Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-23
UPHOLDS FISHER
INGARB QUESTION
Order Prohibiting Habits in In
dian Schools Is Revoked
by President.
LIMIT IS PLACED BY HIM
No Legal Prohibition Against Employ
rent Of Teachers Wearing
Religious Dress.

Washington, Sept. 23.-Secretary
Fishers action last January in revok-
ing the order Of former Indian Com
missioner Valentine. barring religious
garb or insignia from government In
dian schools. was upheld by President
Taft in an order made public today.
The decision of the president is that
teachers now employed in Indian
schools may continue 10 wear the garb
of their religious orders: but the priv
ilege Is denied to any person hereafter
entering the service. This ruling will
enable the government TO fulfill its
obligations. the president says. to the
teachers who were faken into the gov
eminent service when religious schools
were taken over bodily as government
Institutions
The presidents ruling Is the final
step in a controversy that has engag-
ed the interior department with relig-
ious bodies more than a year. Com
missioner Valentines order would have
prohibited any teachers from wearing
religious garb in the Indian schools az
ter the end of the last school year.
FAILED To CONSULT.
President Taft's order. and a letter
from Secretary Fisher TO Mr. Valen-
tine, which accompanies it. lay stress
on the fact that Commissioner Valen-
tine Issued his ruling without consult
ing the secretary or the president;
and while the entire subject was un-
der investigation. Mr. Fishers reyoca-
ton Of the order now is made final
Secretary Fishers formal letter
states that the government had long
left the education of the Indians to
religious missionaries and that when
It finally began a systematic handling
OF the educational problem. it took
over many Of the religious schools and
brought their teachers into the gov
ernment classified service.
The presidents order Is as follows:
In January Of this year the commits
sioner Of Indian affairs issued an or
der TO superintendents in charge Of
Indian schools, directing that all in
sigma OF any denomination be remov-
I'd from all public rooms OF such
schools, and that the members of any
denomination wearing a distinctive
earb should not wear It while engaged
In lay duties as government employees.
Although the propriety of such an or.
der had been under the consideration
OF the secretary Of the interior and
The commissioner of Indian affairs.
and although the secretary had submit.
ted the matter TO me for discussion,
m E gi Of
naily acted on his own responsibility.
without having first received the an
proval OF either the secretary or NV.
self. Because of this circumstance
directed that the order be revoked and
that action OF the commissioner of In.
dian affairs be suspended until such
time as 10 permit a full hearing TO be
given TO all parties in interest and a
conclusion be reached in respect 10
the matter after full deliberation. As
cordingly the secretary of the interior
has given a very full hearing to the
parties in interest, and printed argu
mCnts have been presented
No ORDER NECESSARY.
In the first place, il appears that al
religious insignia have already been
removed from the walls OF government
schools by the voluntary action OF
those who put them there before the
schools were transferred by the gov
eminent, and no question arises, there
fore, with respect TO such insignia
and no order is necessary. The issue
therefore, is confined to the question
whether those persons engaged IL
teaching Indians in the government In
dian schools. and who are members o.
the government civil service. should
be required to lay OF their distinctly,
religious garb while they render ser
vice as government teachers.
The secretary OF the interior. afte
very full and patient consideration