The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-07-14

cese of Mes qually, was named the direc-
tor and treasurer of the Catholic Indian
Bureau, which was then formally organ
fized and established, it's avoxed aims
being: First, to direct the administration
of such agencies as we're especially as
signed to the care of Catholics; secondly,
to secure, it possible. the remainder OF
the agencies to which Catholics were
plainly entitled under the terms of Presi-
dent Grants peace policy; thirdly, to
protect the religious faith and material
interests Of all Catholic Indians; and
lastly, to secure the establishment OF
suitable schools for Indian boys and
girls, to procure for the Indians moral
and Christian teachers, with adequate
compensation for their services; TO de
velop general interest in Indian educa'
tion, and to secure means with which to
erect school buildings in all cases posi-
BILE.
In order to secure the funds here al
luded to, and to provide tor their proper
distribution, it was formally resolved TO
apply for charter for the bureau, and
such application was accordingly made.
Upon it's incorporation under the laws of
the United States, Juna IA, 1881, and
under the name OF "The Bureau OF Gath
olic Indian Missions, the organization
entered upon period of new activity;
and an additional impetus was given to
the work when by decree OF the Third
Plenary Council Of Baltimore it was for
mally recognized as an institution of the
Church and placed under tina supervision
OF committee of five prelates, with
Cardinal Gibbons, who had in the interim
succeeded Archbishop Bayley, at their
head. This committee meets quarterly
for the purpose of auditing accounts.
listening to reports Or suggestions and
transacting any other business that may
come before it. OF al the individuals
connected with the bureau but two are
salaried, the director and secretary, who
have to devote their whole time to the
duties that devolve upon them. The
funds at the bureaus disposal come to it
from the annual collections which the
Third Council decreed should be taken
up throughout the country for the Indian
and negro missions, and from the COD
tracts which it enters into with tbs
government. The money it receives from
these contracts, though, must be entirely
expended on the agency schools, and for
it's own maintenance the bureau must
rely on the contributions of generous
Catholics, and the annual collections
that are made in it's behalf. The funds
of the bureau are safeguarded in re-
markable manner, being banked with
Riggs & Co., from whose hands they can
only be drawn by acquisitions, which
must be presented to the board OF con-
troll at its quarterly meetings and be
signed by that body, before they will be
honored at the bank.
As already stated, one If the pernicious
effects of Gen. Grants policy in dealing
with the indians, was to practically ex-
| clude Catholic priests from all but the
eight agencies which had been assigned
to the Catholics during his administra
tion. The bureau won It's first signal
success during the term of his successor,
President Hayes, when believing that the
! time had come for it to act, it petitioned
the Interior Department. in June, 1880,
that, as under the national constitution,
every Christian church had the right to
exercise it's ministry whenever and wher.
ever such ministry was desired, the ex-
clusion Of Catholic priests from any In
dian agency should not be permitted.
Recognizing the force Of this argument,
the administration issued an order that
thereafter, exception made of places,
where the presence OF rival religious Or
CARNATIONS would imperil the mainten-
ance Of peace and order, Indian reserva
| tions should be open to all religious de-
nominations. Under this just. ruling,
the Catholic missionaries lost no time in
reclaiming the missions from which they
had been shut out for eight years, and it
is needless to. o.say that ''the black gowns"
were enthusiastically welcomed back by
the Catholic aborigines. The attempts
that were made by certain fanatics, un-
der the last administration; to cripple
the work of the Catholic missionaries and
teachers among the Indians, are too we'll
known to call for description here.
The amount of work which devolves
upon the Catholic Indian bureau can be
in measure estimated by the fact that
| it has the supervision OF all the contracts
whereby the government aids the Church
| in taking care Of nearly 1000 Indian
4 Il n. Nj .~1s T~>l L..