Arizona republican., 1891-04-12
INDIAN EDUCATION. What to do With the Young
 Redskins. An Effort to Put Them in the
 Public Schools. Superintendent Cheyney Gives COm- missioner MOrgan's Plan a.
 Terrible Scoring.


 sioEer of Indian Affairs, in August last sent letter to the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Arizona, asking if Indian children could not be educated in the public schools of the Territory, the National Government to pay tui- tion fee of Sl0 quarter, the school dis tricts to furnish, besides instruction, the necessary text books. Superintendent Cheyney sent this in printed circular to the various school districts of the Territory, receiving reply from less than one-tifth of the districts. Mir. Cheyney is decidedly opposed to any mixture of the races in the public schools and says so in no uncertain terms. He arraigns the Commissioner in strong language for his statements concerning the alleged "abuse of the poor Indian," and tells him few facts about the devilish red tiends of Arizona. Through the cour- tesy of Mir. Cheyney TIE REPUBLICAN is permitted to give the letters in full.
 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
 OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,
 WASHINGTON, D. C., August l5, 1890. HoN. GEORGE w. CHENEY, Superin-
 tendent of Public Instruction of the
 Territory of Arizona, Tombstone,
 Arizona:
 Sir-lt is the prime purpose of the present administration oi Indian Affairs to bring the Indian schools into relation with the public schools of the several States and Territories in which Indian reservations are located as rapidly as practicable. To this end am modelling the schools under my supervision after the public schools as far as pUssI ble.
 In most OI the States and Territories where there are Indians some oi them are located among the white settlers, and white settlements generally sur round the reservations. l deem 1t eX- tremely desirable that wherever pIactic- able Ihe children Ol Indians re ldIng on reservations or among the whites be in- dured to attend the public schools.
 They Will learn the ways Ul cIvlllZa. ton and acquire the language much more rapidly II associated with whit, children m the public schools than in any other way.
 These Indians pay no taxes and in many Instances are either too poor OI too indifferent Co place their children in school.
 Many school districts adjacent to h. dian reservations, or containing Indian allotted lands, are prevented rom main talning schools by the presence ol the Indians, who do not contribute in any way toward 'he support of such schools.
 nrnar AS Iu h.. I,,I who break up their tribal relations and settle upon allotted lands may have up- portunltles of educating their children, ana as an lnducement to white settlers to invite Indian children to their schools and assist them to acquire the rudiments ol an English education, would be pleased to have you inform school officers and others interested that the Indian Otfice IS ready to enter into contracts with the school distrIct officers, or other properly qualified representatives, oi school districts, for the tuition of Indian children at rate of SlO per quarter, based upon the average attendance of Indian children during the quarter. Out ot thls SlO per quarter the school dts trlcts will be expected to supply the necessary textbooks to the Indian chil- dren. The school district will contract distinctly to give to each Indian child all the opportunities and attention which are given to the white children attend ing school, and so far as possible prevent thelr white playmates from ridiculing them or Tn any way discouraging them or preventing JheIr progress.
 The Government contributes this $l0 per quarter directly for the purpose of benedting the children of the Indians us wards-iOr whose education the Ma tional Government is responsible. The iact that this is likewise benefit to school districts having Indian citizens or adjacent to Indian reservations must not be lost sight of.
 feel that the whites of such localities are as much interested in this plan of educating the Indian children as the h. ulans are themselves, not only because oi the money received, but especially be- cause the Indians thus brought into the PnOilc schools and into pleasant rela- tlonshlp with white children will more readily become fitted for good citizen ship.
 l trust that you will co6perate with this office in the work of bringing these ignorant little ones into contact with our Christian civilization through the public schools. Very Respectfully,
 T. J. MORGAN, Commissioner.
 TOMBSTONE, Ariz., February 23, 1891. HON. T. J. MORGAN, Commissioner of
 Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C.:
 Str-Referring to your letter of Au- gust 10, 1890, in reference to the educa- ton oI Indian children. conjoinUly with others, in the public schools of Arizona, some tune since forwarded to you copy of circular letter which 1 pre- pared and which has been mailed to the trustees ol the various school districts oi the Territory.
 Assuming that the proposition con talned in your letter was made in all seriousness, and notwithstanding the fact that you did not honor my cummu- nication with an acknowledgment, 1 have endeavored to carry out your wishes and, irrespective of my own opinions, tO obtain un expression on the plan from the parents and the taxpay- CTS ol the Territory, and herewith beg leave to present the result of my in- qulries.
 There are, in this Territory, lS7 school districts. Ire trustees of but thirty five of them have responded to my in quiry, and of these twenty-three simply to the effect that there are no Indians within reach of their districts. From the others l note extracts as follows, that you may see the trend of opinion.
 Apache county-St Joseph district reports: Would be glad to give Al.