The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-28
THE soU1HWEs1ERN INDIANS.
Superintendent Dorchcster's Views or Edu.
cation Among tho PuebIos.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 25.-The tour Of DR..
Daniel Dorchester. Superintendent of Indian
Schools. among the tribes Of New Mexico has
given him some gloomy views as TO the prog
ross OF the business intrusted to his charge.
particularly among the Pueblos. He finds
that out of 1894 children of school age in
cludcd in these tribes and in tho Jicarilla and
Mescalcro Apachcs. only 1910 now attend
school at all. and that many even who are on
the rolls play truant a good deal OF the time.
Their religion Is a pagan fctishisn. They are
l~istless and apparently without interest in life.
1t is clear that II what is thus said is not ex-
aggerated there Is a great field for religious
and philanthropic labor among these native
Americans. But it may fairly DO surmised that
q part Of the encouragement expressed by DR..
Dorchester is due to the exception of the Pueb-
los from the compulsory education law on
which he so much relies. The Indian appro-
priation act Of March 3. 1891. authorized and
directed the Indian Commissioner Ito make
and enforce by proper means such rules and
regulations as will secure the attendance Of
Indian children OF suitable age and strength
at schools established and maintained for
their benefit" Commissioner Morgan and
superintendent Dorchester We're anxious to
know whether they could not apply this statute
to the Zuni and other Pueblo Indians in New
Mexico. There Is strong reason" wrote
Commissioner Morgan. that the children OF
these unfortunate people should not be de-
barred from the privileges OF the school at
stSsed Te by s,t ts si tfsi9 SnTssts superstition and
But Assistant Acknowledgement Shields de-
cided adversely on this point. He held that
dwelling In towns or villages. were entitled to
certain rights which other Mexican citizens
t aea 81 u t! New s'' %e9 9t sne on anH %hieh the ey l hes p Sn.
der the treaty OF lS4S. In the case Of United
States .ys. Joseph. decided BY the Supreme
Court. the opinion Of the court was In part:
d.ans, had nothing IN common with thu: class. The
s asT.s' hs 81 fs., ,asi1 %',.t ns, .aSm ,hsy h' TO s al ,r laws ss".
q :he Mexican oprernment; tlie iull ecornition by tina!
S ss,,ss and ao I'd 1s t osie.' e. and F ,ss.1 . i"S'1i,"s , ,nS' ,G Ss
f sseir i.n ,as' IN OF cs sas SSR.'s ii i"rS 6 ff ;Is f t.s. tn, i"sy ! hey
should be c!assed with the Indian tribes for whom tho
tn. act OF 1861 It's provisions were applicable to them.
Accordingly Mr.. Shields concluded that. with
Pueblo Indians OF New Mexico. the statute for
sSht a 81 these fuae"i India %Ss' ! AH' m nnS'y 30 20 cone ene
coded, he said. that 4 is very desirable that
educated in the schools established by the
Government but tho Government is equally
Interested in the Mh edp psmss Of Il the x children Ms o,
and became citizens oftho United States and all
other children IN said Territory He implied.
absence Of an cxpress declaration by Congress
that the PUEBLO Indian children may be com
PEELED by the department to attend schools"
Accordingly 1t mny be surmised that in the
vivid picture which DR.. Dorchester draws OF
the ignorance. degradation. and superstition
OF these, Indians. he il laying the foundation
for IN appeal to Congress for authority to
force their children in,o the schools.
But his picture certainly differs somewhat
from tina, which Is given OF these people in the
case at law already citod. where the Supreme
Court quotes from the opinion Of the court be-
low that the Pueblos are "a peaceable. indus
trious. Intelligent. honest, and v%lrtuous people.
and a few OF their habits: in all other respects
triI es of tho country and the equal OF the most
civilized thereof" And In fact the very state
ment that with schooling wholly voluntary
much more than half Of the children Of school
age in the tribes mentioned actually enroll
Themselves, on the. school lists is certainly
rather creditatle.. II ~ good many Of tho lads
ar. found to play truant, II Is perhaps no more
than would be done by white urchins. os-
pecially with tho connivunce OF their parents.
which. according TO DIR. Dorchester. the red
children have.
Still another point to remember is that it WAS
largely on account OF the Indians IN New
Mexico that the controversy arose last year
between Commissioner Morgan and the Bu-
reau of Catholic Indian Missions. There. also.
Ia situated tho school at Keam's Canon,
about which the trouble Of last year occurred.
However. II II is true that the cause OF educa-
tion is SO back ward among the Fueblos. there
II all tn" more reason for putting forth special
cffur,s both by tho Government and by private
philanthropy.