Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-21
THE MISSION INDIANS
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
ence of The Star and the Chicago Record Herald.


ments, They permitted bullfights. cock
hghts, gambling. dancing, wrestling
ana various games. which they regarded
as necessary for contentment. The girls
were under the charge of an intelligent
and trusted Indian matron, who taught
them cooking. spinning. weaving and how
to preserve fruits. The boys were in
blacksmithing, shoemaking. wood carv-
ing. harness making, and those who
showed taste and adaptability were taught
the simple arts of the gold and silver
sent from Mexico by the government to
teach the trades, but after SUFFICIENT
number of natives had acquired skill and
experience the services of paid artisans
were dispensed with.
We have detailed accounts OF life at
the missions and the regulations. which
were simple, but uniform. at all Of them
from San Diego to San Francisco.
At daybreak the angelus bell rang for
prayers and mass, after which a break
Iast OF ground barley called atole and
MIX was eaten At noon dinner of soup
will. mutton. beef frijoles tbeans) was
served with milk as beverage. and
bread. After dinner. which was the prin-
cipal meal Of the day, everybody was al
lowed a siesta until two or three O'Clock.
When labor was resumed and continued
until sunset Then they ate simple sup
per and after prayers and litany was
sung, tiey went 10 OeQ. me supplies IVT
each family were distributed daily by the
quartermaster from the general stores, to
which the members of the family con-
tributed nuts. fruits. berries. fish, game and
other food of their own procuring. The
natives were practically slaves SO far as
individual liberty was concerned. They
received no wages for their labor. they
had no share in the revenues. they did
nothing without the permission or APP
prevail of the monks. and in return for
their fod
shown the way of salvation. They were
perfectly satisfied with their situation,
and the only unhappiness and trouble
was caused by the soldiers OF the gar
risons that were situated near all the mis-
sions. These garrisons were supplied
with food, milk and often with clothes
from the missions, and Indian labor was
frequently used in erecting buildings for
oil. hemp wine. hides. leather tallow.
vegetables, blankets and other fabrics
were shipped to Mexico by every vessel
that left the coast. and the proceeds were
turned into the treasury of the franciscan
order.
These conditions continued until 1882,
when the congress of Mexico passed a
law authorizing the ex
Secularization ecutive to sell or rent all
4 rr:..: the mission property for
VI 1nASSAoAS' periods Of seven years.
the proceeds to be paid into the national
treasur This was called the seculari-
cation Of the Missions and was only
ratification of the action Of the Spanish
cortes, which, a few years before. ordered
the viceroy at the City of Mexico to
suppress the missions and confiscate the
property of the monks. AS California was
a long way from Mexico, communication
was infrequent. and. speaking generally.
the colonials were not disposed to en-
courage Spanish interference with their
affairs, action was deferred until matters
quoted down after the revolution Of In
dependence. Then the avarice OF the poll
ticians was gratifed, and the fertile fields
and focks and profitable ranches of the
monks were turned over to them.
The missions were converted into par
sh churches. the mOnasterles were sup
pressed, the monks were expelled, the
Indians were turned adrift. the houses.
orchards and vineyards passed into the
hands of purchasers who paid either NOM
inal prices or nothing at all; herds ano
fiocks were conflscated and sold. ana the
Indians were scattered into tne noun
tains Ten years later the rich regions
which the monks had brought to such
high order of civilization relapsed prac-
tically into barbarism.
What is now known as the pious
fund" which has received a great deal
of attention in past years, was an en-
dowment collected by the Jesuits IN Mex
leo for the conversion Of the Indians. The
money was to be spent In building cnurches
and schools and in the propaganda Of the
Roman Catholic faith. Several rich Span
iards gave $4,000 each: others gave *OOOO
EACH the Marquis de Villa Puente and
his wife gave $4,000; the Duchess or
Gardfa left her entire fortune: many
IT. fro
few dollars to several thousand. and.
through judicious investments and eco
nomca1 expenditures. the Jesuits were
enabled to build their missions In Lower
California.
In 176S the Order Of Jesus was expelled
from all the Spanish dominions in Amer
lea and the pious fund was conflscated
At this time it yielded an annual revenue
of $4,000, which was thereafter divided
between the Franciscans and DOminicans
for mission purposes. The Franciscans,
who received $4,000 q year, used that
money for building the missions OF Cali
foria; the Domnicans limited their 1abors
to Mexico. At the time of the suppression
of the Franciscans in California the gov
eminent of Mexico seized and sold all the
real estate, stocks, mines and other in
vestments, and turned the proceeds
which amounted to more than q million
treasury.
BY the treaty of Guadalupe y Hidalgo.
between the United States and Mexico
the latter inserted clause
Treaty of providing that "aIl claims
of the United States and
uudualupo' it's citizens against Mex
leo existing prior to the treaty are de-
clared to be fully satisfied and extin-
guished," no doubt intending In this man
ner to evade the responsibility for the
confiscation Of the "pious fund.-" but in
1Si3 Archtishon Alemanv of Monte rey en-