The Irish standard., 1891-04-25

wards the Catholic Indian bureau wa
formally established. Its objects wer'
then announced to be, first, to direc
the administration OF such agencies a
were especially assigned to the care o
Catholic missionaries; secondly, to Sc
cure, if possible, the remainder OF th,
agencies to which Catholic missionaries
were justly entitled under the terms O.
Grants peace policy; thirdly, to protec
the religious faith aud maternal inter
ests of ali Catholic Indians; and, lastly
to secure the establishment of suitable
schools for Indian boys and girls; tt
procure for the Indians moral anG
Christian teachers with adequate com
pensatlon for their services; to develop
a general interest in Indian education
and to secure means with which ll
erect school buildings in all possible
cases.
In order to secure funds for the car
rying out of this policy, the Catholic
Indian Mission Association was in
augurated, with branches all over the
country; and, to secure the proper dis
bursement of the funds thus collected,
it was resolved to apply for charter
for the bureau and to appoint a board
OF control. The bureau was accordingly
incorporated under the United States
laws June II, 1881, being emDo wered to
receive bequests and then assuming the
name Of The Bureau of Catholic In
dian Missions' The third plenary
council of Baltimore. holden toward the
close of 1884, formally recognized The
bureau as an institution Of the Catholic
Church. and placed it under the direc
tion of the following prelates. Cardinal
Gibbons, Archbishop Riordan, Bishop
Marty aud Right Rev. James A. Heaiy,
These hierarchs drew up q code of rules
Tor the management OF the bureau, and
they appointed the following controll
ing board: Bishop Marty, president;
Rev, i. L.. Chappelie, vice president;
Rev. S. A.. Stephan, director, vice Rev.
j. f.. Broulllet. deceased; Rev. G. l..
Willard. also deceased, yice.direct0r;
Rev. S. A.. Waiter, treasurer; Rev. E.
Il. McIurk, s. j.; Mr.. John Mailan,
agent, in place of General Ewing. de
ceased, and MIR. Charles S. Lusk. secre
tary. None Of these officials except the
director and secretary are salaried.
The board Of control meets quarterly.
f0r the purpose OF auditing accounts
and hearing reports. ALI contributions
to the bureau are received Dv the direc
tor, by him turned over TO the treasurer,
who banks them with Riggs & Co.,
Washington, Whatever funds are
tanned by requisltion5. which must be
presented at Ghe quarterly meetings OF
the controllers and bs approved bv them
before they can be hOnOred. Whatever
money the bureau obtains from the
government for agency schools must be
wholly expended Oh those institutions,
tlu Ia llO CttoC hsto VLkE7 btsA sW u0AAsSu
penny of profit from such ap-
1ropriations. Fog It's own expenses it
las to depend on the contributions Of
generous Catholics and On its share OF
he collections which, bv order OF the
asst Baltimore council. are taken up an
}uaIly i'll the churches for the Indian
md negro missions.
The bureau Wou its first signal trl.
1nph under the HaTes administration.
President Grants policy, AS already
stated, virtually forbade Catholic mis-
ionarles to enter tue greater number Of
he Indian reservations, notWithstand-
ng that at many Of those places the
Iatholic Indians ousnulnbered those of |
Ill other denominations. The bureau
It once protested against such injustice.
}ut during the Grant administrations
Is protests were all unayalling. In
June, 1880, it petitioned the interior
department., respectfully alleging that.
,nder the constitution Of the country,
very Christian church had an absolute
light to the free exercise of it's ministry
whenever and wherever that was
either by white people or Indi
ns; and the justice Of that position
vas so far recognized by Secretary
,hurz that he issued an order declaring.
hat 'in future, in all cases except
where the presence of rival religious
organizations would manifestly be peril
us to peace and order, Indian reserga-
ions shall be opsn to ali religious de-
provided that no existing
reaty stipulations would be thereby
'iolated." Under this ruling the Catho-
lc missionaries began to reclaim the
tations they formerly held. but of
which Grants p5licy Of prescription
lad deprived them; and their work in
his direction has been so successful
hat for years past the Catholic schools
t the Indian agencies have been voted
larger share of the government ap-
than any other. Pre-
udiced persons have tried to make
apital out Of that fact, claiming the