The National tribune., 1891-07-23
THE INDIAN SCHOOLS.

in this City.
There is in Washington a Bureau, at the head
Of which is Rev. Father stephan, which man.
ages all the Catholic Missions among the In
dians in the Territory Of tho United States.
| This Bureau aud Gen. Morgan, the Commits
sioner Of Indian Affairs, have not gotten along
as amicably as was desired, and finally the Cen
| eral resolved 10 make 10 more school contracts
through it, but directly with those having
charge Of the schools. lie wrote the following
letter 10 the acting head Of the Bureau:
DEPARTMENT or TIRE INTERIOR,
OFFICE or INDIAN AFFAIRS.
WAsHISGTON. ID. G., July ., ls9l)
/ Rev. Father CHArEILE, Vice President, Bureau
Catholic Indian Missions.
DEAR SIR. Replying to your application Tor re-
newn Of contracts Tor 1891, % for the education Of
Indian children aud youth, allow me 10 say:
When entered upon the duties Of this Office two
I years ago yesterday, found the important work
/ of Indian education being carried on under two
distinct systoms-the Government, or public. aud
the contract school system. Beginning IA 1870 10y
an appropriation uf $4,000 for Indian education,
the Government had gradually increased this sum
until Tor the year ending June 30 1883, % amountcd
TO something more Than sL3llCo
The Government had established and was main
tanning three classes Of schQ'ls he large training
schools Of Of reservations. tho reservation board
iug-sChouls, aud the reservation day schools te
attendance at these various Government luriilu-
tious for The year ending June 20. lss9, showed an
enrolment Of 600 and an average attendant" ~
G,s56; while the enrolment ia al the contract
schools Tor The same period was only Gil With an
Government schools were lea full operation, and my
work has been limited 10 enlargiug and improving
the system. was ia no wise responsible Tor ana
claim credit for its oTiglnAtiOn, but proper al
miuistratiOu was committed 20 me Hs "a great trust
By special aud general legislation Congress las,
during the last Two years, largely increased the
number, capacity aud equipment OF these NoNern-
ment schools and lass added more than siojluJJ
10 the annual appropriation for Indian educa'l"h
on entering upon my present duties Alre-eed
preference Tor the Government rather tlIHn tic
/ contract system. az being more Ia harmony wan
the American idea 81 education by means 81 me
public sch0ols. At the same lime stated that the
/ schools maintained 10y the Government Tor the
education Of The Indians should be strictly non
scciailan aud non partisan: aud further, that tie
/ approximation Of public funds To sectaTan iusiiiu
uons was, ia my opinion contrary to tie spirit "
not the letter, Of the Constitution, and opposed to
public policy.
said. however, distinctly aud repeatedly. that Il
was not my purpose wish To interfere in amy way
with the contract schools then existing, unless Tor
good aud suiicicnt reasons, expressing, however
determination not 10 authorize any new contract
schools.
These vicws were widely disseminated and
earnestly discussed through the public press and
| ln the halls OF Congress, and the general subject
found place in the annual report Of the honorable
Secretary Of the Interior and the Presidents an
/ nual message.
My position on the question was violently as
sailed by our Bureau False charges were pre-
frrred against me- aud the most determined but
/ futile efforts were made to prevent nay coHhrma-
| ton and to secure nav displacement An emTloye
dl-charecd Tor cause from this oiicr was ininedl-
ately given employment by your Bureau, where lac
b. still retained, and during the entire two years
has both directly aud indirectly in season aud out
81 season, publicly and privately, through news
| papers and personal interviews, through Official
correspondence aud IN the lobby 81 Congress
assaulted the policy ~ the Administration aud at
tempted 70 defeat the extension aud successful
1 operation Of the Government schools Those In
your employ in The field, aud others iusigatcd APP.
paTcutly by the attitude of the Bureau. have en-
4 Gravorcd. directly aud indirectly, TO hinder the
| efforts Of The Government ia Us hruehreut work
OF educating aud cIyiizng the indian through It's
i
tug from your Bureau have been, la some respects
at least hurtiul, aud IL Is certainly not ~ fault that
the Government schools have not been crippled or
even destroyed. While drawing hun trcd- 81 thou
sands 81 dollars a Government funds 10 build up
aud sustain The mission schools under your charge,
your Bureau has thrown ia" whole weight ~ IL
influence against the Government upon whose
bounty IL subs sicd.
Your attitude Of hostility. criticism and aGgrcss-
i've aHtagouistn has rendered official intercourse
between your Bureau and this Office very difficult
aud harraS.ing, largely increasing IT. work hud
Liudcglug and delaying the general cause 81 Indian
I education.
During this period of time the President hi
rector Of your Bureau, Rev. J. a. stephan. las
never, 80 lar as known. taken any pains 10 bring
about pleasautcr relations with the Indian onice,
has never spoken 10 me- or 80 FAR - ! ani aware,
been }u The Office, aud u entirely unknown 10 me,
! even by sight.
Recently, simply IN the interest Of harmony. and
with sincere desire to promote the common
cause iniimated la your Secretary that would
bc glad 10 confer with the officers ui your Bureau.
aud Oh The l0 - June last you and your Secretary
aud, 10 me- satisfactory interview received from
you the repeated assurance That you greatly desired
harmony that You regretted tiIc unpleasant tcla-
lions then existing, andlhai iu the iHlure lh7 once
would have occasion TO complain ui tie attitude
Of your Bureau ] at Tie same time expressed TO
you my desire Tor friendly co cooperation, and my
readiness 10 grant To your Bureau all that you
could reasonably expect
la this connection lct ask your attention 20
the groNih 81 the appropriation 81 public funds TO
your Bureau, which Inns been > follows:
lso5, clih8i3 lh5, si9I6i5; 1879 sZzl rlG9; 1883,
$50 Ga; 1880 $50 g57 1921, sylJ3iJ; nom which %
viii be seen ihai during each Of ic two years q" my
administration you have received an increased
amount 81 money.
Subsequent 10 this interview your Secretary
made au official request for an appropriation FOR
the year 10 come, 81 sum nggregnting. la CON
ucciiuu with amounts specifically appropriated.
t8J12l0 Your attention b particularly Invited 90
tIe fact that the total sum suggested by act al Con-
gress for al contract schools 81 all denominations
Tor 1891. -. WAS $4,000 Of which your Bureau
claimed nearly hve-rirths.
, looked upon this demand NJ unreasonable aud
, yet lu order " possible Ia promote harmony. in.
p uha'ed % willingness 10 set apurt CUII-ldcrabiy
. over 10000 Tor your Use confidently expecting
iu accordance with your ezpIe-- agreement, thai
/ the uu-ecmly, uuiu-tIfable and harmful nuta.,
0nism Of your Bureau 90 the Indian Office and lht
. Government schools was ~ an end.
! Imagine my surprise, chhgrin aud disgust whcr
2 my attention was called on Monday, June -. 10 81
article cIuAuatlHg from your Bureau publis he'd M
lho New York sun, June p, OF which tie following
/ b. copy:
n 1.-THE MoQUI INDIAN TRoUBLE-COMMIssTo
3 MoRGAss SCHOOL POLICY SAID TO BIZ ne
; EPONEIBLE FOR 1T.
: wAsnTNCroS June q.
= THE action Of Commits oueT Of Indian Affair
I | Morgan in requesting that "A detail Of troof- b,
sent To the the MOqui Pueblo Indian School a
\ kcams Canyon, ARR, 10 force the Indians TO doss
itOm taking their children away from the Govern
. meHt school, aud threatening Tie whites as the,
i are alleged TO have done hAs aroused the uimos
indignation among the various benevolent a--uci A
tons Interested in civliziug and educating the In
y danS, The Commissioner is generally criticized
X especially b. thC Board 81 Catholic Indian Mis-
sious la This city, who claim that the trouble
there really is Ruy a kcams Canyon Il the first il
fiuii-sf tie Commissioners policy Of pig leadr,
: obstIHacy and opposition TO the contract school
- that have existed and nOuTi.hcd Tor years At Ih
J. Indian Bureau tie Information Is furnished inaI th
IS recent difficulties due 10 the fact TINT the Moqu
a Indians are bitterly opposed To seu.liug th,i
=, l children 10 Tie Government school The AIi-~io
a Bureau states cmphaiieally that there b. 40 irui
whichever In tls statement. 80 Ear "a ID Indicate
.. 4 opposition 10 education the part Of thee. Ia
N dllUs. They say that Il s quite possible und alto
~ geihrr probable. that the schools AZ present ma
= ngcd hy tEe Commissioner Of Indian Affairs aud hi
=. political teachers and other Hppulutee- are uni,ou
ular. but they claim that the Aloqui Indians az
as they point 10 petition submitted by gllc Mouui
!, 10 the Commissioner about four years ago AN
signed 10y all their village chiefs. The TptifioT
x, after describing the Indian mode 81 life aud The
al admiration ior The whites concludes a. follows.
re " We also greatly concerned for our children
Of They pray that they may follow la their father
footsteps, aud grow up pure Of heart aud good ,
breath. Yet we can that things are cham
10 ing around ne, and many Americans are comb,
rs iu this region We would like our children 1
10 learn Tie Americans tongue and their syHyu ,
nj work. We pray you 10 cause "A school 60 be opeue
a