Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-11
UP IN THE SENATE.
The Persistent Question of Gov.
ernment Aid to Sects.
INDIAN BILL STARTS A DEBATE,

There Being Provision Therein for
Money for Contract Schools Palmer
Protests Against a Certain Kind of So
called "Criticism''-Call Wants to Re-
lease Mrs. Maybrick and Shocks Sherman
with His Proposition.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE sectarian
appropriation question came up in the
senate yesterday. while the Indian bill
was under consideration. Preliminary
thereto Palmer of Illinois protested
against the freedom with which members
'criticise" executive officers. Cannon had
criticised" the interior department and
Palmer said it had become quite the habit
not restricted to the senate-to make
charges against executive officers, basing
the charges on generali,ics and loose
statements. The senator paid tribute to
the commissioner OF Indian affairs, and
deprecated the gcneralized charges of Cam
non of willful irreGularity of the interior
department in dealing with the Indians
Il protest" said Palmer, against these
general charges. They amount to the i'm
2utation of crime. i protest against the
tmpntation that officials are eager to do
WANG hhU poSciy uO
Evidence of Hoke Smiths Unwisdom.
The secretary of the interior may net
besa wise man, and 1 am inclined to be.
lievc he is not very wise, since the senator
from Colorado [Wolcottl says the sccre-
tary is down in Georgia making speeches
in favor Of the gold standard, and that the
speeches are actually converting people to
the other way of thinking"
Cannon answered that In the Sahara
Of incompetcncy at the interior depart
ment" there were two exceptions--the
commissioners of the land office and of
Indian affairs-and he addressed his criti-
cisms against the secretary of the interior
This brought the senate to the sectarian
schools provisions of the bill Carter
moved to strike out the provision declar.
ing that mo money herein appropriated
shall be paid for education in sectarian
schools"
Explains the Origin of the Schools.
Carter said that in 1870 under the peace
policy Of General Grant the government
developed the plan of civilizing and edu-
eating the Indians. This work of educn-
tion and civilization proceeded until 1894,
when n change of policy was determined
upon by which government schools would
take the place OF the contract private
schools. The present bill made the radi-
cal proposition that no money whatever
shall be paid to these schools. 1t also
made the change so precipitately that
thousands of Indian children would be
cut off from their schools. In the desire
to abandon n policy it was proposed to
abandon the Indians. Such n course was
was not In accordance with honesty and
humanity.
Christianity Good for Mr.. Lo.
AS to the claim that dcnominational In.
flucnce was cxcrtcd toward the Indians,
Carter said he knew of no form of Chris.
tianity which, being injected into tho
American Indian, would do him any
harm. He urged that the change from
contract TO government schools be brought
about gradually and without doing vic.
lencc to existing conditions.
Lodge said the abolition of contract
schools was a subject long before COM
grcss. and the effort was always met by
the same plea-that Indian children
would be cut off from their schools There
tian faith might profitably be given to
Indians, but it was not for the govern
mcnt to foster this soctarian education.
HawIcy Would Like to Compromise.
Gallinycr opposed the Carter amend
mcnt, which he said was intended to con-
tinuc appropriations to sectarian schools,
most of which were conducted by one de-
nomination.
Hawley said he was for the Carter
amendment He had doubts as to the
meaning of "scctarian schools" Was it
not possible to adopt some middle course
agreeable to all, by which the Lords
Prayer and the Golden Rule could be per-
mitted in these schools? Some men liked
to serve in the cavalry, some in the artil-
lcry, some in the engineers. So some men
like powerful organization like that
magnificent machine, the Roman Catholic
church, which moves with majestic
power and eternity of purpose.
Views of Gray and Allison.
Gray supported the amendment. He
said it would be n discreditable result if
this senate declined to give aid to these
Christian men and women because they
did not agree with US in their religious
Views.
Allison said it was a mistake to sup.
poed any number of Indian children
would be deprived of their education il
the bill passed without the amendment
He said the idea of General Grant was
that the churches should assume tie edu-
cation Of the Indians, but it was not con-
templated that there should be any con-
tract schools. The bill was then laid
aside.