The times., 1899-10-15
INDIAN SCHOOL FUNDS.
The Appropriation for the sectarian
Institutions Greatly Reduced

heanced.
Since 1892, when the appropriation by
Congress for the education of the Indians
in the institutions controlled by the Catho-
lie Church was the largest, that legislative
body. the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the
Interior Department have yearly lowered
the amounts Of money given to the sec
tartan schools for the aborigines In the
annual report of the Commissioner of In
dian Affairs, which has been submitted to
the Secretary of the Interior, he recon-
mends the sum of S57,642 for 1900. Last
year they received S116.S62, the annual ap-
preparation being reduced more than one
half in twelve months.
Monsignor Stephan. of the Bureau of
Catholic Indian Missions, believes the re-
duction to be excessive, and protests that
his schools are increasing in size and num-
Der. and should receive more instead OF
less financial aid from the Government.
The policy of the Government since 1892
has been to gradually withdraw its practi-
cal paternal interest in these schools, be-
lieving they will sustain themselves with
out Governmental assistance, and being
ready TO purchase them and provide for
them as Government institutions, if other
wise Commissioner Jones says:
The schools have been reduced ratably
rather than TO eliminate any particular
inst tuition. The reason for this is that
the average attendance at nearly all of
such schools shows an excess over that
contracted for, the number allowed in
1898 being 1,763 pupils, while the average
attendance was 2,313 indicating that, al
though reductions have been made in the
number allowed, the schools have contin-
ued in their particular work. In the ap-
preparation act for 1899 Congress provided
| that the Secretary of the Interior nay
make contracts with contract schools, ap-
| portioning as near as may be the amount
| so contracted for among the schools of
various denominations for the education
Of Indian pupils during the fiscal year 1893,
but shall only make such contracts at
| places where unsectarian schools cannot
| be provided for such Indian children to an
| amount not exceeding 80 per cent of the
amount so used for the fiscal year 1895 -
The following are the amounts set apart
| for education of Indians in schools under
private control for the fiscal years 1890 to
1899. inclusive, showing the annual reduc-
| tions in the appropriations and amounts
devoted to the Catholic institutions and
the total for all combined;
The total for 1890 was 1862 $40, of which
the Catholics received $3.50, ,957; for 1891
the total was S570, ,2SS, of which the Catho-
lies received S363 349; for 1892, the total
was, S611, $40. of which the Catholics re-
| eeiyed 1894, ,756; for 1893, the total was
] $685. of which the Catholics received
| 1915, ,S45; for 1884 the total was $5S7 500.
| of which the Catholics received 1885,, ,745;
for 1895 the total was s463, 500. of which
the Catholics received 1853, ,215; for 1896
the total was $370, ,79e, OF which the Catho-
lies received s3Os, All; for 1887 the total
was s257, 1928 of which the Catholics re-
ceiyed s19s, ,22s; for 1898 the total was
| s2I2,9 ,954. of which the Catholics received
| $l56, ,754, and for 1899 the total was s172,-
462. of which the Catholics received s116,-
S62.