The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-11
VALENTINE QUITS INDIAN OFFICE 10 JOIN BULL MOOSE Submits Resignation to Take Effect at Fishers
 Discretion
EXPLAINS REASON
 FOR WITHDRAWAL
Makes No Mention of Indian Garb Order, Which Created a Storm of Protest From Catholics.
 It Was Suspended

sWaSnlnSton. SepleiilptA .7iNNAN'N Valentine, commissioner of Indian altairs' this afternoon sent his resignation to the interior department to become effective at the discretion of Secretary Fisher Sec retary Fisher is now in Hawaii. Mir Val entine intends joining the progress.fe party.
 Commissioner Valentine previously was assistant to Commissioner Leupp, who he succeeded.
 In public statement today, explaining his resignation, MT. Valentine referred to his desire to work in the progressive party as his only wish for quitting of- flee.
 No Mention of Garb Order
 He made no mention of tic so-called Indian garb order which he promulgated a few months ago, and which raised storm of protest from officers of the Rom an Catholic church. It forbade the wear- ing of religious garb by teachers in In- dian schools It was claimed it's effect would have been to bar Sisters of the Catholic orders from schools on the reser- vatons. President Taft summariiy sus- pended the order A new one is about to be promulgated. It's terms are not fully known but 1t is reported 1t probably will satisfy those on both sides of the con 1 troversy. Mir. Valentine has defended the order on the ground that 1t was in conformity with ths governments prinei- l pie of separation of church and state. l In part, the commissioner statement
 today was as follows:
 My work in the Indian office during | the last seven years has been social ser i vice work Last winter felt that the l progressive movement in the republican l party was the beginning of a new day in l the betterment of living conditions
 throughout the country. At that time the l movement seemed 10 be about to re- 1 humanize and revtalze the republican
 party: and so surely SD that there was
 no need for everyone who felt that this
 process was essential and that he could
 be of help to leave whatever other work 1 he was doing,
 I Now, however the case is different
 The programme Of the progressives has been pushed aside by the national leaders of the republican party As the result i of this denial of true progress the pro-
 gressiVe party has been born. Whether defeated or victorious in the coming elec- ! ton 1t will serve it's purpose well. It can
 meet only defeat of degree that Is.
 defeat in so far as any of those who in
 real truth believe in 1t fail now to fit
 their action to their belief and join it's
 ranks as soon as they honorably can.
 Was Anxious to Leave
 since the formation of the progress sive party it has been known that I was heart and soul for it's case, and that l would vote for 1t. l could not of course take part In It's work while at the head of the Indian office. It was known that l was anxious to leave office. and in fact should have done so but for the obligation l felt not to leaye the Indians and the Indian ser vice If l could properly stay until satisfactory successor could he found and his appointment assured.
 Tn the Indian service above most other bureaus the opportunities for graft and political patronage are such that the politician und the privilege seeker will be increasingly active, and vigilance against them must be equally active. in the wrong hands most of the work of the last decade can be nndone in few months., and. also In a few months. irrevocable new injuries can be laid at the roots of the future. For months l have been waiting for the kind of a successor who would have all these things at heart-a man of mil itant honest and capacity, 1 feel now that l should wait no longer. .Inasmuch as the President knows the needs of the Indian service and the forces of evil that are to be guarded against I need not refuse the call of duty that the progressive party pro- gramme makes on me through fear that the Indians will be left unpro- | teoted.
 i "The work of the Indian service is. 1 from every honorable point of view. a non-political work of social ser vice. l would not now leave 1t except for what seems to me pressing ob- i Iligation to take part in the larger work of tile progressive party on the lsame lines"