The Washington times., 1902-02-21
IMMORTALITY AT
INDIAN SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Fitzgerald Scores Com
missioner Jones.
SENATE DOCUMENT
CITED.
Declares Failure to Remove Agent
Mt Mount Pleasant Due to I'm
known Inhuence-Mr. Sherman
Says Justice Will BE Done.

| Consideration of the Indian appropria-
amendments. yesterday proceeded with
out notable incident until just at the
| close of the session. Then Mr.. Fitzger-
old Dem. n. " called the attention OF
the committee to charge against the
| present superintendent of the school al
| Mount Pleasant. Mich, of permitting i'm
| morality to be perpetrated at the school
upon the Shoshone agency while superin-
| tendent there.
The alleged facts were contained in a
Senate document, and, Mr.. Fitzgerald as
serted that they had been within the
knowledge of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs since June, 1900. and that the Of
fender was retained in the service by
reason of an unknown influence that pre-
vented his discharge even in the face of
such a record
1t was shown upon further exan,ina-
ton that the alleged charges were anoBy-
nous alleged affidavits unsworn, and that
no such charges were on file in the In
dian Office. The matter was dropped for
the time. assurance being given by Mr.
Sherman Rep.. y. " that if any official
had been guilty of such atrocious conduct
he would be dismissed Immediately.
Carlisle school Appropriation.
When the paragraphs for support of
schools was reached Mr.. Smith Dem,
Ariz) moved to strike out the item OF
$50. 900 for the Carlisle pa school. He
antagonized the system of foreign educa-
ton of Indian youth, asserting that they
should be sent to school on their reser
vations or nearby. Other education, he
said. was not beneficial to the Indian, and
was the result of enthusiastic but ignO-
rant sentimentality- The best-educated
Indian ne had ever seen, Mr.. Smith said,
was one who had secured his education
during four years term in a peniten-
tiary.
Following this there was a general dis
cussion of the question of Indian educa-
ton a number of members fayOrng the
proposition to confine governmental edu-
cation to schools lcated in the reserva-
tins where the Indians lived. 1t was cor
ceded that no radical change could be in
augurated a. this time and in such per
emptory fashion, and Mr. Smiths amend
ment was lost.
An item of S5i 900 was added on the
motion of Mr.. Bell Dem. COLI for the
maintenance of a school at Grand June
ton, Col. of $50 pupils.
Salary Not Available.
Upon the item appropriating for the
school at Mount Pleasant. Mich, Mr.
Dem. n. V moved that the
salary for the superintendent be not avail
able for the benefit of the present incum-
bent. He did this. he said upon the au-
thority of a Senate document because the
had while holding a sim
liar position in school at the ShOshone
Agency, permitted gross immortality
among the officers and pupils.
According to this document, Mr.. Fitz-
gerald said this Information had been in
the possession of the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs since June, 1900, and he
could account for the official retention
in the service only on the theory that |
some influence behind the Commissioner |
prevented his removal
1t developed in the course of the ami
mated discussion precpitated by this |
startling charge that Mr. Fitzgerald |
knew nothing oil the facts in the case |
until a few moments before. when he had |
found the document on his desk. The |
charges against the superintendent were !
anonymous and the alleged afidavts |
contained IN the document were not sworn /
to.
Mr. sherman in the Breach.
Mr.. Sherman, in charge of the bill.
said the statements in the document had
been made in the course Of a hearing be
fore Senate committee, and that there
was not a single bit of evidence on the
subject on file in the Cfiice of Indian AZ
fairs He paid high compliment to the
and integrity of the Commits
5iOner. and assured Mr.. Fitzgerald whom
he invited to accompany him TO the
Commissioners office. that il any official
n the service had been guilty of such
conduct as intimated in the alleged
,harges read to the committee. he
would be out of it. civil service law or
any other law to the contrary notwith-
standing. before sunset today.
Leaving the matter thus, the committee
ia la.