The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-25
UHcLESAM IS lame
SAY THE INDIAN EDUCATORS, IN
THE ADMINISTRATION OF IN
DIAN AFFAIRS.
FEDERAL POLICY ATTACKED.
REV. j. A. GILFIILAN, THE LAST
To CRITICISE THE GOV
ERNMENT.
LAST DAY OF THE CONVENTION.
Needs of the Service Set Forth in
Series of Resolutions
Adopted.
FEDERAL POLICY ATTACKED.
LAST DAY OF THE CONVENTION.

The consensus of all the papers read
and opinions expressed at the institute
of the teachers in the Indian service,
which closed last night, was that the
government is lamentably lame in it's
administration Of Indian affairs; that
II In the future the Indian does not
rise to a higher plane than he occupies
now, it will be Uncle Sans fault. The
convention opened and closed with crit
icisms of the federal policy, and COM
ing from such close and intimate stu
dents of Indian nature as the instruc-
tors of Indian children, the complaints,
1t was claimed, were entitled to some
weight
Rev. j. A. Gilfllan, Episcopal mis-
s1onary at the White Earth agency.
was the last of the speakers to criti-
cize the government, and he did it
roundly, in an address which occupied
half hour. Rev. Mr. GNfllan has
oeen missionary among the Indians
for twenty-five years, most of the time
peing spent among the Ojibways of
Minnesota. He stated that of the 5000
OJ1pWay children in this state, not
more than one in five was in the In
dian schools. Although these benight-
ed children were within a few hours
rlde or the great cities, they were con-
demned to lives of ignorance and deg
radiation, simply because the national
government was meager in it's appro-
prlatlon for Indian schools and lax in
its administration of Indian affairs
me speaker named dozen agencies
and places In the state where there are
To
proportion of but one in five was in
the Indian schools. Mr.. GilflIan said
that he had used all his influence for
the past twenty-five years to arouse
the government to a sense of its re-
sponsibilities, but in vain. Although
the government had taken four Of his
private schools off his hands from year
to year, not one new school had been
established in the state during the past
twenty-five years. Many of the Indian
schools maintained by the federal gov
eminent were mismanaged, and no eff
fort was made by its agents to compel
children to attend. He advised more
liberal policy in financial matters, and
more stringent management of the
schools. Rev. Mr.. Gilfillan advised the
prohibition of the use Of any Indian
Schools.
stopping of all native ceremonies, and
advised that the children be separated
from their native customs entirely in
order that they might learn more of
the ways of the white man. 81 want
to see the government do away with
the issuance of rations, the granting Of
annuities, the establishment Of reser-
vations and agencies, and the enact
any14 0f iaI Joxr &c.,
AS long as we baby the Indian he will
presume upon his prerogatives and
continue in savage and uncivilized
state. We must put them up on the
plane of the white man, and force all
the responsibilities Of our race upon
him." The speaker paid a tribute to
the corps of teachers who isolate them.
selves from the world and it's comforts
to labor with the red skins year after
year. .,,a
o. II. Parker, superintendent Of the
| Winnebago school, Neb., followed in
the last paper of the institute, and
after some general discussion, the con-
vention adjourned. The date and place
for the next meeting will be selected
! during the next few months by the off,
GERS of the association.
| All the business of the convention
was wound up during the day, and the
staff of officers was elected as follows:
President-Dr. w. N. Haimann Washing
! ton, D. G.
Vice Presdent-Crosby G. Davis. Pierre
Recording Secretary-Miss Viola Cook,
White Earth agency.
Railroad Secretary-Dr. Frederick Treon,
Crow Creek agency.
| General Secretary-S. M. MCGOWAN SUPER
intendent, Albuquerque, N. NJ.
Executive Commttee-Frank E. Avery, o.
H. Gates w. H. Winslow and o. H. Parker.
At the morning session yesterday, the
commissioner Of Indian affairs was
criticised for his order reducing the
allotment of clothing to be issued here
after to the Indians and the children
| attending the schools. The order was
deemed prejudicial to the good results
! Of the schools and a communication
was prepared and signed by all the
superintendent present, requesting the
commissioner to rescind his order and
place the system back upon it's old
footing. The following resolutions were
! adopted:
Resolved That the sincere thanks of this
convention be rendered the citizens of St
! Paul, the Commercial club, of st. Paul, the
city press, the Conover Music company and
the city school authorities for the many cour-
tesies received at their hands.
/. Resolved That there is pressing need in
| the Indian service of two special non-reser-
walton schools, where Indian youth Of either
sex showing immoral tendencies, may be
enrolled, without consent of the parents upon
! the recommendation of agents and superin-
1 tendents. Said school should be properly
equipped to conduct the moral training and
education Of these pupils upon approved meth
DDS used at reform schools.
! Resolved That we fully appreciate the re-
cent improvements in methods of teaching