The National tribune., 1897-02-25
but he insisted there was no rule that strangled
action if the House was ready for action.
SArnnnAy Fer %.

SATURDAY, FEB. ~.
In the Senate. the Indian appropriation bill
was considered. The question of sectarian
Indian schools came up when the item was
reached appropriating $1,200.000 for school
purposes. Mr.. Lodge said the Senate committee
had proposed au amendment which reversed
the entire policy as to sectarian schools. adopted
last year. The committee amendment pro-
vided that the Secretary of the Interior may
make contracts with contract schools. appOr-
tioning as near as may be the amount con-
tracted for among schools of the various de-
nominations for the education of Indian pupils
during the fiscal year 1898, but shall only make
such contracts at places where non-sectarlan
schools cannot be provided for such Indian
children and to an amount not exceeding Az
per cent. of the amount so used for the fiscal
year 1895; the foregoing should not apply to
public schools in any State, Territory, County,
or City, or to schools herein or hereafter speci-
fcally provided for.
Mr. Lodge said this amendment sought to
undo what Congress had deliberately deter
mined upon as the future policy of Congress for
gradually abolishing sectaran schools. This
amendment brought these schools into life
again and reopened the whole question. 1t
was brought here in absolute disregard of the
action of Congress last year. The policy of last
year was the true American policy, Mr.. Lodge
said
Mr.. Hawley remarked that the amendment
did not differ in spirit from the policy of last
year. 1t aimed in the direction of eliminating
sectarian schools which were to be used only
when other schools were not available. He did
not believe in shutting up sectarian schools in
such hurry that facilities for education would
be cut off,
Mr.. Teller announced his opposition to Sec
tartan schools, but he supported the amend
ment because it was better to continue the
sectarian schools for a year or two
Mr.. Gallinger said every Church denomina a
tion In the country, save one, refused to go on
with this sectarian policy.
which one does the Senator refer tor"
asked Mr.. Allen.
The Roman Catholic Church." answered
Mr.. Gallinger. / have no concealments. l
do not arraign that Church, but l merely recte
a fact of history"
After further discussion the bill was laid
aside.
In the House, the general deficiency bill was
considered. After Congressman Hopkins 8
amendment to strike out the item for back pay
to Congressman had been passed by a vote of
113 to So, following many partisan crimina-
lions and recri mi nations. the House fell int a
squabble over the payment of special employees
OF the House. Congressman Sherman began to
raise points OF order against paragraph to pay
salaries of Charles Carter and Harry Parker,
who for the Ways and Means Committee
room, and other special employees. Some Re-
puhlicans were reused at this, and raised OBJ
jections to the items for salaries of Isaac r.
Hill, Thomas A. Coakiey, and others, who have
been employed as Democrats out Of courtesy to
the minority of the House. This enraged the
Democrats of the House in turn. whereupon
Congressman Say ers, of Texas. raised point of
order against all salaries Of special Republican
employees, and against amendments for the pay
ment of extra months salary to employees.
incidentally the methods OF dispensing patron
age in the House was given full airing. One
feature of this was bitter fight between differ
ent Republicans over the retention of c. w.
Coombs as Department messenger As the
bill now stands all the veteran employees of the
House above mentioned were Topped off the
list,