New-York tribune., 1902-06-29
INDIAN SCHOOLS.
Ex-cOMMIssICNER MoRGANs CRITICISM,
AND A CoUNTER-CRITICIsM
To the Editor of The Tribune.


To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In TIE Tribune of May 25 is dispatch from
St Paul stating that ex-Indian Commissioner T.
j. Morgan alleged at the Baptist Convention that
Archbishop Ireland and Senator Hanna had en-
tered into political conspiracy, and Indian schools
were to be used in the interests of the Catholic
Church.
What are the facts?
All the Catholic Church asked that it might
have the privileges at all Indian schools 1t
now and always has had the Carlisle ScEool
the privilege of giving religious instruction to
the Catholic children attending the school, IN the
very beginning at Carlisle all the pastors OF the
town. including the Catholic priest. were invited
to give such attention they thought best to the
children coming to the school from parents pe-
longing to their particular churches. There were
Presbyterian, Methodist, Eptscopali2n, CathohH
and other missionaries work throughout the Ind
ian field, and the Indians coming under their in
fuences were usually the most discontented with
and inclined to break away from the old life, and
to aid these progressives seemed to be a speclal
duty OF both church and state. Carlisle is gov
ernment school, and the government is non-sec-
tartan. The Indians the wards of the govern
ment: the government had encouraged all Inc
churches to work among them on their reserva-
tfons. and there reason N the best inter-
ests of the school why there should be less lth-
erty help them reiigiously at the school than
on the reservation. The local churches. lnciuolls
the Catholic, all promptly responded to TINS III
VltdtlOn. ana through all the twenty-five Je0AS ~
the school have welcomed our young people INTO
their congregations and Sunday schools. and the
different pastors. including the Catholic priest
visited them weekday evenings giving
such instruction they thought best lhis mas
been in no way detrimental tn the pupils or the
school, but instead has been a great help to what
the government otherwise doing through the
school. These privileges and services at Carhsie'
conceded, invited and used from the oeglhiiis'
were in full flow while Morgan was Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs, and he did not OBJECT tnen why
should he object now?
If any man ever had the greatest opportunities
to DO the proper thing for Indian civilization that
is T Morgan He took charge sTs OF the Toe lfo or
rapid and right progress. The lndianis nani,e fhe
5t gey eqlas6 up R 10 actna lnS eopeton with the
white man the white mans communities. wnlcn
an as dhe ehsapes oag Ray Ths pub
cepted this id@a but General MSrgan dhspiIGeb
influences and associations became reaclIoHIaiagg Iigg
ana 5bs 1b e5a h e1oe 1e en 9e5' n 4 to
continue to send them him his reservation HIS
ing him away from civilization; would detribaiit7s t
him by educating him in tribal masses woqo oti5e the
Indian by continuing to keep him away from amer Ih
Gans aa and Ghds ne aeoop his Purposes
at bega,: end vigorously built up through ms ms
race race perpetuating system Of tribal and home home
schools Morgan conceived pupseg1u eusb sna as the
people who had moved in and were nvlag heSr bI,
the Indians claimed lney were
them they the proper ones TO reeve ,,,h Tli
benefits accruing from any expenditure OF the pup
moneys for Indians, as though thal nao et.s
thing whatever do with the succeSSIu accom- III,
pIishrnent of Indian civilization. His constant Cy
was: "The public school system among lhe NY NJ
isns" which he announced was to begin with the
primary school and end with the college IoW@ru @
the Accomplishment of this he bent ms t;or ereiS
energy and resisted every contrary suGseSlionn
That the real public school system In whlch an an
der eoua. opportunities. when compateo W. W.
his system Of race and tribal schools. wnlcn pre-
Vented an competition with the other masses anu
limited the Indian to purely Indian contacl, va
as different as day is from night he seemed
10 understand He sought and obtained eNIlao q
rarv increase of appropria tons from congress Loi
his various projects. influencing votes. tot aPpo
nriat tons bv establishing schools in iesisau az,
Senatorial districts In the West among ano reaII
the tribes and getting western toWH Sto a.to ,ba
coyernrlent would enrich the town or lsnu co.n,
Sanv nv cxpendus large money for oullclnss anu
srh6o nlants with all the contingent perpetual eA
pendittres TOR running the same ne was Lnara
in every way in al his projects exceP. se Of
When he asked Congress that certain sect!ons a.
land from every allotted reservation De sct asta
TO create a fund for Indian colleges Cois'e''
halted ,,., .,.- ,,a &, cor7
nciIting the government to his scheme OF race anu
tie building schools and this is the real W
ness OF the present Indian scnooI sysssean, syeo- 2r
rssI,It the present Indian Commissioner. SIt
Ionas &c deuounciug the schools and claiming thet
f6eT are not doing what the government mas ID q
ciIIdrg schools applied to any natonaIlty OF ,oi @
eipners emgrating America would not ,r oiS s@P
IT, ,oanh0od but would continue them loteisHetS
indenniteiy, though living in this country, Att
Carlisle, Penn. June 25 lSo-