Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18
THE CATHOLIC INDIAN SCHOOLS,
Commissioners Morgan's Acsaou and the Cor
dependence II Called Out

AAkiSo coNrRAc1 DIRECTLY WITH THE cArHo-
Lie scHooIs-rHE CATHOLIC BUREAU THROUGH
FATHER cHArELLE DIsAvows ANY PART IN THE
PubLfsHHp ATTACK ON TIE coxNIssloxER-A
LETTER FROM CARDINAL arBBoNs
Inc action OF Indian Commissioner Morgan,
announced in yesterdays STAR, severirc official
relations with the bureau Of Catholic Indian
missions In the matter of contracts wss not
taken without protest from Father Chapelle.
sne vice president of the mission. Father
onapeiie wrote on July in reply to
'ne commissioners letter. He recited
the TACT that the bureau had on July
o requested personal interview with
the commissioner, which the latter had declined
70 grant. stating that he would receive any
communication in writing, but failed to see
that any thlns would be accomplished by per-
sonal Interview. '"This bureau" Father Cha
Pelie wrote, expresses not only its deep regret
put IT'S exceeding great establishment that the
should decline and refuse to hold an
omcial personal interview with per-
sons having important public business TO
transact with IL, and especially, too, in view of
the necessity OF a personal official interview on
matters SO important as those recited in said
letter OF the I'd instant, and wherein, too.
the convenience Of the Indian Office and
not that Of this bureau was sought to
be subseryed, rendering in its Judgment
an official personal interview necessary
prior to making any response in writing
to said letter. Furthermore in asking for that
interview this bureau was simply adopting and
following the policy Of the honorable commits
sioner, who had a few days previously sought
personal interviews with Rev. DIR. ChapeIe, its
vice president, on the very questions now
under consideration"
DfsAvowED BH THE BUREAU.
Father Chapelle gave an account Of . subse-
quent meeting Of the bureau, at which every
member Of the board disavowed any connection,
directly or indirectly, with or knowledge of the
article published in the New York Sun of which
the commissioner complained The bureau de-
clared that none OF its members or employees
has right, as a member or employee, to make
such assaults upon the Indian office or any
other Office.
This bureau" Father Chapelle continued.
then and there further declared that should
any of its members or employees so far forget
themselves as to publicly criticise the govern
ment of the United States in the administra-
ton Of its laws this bureau could not and
should not be held officially responsible for
such action on their part, respectively, unless
this bureau would officially indorse such criti-
cism."
Thereupon Mr.. John A. German, an en-
ploye of the bureau resigned and his resgna-
ton was accepted. Father Chapelle called at
tention to the fact that the letter referred to
by Commissioner Morgan was not written or
signed by the president of the bureau, Bishop
Marty.
He spoke of the harmonious relations that
had always existed between the Indian office
and the bureau, and said: This bureau is of
opinion that the causes alleged to it by the
honorable commissioner of Indian affairs as
grounds of an intention to sever the official
relations heretofore existing between this
bureau and the Indian Office, are chiefly
if not entirely Of personal character on
the part of the honorable commissioner
and do not furnish any valid or sufficient
grounds for the grave official step which the
honorable commissioner has thought mt to
contemplate this bureau declaring that private
grievances of officials should not in any case be
allowed to stand in the way of the due admin
istration OF public business entrusted to their
charge.
This bureau, SO believing. declares that there
does not exist any valid cause to substantially
sever official relations in the matter of contracts
for the education Of Indian children between
the Indian Office and this bureau. but respect
fully submits that the honorable COM
missioner of Indian affairs, in his said
letter Of July 2, does not, and, in
fact, could not. set forth. recite or In
any wise intimate any want Of fidelity on the
part of this bureau in the execution of any of
its contracts with the Indian Office, or in the
management of any ofIits Indian schools. or in
the due administration of any Of its trusts re-
lating to Indians.
''These explanations. these disavowals and
these declarations of this bureau in these prem
Uses, 7" he wrote, sit is hoped and believed will
cause the honorable commissioner of Indian
affairs to hesitate in carrying into effect the
contemplated severance of official relations
between his Office and this bureau rela-
49,. - A. HI "A Ill d.
will be, with consequences SO grave and so
far-reaching that neither the honorable COM
missioner himself nor ourselves at this time are
competent to fully measure or to fully calculate
their import or the extent of injury that may
be done to the cause Of Indian education (in
which We all arc SO deeply interested) and SO
liable, as it will be, to originate new causes Of
contention"
COMMISSIONER MoRGAN's REPLY.
Commissioner Morgan replied to this letter
on the 18th, saying that aftec considering it he
saw no reason whatever for any modification
of the action of the Indian Office.
81 will not. he wrote, center into any dis
cussion at this time of the several points of
your communication, but wish to offer an
apology for the inadvertence of the typewriter
in using the word president" instead of ''di-
rector" when mentioning Row. J. A. Stephan, a
mistake which l. too, overlooked. Allow me to
say, further, that if had read Mr.. Stephan
offensive official letter of April 80 prior to
the interview with you, that interview, not
withstanding my very sincere desire for
friendly cooperation with your bureau,
would never have been sought, and that while
that letter remains in the files of this Office
without apology and he remains officially con-
nected with your bureau any official relations
between it and this Office will be by courtesy
and not by right" He announced in this let
ter that he had already signed several con-
tracts with the Catholic schools which, he said,
were apparently glad to enter into the new
order Of things.
CARDINAL GIBBONS LETTER.
Commissioner Morgan also received letter
on this subject from Cardinal Gibbons, dated
at Cape May, July IL, expressing regret for the
Sun publication and disavowing knowledge of
its author. referring to the commissioner q
action he wrote:
'.This. 1 submit, is q very grave step and one
that l fear will be fraught with much en-
barrassment to all concerned in the great and
necessary work Of educating our Indian wards
and result in many complications and
contentious that can be productive only
of discord and trouble. am clearly of opinion
that it will be q mistake to carry out your in
tention, and therefore trust that you will re-
consider the matter and conclude TO continue
the relations heretofore existing between your
Office and the Catholic bureau.
i'For myself" he said in conclusion. II will
say that / will use my influence to prevent
any one connected with that bureau INDUCING
in attacks upon you of a malevolent or personal
haA v,IA sav,t SO