81 think | have
pretty fully explained in them my reasons
for desiring to deal with the Indian schools
without recognition of this Catholic bureau,
which has been all along an anomalous arm
tof the Government in the management of
the schools
''Now, i think may have been somewhat
misrepresented, even by my friends. | am
not an anti-Catholic fanatic l respect the
Catholic as l do other churches But
neither it nor any other denomination
should be permitted to build up its mem
bership by means of the money and other
assistance of the Government. The mis-
sions have done great good, but when the
managers of these Catholic schools begin to
arrogate TO themselves powers i'll their man.
angement superior to the powers of the Gov
eminent and to make the Government tool
of a Catholic bureau, which is determined
TO rule or TO ruin anyone who stands in its
way, it is time TO call a halt
Will Deal Directly With Schools.
81 shall henceforth deal directly with the
schools No teachers will be removed for
the mere reason that they are Catholics,
but if we find that secular education is neg
lected in the interests of teaching the pc
culiar tcnets of the Catholic or any other
church, We shall be very prompt and de-
ciSive in our action. 1t would have been
exactly the sane if authorities of any other
denomination had pursued the course fol-
lowed by this Catholic bureau. 1t is not
any anti-Catholic feeling of mine, but AFRO
gance exhibited by this bureau and its villif-
cation of the Indian Bureau of the Govern
ment that has led to this decision to ignore
the Catholic managers henceforth. They have
Overreached themselves and must take the
humillatlng consequences. But too much
is being said of the whole matter. The
simple fact is that ths Indians are wards of
The Government ana must be managed by
the Government solely ard alone in all
matters pertaining to their education and
temporal welfare" p"
The letters referred to are in rather vigor-
Gus language The first is from Commits
sioner Morgan to Father Chatlelle, Vice
President of tk> Catholic Missions Bureau.
Mr.. Morgan says:
Morgan's Letter to Father ChappelIe.
On entering upon my present duties 1 e&-
pressed my preference for the Government
rather than the contract system, being
more in harmony with the American idea OF
education by means of the public schools.
At the same time l stated that the schools
maintained by the Government for the edu-
cation of the Indians should be strictly non
sectaran and non-partisan; and, further,
that the appropriation of public funds to
sectarian institutions was, III my opinion,
contrary to the spirit if not the letter of the
Constitution and opp sed to public policy.
l said, however, distinctly and repeatedly,
-lsaf mt tfi
1ere in any way with the contract schools
then existing, unless for good and sufficient
rea sons, expressing, however, a determina-
tion not to authorize any new contract
schools.
NV position on the question was violently
assailed by your bureau. False charges were
preferred against ME, and the most dc,
termined but futile efforts were made to
prevent my confirmation and to secure my
displacement. An elnploye L discharged for
cause from this office Immediately
given employment by your bureau, where
he is still retained and during the entire two
wears the bureau has both directly and in
directly, in season and out of season, public
y and privately, through newspapers and
personal interviews, through official cor
respondence and in the lobby of Congress
assailed the policy of the administration
and attempted to defeat the extension and
successful operation of the Government
schools
Antagonistic Even in the Field.
Those in your employ. in the field. and
Others instigated apparently by the atti-
tude of the bureau, have endeavored, di-
rectly and indirectly, to hinder the efforts of
the Government in its benefcent work of
educating and civilizing the Indian through
its own appropriate means These in
fuences, emanating from your bureau, have
been in some respects at least hurtful, and
il is certainly not its fault that the Govern
ment schools have not been crippled or even
DESTROYED. While drawing hundreds of
fhOnGa dollars n
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 sub
sisted
Your attitude of hostility, criticism and ag-
gressive antagonism has rendered official
intercourse between your bureau and this
office very difficult and harassing largely
increasing its work and hindering and de-
laying the general cause of Indian educa-
ton. During this period of time, the Presi-
dent OF your bureau, Rev. J. \. stephan, has
never taken any pains to bring about pleas |
anter relations with the Indian office; has |
never spoken tC me, or. so far as am aware |
been in the Office, and is entirely unknown
to me even by sight.
The Inspiration of a Letter.
The Commissioner then complains of the /
bureau for inspiring an article asserting |
that the trouble with the Moqu Indians IN !
Arizona was due TO the Commissioners |
pig-headed opposition TO contract schools"
and continuing, saNS:
Receiving no explanation or apolorv from |
you therefor, as had right TO expect. | |
/ sent you word that would be glad to see |
YOU in reference TO it, and liz full confidence |
you expressed yourself as being displeased |
with tue offensive article, disclaiming ali |
responsibility for it, and said that Won had |
reprimandeu the employe of YOUR bureau |
from whom ii elnanat ed You admitted that I
he was the person who had been dismissed /
from tins Office for cause and who was at |
once taken in your employ, where he still |
remains, and pointed out to YOU that he |
had been the promoter OF uiScord during the |
last two years, and that. in my opinion,
there could be no harmonious relations |
while he continued in your service
further maintained that no employe of |
your bureau, the latter sustaining the rela-
tions il does with this office. has 1; right TO
make these ASSAULTS and suggested in the
interests OF harmony that this man be i'm
mediately discharged from your bureau To
this proposition you would not consent al
though repeating with emphasis your disap-
prOval OF his action, stating that it was
unwarIantablc, and that he had used your
name without authority, and that YOU were
both p&lned and shocked. | have reflected |
very carefully over this matter, taken hiph
counsel regarding it, and most reluctantly |
feel constrained to say that the office de-
clines to enter into contract with your
bureau for the education of Indian youth,
Wouldn't Permit a Personal Interview.
Commissioner Morgan has received. under
date July 8, letter from Father Chappelle,
the Vice President of the Bureau of Cath
Ollie Missions in reply to that sent bv the
giving notice that the Indian
office declines to enter into further con-
tract with the bureau for the education of
Indian children. The letter shows that the
officers of the bureau requested personal
interview, with the Commissioner on the
subject of the contents of the Commits
sioner's letter, and that the Commissioner