The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-12
FIGHT OVER INDIAN SCHOOLS.
IVDItN RIsHTs t~ssOf1tTIOt
TthfS ~ 10 THE tOf HfN
s'ft ~ tSlsis ihe DgtrvaeW ~ Fseaty ~
VVws' etHas ~ i've sHppsFt ~ : stHagie
~ apefagtaa sebssls ~ ne Rsse1rtut
~ tay 0theg lNais0 nsseFVHtiea

" tsrfsdtps. ttsv N fts controversy
he1 seeH tha lhifrau - Cafiflile Indian
Nls-irns anil the indnn Hiahis As~~ha'lon
~ to Mo Fieia n ~ srrrcssfr N NJ ~
fseiuf Nv auf ipBfisa ths n~ ~ fffa ~ fPesty
funds nv ~ eAigattna n indNsh children
IN Sstffian eIsppia hts lssu tassu lHf0
ruuff
R@plea tbtles Iesr Rsiph Essie Fet'baf
and Cfhaples rrachett m~,nlars n ~ slots
tglia oh the itnaetsid fe~mrvHtkin IN Ayrth
f@kota, on hehaR N Themselves and ihe
other Wrtnsars n Tho tribe, tg.dty applied
~ th~ bis,flc, N tolumbla supreme to,st
ZOE ~ IN lunrthpn Nv restrain Tho Commis.
strher N indisn ANnirs, m" srcr~'ary N
fh~ Interior aud ths Cpmptflll"r ~ ths
Tfssairy ffusn entering into and carrying
out q s,ntraot Win Tho Hnfe1i N Ctth1lc
indian Mlsslona Tor Tho support and edt-
catiun N ths childfen ~ Tbs sbpiN tribes
~ Tho Ro@bud ~ any othnr reservation In
tho stats n sputh Dakota.
While tho suit was brought Nv tho Indians
4, vas inspired Nv the indian Rights As~.
citation 10 te-, the legality ~ tho dccision
~ SECRETARY ~ the interior Hitchcock and
indian Commissioner Ieupp that funds
IN ths errdit of Indians ln the national
treasury arising from treaty stipulations
With the Government may he used for the
education Of Indian children In sectaran
schools The associations Washington
agent, Samuel NJ Rroaiua. IL named NJ the
attorney for the ned men.
The association contends that tho law
prohibiting expenditure Of moneys APP
propriated by Congress for tho education
Of Indians In ectaran schools applies ~
we'll 10 treaty funds ~ Il does to trief funds
Funds arising from treaties ~ appropriated
every year by Congress. Neither the
principal Of n trust fund nor the interest
acornng 10 II requires an appropriation.
Tho Attorney- General has held that treaty
funds, ~ called, NAV he used for the educa-
ton Of ndian children In sectaTian schools.
President Roosevelt approved the policy
adopted by the Secretary o. the Inferior
and tbs Commissioned OF Indian Affairs,
the matter having become tho subject OF
~ much controversy that II was carried
TO the White House on appeal.
Mr.. Brosius said to-day that the diversion
Of treaty or trust funds to sectarian schools
was a violation Of the policy enunciated
in the Indian act of 1897, reading az follows;
And IL ia hereby declared To be the settled
policy Of the Government TO hereafter make
no appropriation whatever for education
in any sectarian school,"
we want this quest ion settled by the
courts" said Agent Brosius.
Speaking of the subject generally, Agent
Broeius said that the Protestant churches,
from the beginning of the controversy
over sectarian appropriations, felt the
necessity OF withdrawing government aid
from the maintenance OF Indian pupils in
their schools.
They realized he continued, that the
principle involved was not in harmony
with our free institutions, providing for
entire separation of Church and State.
Many OF the school plants that had been
maintained by them were turned over to
the Government at fair compensation,
while a very few continue to be conducted
\ by certain Of the denominations as here
tofore. The Roman Catholics, however.
opposed the plan to lop of Government aid
and have apparently lost no opportunity
to secure public funds in aid OF their Indian
school work. The direct appropriation
for the maintenance of Indian pupils in
their schools having been denied to them,
the Roman Catholic Church next sought to
secure support from the appropriations
made for school purposes for the various
tribes Of Indians, and have been so SUCCESS
full in this that during the last fiscal year
the Government entered into contracts
with their church schools representatives
calling for an expenditure Of sos 400