The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-25
10, THE POOR INDIAN.
General Morgan Talked About Him
Last Evening.
TOMAHAWK Is A
CONSTANT MENACE.

Relations of the Catholics to the School
System of the Government-General
Morgan Says the Priests Help Para
iyze the Service.
The poor Indian was the subject of
much discussion at the First Baptist
church yesterday afternoon and evening.
Under the auspices of the Maine Wom
ans Indian Association, General Morgan
recently United States Commissioner of
Indian Affairs, delivered lecture in the
evening. In the course of his remarks,
he said:
From 1887, when the Dawes severalty
act was passed, the policy has been to
settle the Indians on lands, make them
| citizens, give them the suffrage and, in
short, assimilate them with ourselves
In the last four or five years, tens of
| thousands of them have taken up lands.
The annual appropriation for Indian ed
ucation is $2,300,000 at this time. In
| dustrial schools have been establis he'd,
and the Indian boys and girls are learn
ing the rudimentary facts of civilized
life; Congress has passed a compulsory
education act, requiring Indian children
to go to school. In 1889 there were
10000 Indian children in schools, while
this year there were, in June, 21, 900. AS
the government has nothing to do with
the $1,000 Indians of the civilized tribes,
it is probable that there are not more
than 1000 children under care of the gov
ernment, out of schools.
These scholars are quick to learn. The
lecturer spoke of several schools, among
which was that at Lawrence, Kas. where
MI. Meserve of Maine is principal.
But many difficulties are found. The
Indian is very conservative. He thinks
he is superior to the white man. and
that his method of life is the better. The
young man who goes back to his tribe
with the civilized clothing and education
that he has obtained from the schools, is
ridiculed and condemned, until ne is
tempted to return to barbarous ways.
Then the spoils system makes trouble.
In the Indian Office from $4,O00,OO0 to
$6,000,0O0 are disbursed yearly, and
there is great scramble for positions
Congressman try to get drunken sons
places as teachers. Then the speaker re-
lated an incident about the selection of
Mr.. Meserve as principal of the great
school at Lawrence, Kas. Mr.. Meserve
is an accomplished teacher. a graduate
of Colby University, and was teacher
in Springfield, Mass. After he was APP
pointed, Senator Ingalls,, 'swho then mis-
represented Kansas in the Senate,''
and was having fight for re-
election, needed the place to help him
in his contest. He wanted to give that
place to some one who would help him.
His colleague, Senator Plumb, came Ito
the Indian office and made scene,
Shaking His Fists,
and threatening to fight Commissioner
Morgan at every turn. And Ingalls, and
Plumb did do everything they could to
hurt the commissioner. These Republi-
can senators were not the only ones who
tried to debauch the service. The present
administration was steadily undermining
the Indian service, destroying it's effic-
iency and turning it over to the spoils-
men.
The Catholics also are making trouble.
There are liberal Catholicsi but the or
ganization of the church, has no sympa-
thy with American ideas. When I went
into the office found that the Catholics
dominated the Office They dictated the
appiontmentssof teachers, and because I
discharged some incompetent Catholic
teachers I was denounced as a bigot.
The
Priests Fight the Public Schools
at every turn. They even go so far as
to take forcibly from the wagons, chill
dren starting, for the Carlisle school,
telling the children's parents that the
public school is the gateway to hell.
Since l have left the office the priests
have gained paralyzing control over
the service.
The Catholics today are getting $780,
900 year for teaching the Romish cate
chism to Indian children. 1t is per-
version of public funds. Public money
should be expended only for public in
stitutions. Applause
In the afternoon, previous to the lee
ture of the evening, the Maine Woman's
Indian Association held their annual
| meeting and elected the following offic-
ers:
President-Mrs. Myra E. Frye, Wood
fords.
Vice Presidents-Miss Ernestine l..
Libby, Portland; Mrs. F. G.. Stickney,
Bangor; Miss Abbie Martin, Brunswick;
Mrs. H. j. Bailey, Winthrop; DR.. Mary
Bates Stevens, Auburn; Mrs. F.M Drew,
Lewiston; Mrs. Anna Sargent Hunt, Au-
gusta.
Recording Secretary-Miss Alice
Blanchard, Portland.
Corresponding Secretary-Miss Addie
Wyer, Portland.
Treasurer-Mrs. J. H. Coffin, Port
land.
Auditor-Miss L. B. Day, Portland.
Committee Chairmen-Press, Mrs. C.
| T. Ogden, Woodfords; petitions to Leg
islature, Mrs. N. S. Gardiner; public
| meetings, Miss j. L. Crie; organization,
Mrs. NJ. E. Frye; missionary, Mrs. Mel
| vim Bailey; current Indian news, Mrs. N.
S. Gardiner; fraternal relations w. c. T.
| U., Mrs. Geo. S. Hunt.
Librarian-Mrs. G. +. Thurston.
Directors from Churches-New Jeru-
salem, Mrs. M. T. W. Merrill; Friends.
| Mrs. Charles Foster; State street, Miss
Emily L. Hobbs; Williston, Miss Addie
Wyer: st. Paul. Miss Caroline Carney;
First Parish, Miss Lucy B. Day; Chest
nut street, Mrs. F. H. Hazelton; Pine
street, Mrs. A. P. Leighton; Congress
street Methodist, Mrs. S. G. Blackwell:
Second Parish, Mrs. Thomas Sawyer;
Free Will Baptist. Mrs. j. J. Pooler; St.
c+anba6,s Mrs f. E. BoOthby. Church