The Washington times., 1904-06-20
RESENT
PRATT'S REMOVAL
Carlisle Neighbors Plan In
dignation Meeting.
CLERGY AT HEAD OF PROTEST
A Curt Order Implying Official Censure
Notifying Officer of De-
tachment.

CARLISLE. Pa, June 2O.-When Gen.
r. II. Pratt quits the Indian School
here next week he will bear with him
a testimonial Of public esteem and con-
fidence calculated to modify the sting
of Official censure implied in the curt
special order of the War Department,
notifying him of his detachment from
the service with which he has been
connected since 1879.
A Curt Order.
This same special order is devoid Of
any word of approval of the work ac-
complished by General Pratt in a period
Of twenty-five years; it contains no
statement Of reason for his dismissal
from the post of superintendent or the
instiC sion he founded. and merely d.
reefs him to turn over the school to
another army officer named as his sue
cessor The change Is TO take place on
June 80.
Citizens of Carlisle. among whom
General Pratt has ranked as one of the
most honored and useful, are disposed
to resent what they deem a slight and
an Injustice. both in the tenor and the
text of this order.
Proposed Public Meeting.
OAAtSS the TeLlTluB superintendent
shall himself forbid it. dissatisfaction
over his removal VIII take the form of
a public meeting. at which representa-
tives OF the best elements Of the COM
munity will voice their sentiments.
At the same time these neighbors of
| General Pratt will give utterance to an
appreciation OF earnest and successful
endeavor to uplift the red man. which
! is pOintedly lacking in the departmental
/ order. and the absence of which Is at
tribU:ed by those familiar with the de-
sires and the methods Of the Indian
! Bureau at Washington to the active
/ hostility there manifested toward Gen
eral Pratt and his system.
Pratt Is Reticent.
| Whether Pratt shall consent TO such
public demonstration IS unknown.
even by those most ardently in favor
/ of a town meeting.
Since the order from his superior. d.
recting surrender Of his post. he has
maintained a reticence in keeping with
/ the military habit fOstered during more
! than forty years service in the army.
! thirty-seven Of which were IN close as
ISOLATION with the Indians. whom he is
virtually declared no longer able prop
/ erly 20 lead on the way they should go.
! Indignation is Widespread.
! For more than a week. since the re-
ceipt OF the order Of his dismissal. the
superintendent Of the school has been
going about his business In his usual
methodical way. Notwithstanding he has
| been fairly overwhelmed with letters OF
protest from men high in civic. IN re
! ligious and in philanthropic life
An almost continuous stream OF indig-
/ ma INF fgf#
the old Government barracks converted
by General Pratt through years of IN
firing devotion into an institution which
stands as an example Of the solution
Of the so-called Indian problem upon
the broadest and sanest lines.
Attitude of Dignity.
These callers have been received with
| the dignified cordiality characteristic Of
the head of the schooI when among the
thousand or more boys and girls 10
whom he has been as a father through
years Of solicitude
! General Pratt has heard their com
plants against his removal with brave
face and a kindly dihidence. and it is
! among these that the suggestion for a
| public meeting has taken hold with an
| insistenCe that nothing but a perenp-
tory veto from the general himself Will
| check
Bishop McCabe Protests.
He has not been able 70 stop the cir
| culation Of a written testimonial which
has received the signature of every
! clergyman in Carlisle, expressing the
! sense Of the pulpit against his removal
from the post he has filed so capably
and with marked value 10 the great
majority Of more than 5000 young In
dams who have had the benefit OF his
! guidanc
1t is noteworthy that among the hun
dreds OF letters received by General
Pratt during the last week none has
borne more vigorous note OF protest
as well as Of sympathy, confidence, and
high regard. than that written By
Chaplain McCabe. the recently elected
Methodist bishop. who is soon 70 take
up his official residence in Philadelphia
Amid all this clamor General Pratt is
packing up his belongings preparatory
| 10 his removal from his post at the
| instigatiOn OF his enemies IN the Indian
| Bureau. II is not at all certain that
| even his own Discrimination will stay the
| movement for public meeting which
| VIII signify this community's unswerv-
ing devotion TO the man and methods
that have fallen under bureaucratic dis
! pleasure