The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-22
SENATORS AND THE SCHOOLS.
A LIVELY DEBATE on THE sECTA-
RIAN ISSUE.

Strong Speeches Made in Favor OF
Absolute separation of Church and
state Anairs-SenntOr Gray of Del
aware Makes "a Turn on senator
ThurstOn I'm Favor Of "A Liberal
Policy.
Washington. April 21.-The Indian ap-
preparation bill occupied the attention of
the Senate during the greater part Of to-
days session. The discussion as 10 ap-
propriations TO pay for legal services"
rendered 10 the "old settlers. or Western
Cherokees. resulted in the rejection yeas.
Is: nays. 36) of an amendment offered by
NIr. Chandler. allowing the claimants to
bring suit in the court Of claims. and in
the subsequent adoption Of the commit
tee amendment for the payment Of spec
flied amounts to about fifteen claimants.
After that matter was out Of the way,
the question Of sectarian schools came up
and gave rise 10 rather interesting dis
cussion which was not concluded when
the Senate at $50 O'Clock, adjourned until
tomorrow.
At 2 O'Clock the PETER bond resolution
was laid before the Senate as the ''unfin-
ished business" pro forma, but Mr.. Hill
was on the alert to see that it was passed
over. according to the understanding Of
yesterday.
The sectarian Indian school matter came
up on an amendment offered by Mr.. Cock
ren, dem, of Missouri, which declares it
TO be the settled policy of the government
to make no appropriation whatever for
the education of Indian children in sec
tartan schools as soon as provisions can
be made for them otherwise, and requlr-
ing such provision TO be made before lSgS.
Mr.. Pettigrew, rep, of South Dakota eX-
pressed his willingness TO accept MT
CockrelPs amendment, and quoted let
ter from the commissioner Of Indian al
fairs, stating that il would require a Pc
riod of two years and an expenditure OF
$780, 900 to supply schools and teachers Tor
the children now attending sectartan
schools; and intimated that some sena-
tors were afraid to do right lest they
might offend some secret organization.
Mr.. Gallinger rep, of New Hampshire
spoke in favor OF the House propositions
in denunciatlon OF what ne called inc
open and palpable opposition to the com
mon school system of the United States "
He repudiated the insinuation of occult
influences" and said ii did not apply 10
him. But he believed, that in this matter
the people had come to the parting or the
ways. 1t had been reprOach and shame
that the government of the United States
had been violating not only the spirit, but
the letter of the constitution in the mat
ter of appropriations for certain schools
In the spirit of patriotism and justice, he
advocated the proposition of the House
of Representatives declaring il to be the
intent of the act that no money appropri-
ated in it should be paid for education in
sectarian schools. That was the Ameri-
can doctrine. That vas the doctrine which
the people were going to stand upon
NnuicE and state should be absolutely and
eternally divorced.
Mr. George, dem., Of Mississippi, also
favored the House proposition and OPP
posed Mr.. Cockrelfs amendment He as
serted that the Baptist church had oppos-
ed all appropriations from the treasury
and had from the very beginning refused
to defile its hands with any such fund.
Mr.. Kyle, pop, of South Dakota. advoca-
ted the Cockrell amendment He spoke
with approval of the missionary work
done by the Catholic church among the
Indians and suggested that a couple of
years should be allowed to permit that
church TO maintain its school among the
Indians at its own expense
Mr.. Thurston, rep, of Nebraska, pro-
fesssd his profound respect for
every ever are resG1 S 9gt 5sFted f THAT
this time on, that the fundamental policy
of the government shall be recognized
that church and state shall be, and re-
Mr.. Gray. dem, of Delaware. expressed
his surprise at hearing the solemn warn
ing and invocation Of the senator from
Nebraska ito fright US from our pro-
priety'' in dealing simple justice to a
class Of self-devoted Christian American
citizens. He sent to the clerks desk and
had read extracts from a recent address
OF Archbishop Ireland declaring that there
is no room in the United States for a
conflict between church and state and
he said that those ideas would do credit
10 the ministers of any denomination
Professionalism" he declared, sis not big
oJry; and Christianity is not fanatacism
They are both consistent with broad com
mon sense and true American spirit Ed
ucation by Baptist preacher, a Protes-
tant minister or a Catholic priest is
better than no education at all. The
foundations of freedom in this country
were not laid in any way, to forbid the
nj n Nhrfe ian ,Sv,f-
II it were polluted-Christian ministers
nave performed great part in the pa st
history OF the country. They have per-
formed great part in the education of
American youth. They have never taught
any lesson that was wanting in patriot
ism, and l am not willing that the law
shall treat with insult and contumely a
portion of the community which has de-
voted itself to teaching the gospel OF
Christ, whether in a Catholic Cathedral
or in Methodist, Baptist or Protestant
church,
Mr.. Thurston said that he was at a loss
TO understand how anything he had said
had reused the senator from Delaware tc
such a pitch of defense for one particular
denomination. He declared that he hao
said no word and made no suggestion thai
could be traced as pointing TO any de.
nomination. The senator from Delaware
could go no farther than he (Mr Thurston
in reverent admiration for the barefooi
priest with the cross of Christ on his
breast, who had made pathways through
the wilderness and spread for creature.
the Christian doctrine of the lowly Naza,
rene.
Mr.: Teller, rep, of Colorado, sketcheC
the history of the contract schools, re
marking that the Catholic church, by it.
methods was better calculated than othel
denominations to obtain and keep contro
of the wild people. The Catholic school,
seemed to be the most successful Indian
schools in the United States. He favor
ed, however, the House provision for tn
immediate abolition of all Indian contrac
schools.