Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18

Lie scHooIs-THE CATHOLIC BUREAU rHRouoH
FATHER cHArELLE DIsAvovs ANY PART II THE
PUBLISHED ATTACK ON THE coxnnssIoxER-A
LETTER PROM CARDINAL aIBDoSs
The 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.
tho vice president of the mission. Father
Chapeile wrote on July in reply to
the commissioners letter. He recited
the fact that the bureau had on July
requested personal interview with
the commissioner, which the latter had declined
to grant. stating that he would receive any
communication in writing, but failed to see
that anything would be accomplished by per-
sonal Interview. This bureau" Father Cha
pelie wrote. expresses not only its deep regret,
but ITS exceeding great astonishment that the
mead OF any public Office of the United States
should decline and refuse to hold an
oficia! personal interview with per-
sons having important public business 70
transact with it, and especially, too, in view of
the necessity OF 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
w cucsciNeu, ESuuerlnS III lte luugment
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
sloner, who had few days previously sought
vice president, on the very questions now
under consideration"
DfsAvowED BIZ 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-
ciared that none OF its members or employees
has right, as member or employe, 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 criticse the govern
ment OF the United States in the aaministra-
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 resigna-
ton was accepted. Father Chapelle called at
tention TO the fact that the letter referred to
by Commissioner Morgan 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
grounds of an intention to sever the official
relations heretofore existing between this
bureau and the Indian Office, are chiefly
4 mt @srA1,- Of al.
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 tit 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
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, " 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 reia-
tive to said contracts, attended, as it no doubt
will be, with consequences SO grave and so
far-reaching that neither the honorable COM
missioner himself nor ourselves at this time
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 are 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.
II will not. The 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 Rev. J. A. Stephan,
mistake which l, too, overlooked. Allow me to
say, further, that il l had read Mr.. Stepbans
offensive official letter of April 20 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,
we're apparently glad to enter into the new
order Of things.
CARDINAL GIBBoSs' 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 commissioners
action he wrote:
''This. submit, is a very grave step and one
that / 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. I am clearly of opinion
that it will be 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.
"For myself" he said in conclusion. '1 will
say that 1 will use my influence to prevent
any one connected with that bureau indulging