The Irish standard., 1914-03-14
From the National Capitol
BY Stanton lawtou 77
By Stanton Lawton

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6Y SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
VIII the Catholic Sisters Be EIiminat
ed From the Government
Indian Schools?
The anti-garb order of former Com
4 missioner Valentine was so modified
\ by President Taft that 1t failed to
deprive the Sisters teaching in Gov
eminent Indian schools of their civil
service status. 1t is not probable that
the present Commissioner of Indian
Affairs. Honorable Cato Sells, will at.
tempt any order Of this kind, but this
z does not dampen the ardor of the anti.
Catholic bigots, as there are other
ways open to the accomplishment of
their aims. If they can drive the Sis.
ters out of the Indian service by an
act OF legislation, it will not be neces.
sary for them to put the "embarrass-
Ing" question up to the Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs.
Mr.. John Hall Stephens, of Texas,
is the chairman of the Indian Com.
mittee of the house and consequently
chairman of the Subj Committee which
frames the Indian Bill. 1t is known
on good authority that in the Indian
Appropriation Bill. as DRAFTED by
the Sub Committee, provision was
made for the appropriation of s1,44O..
600 FOR support Of Indian day and
industrial schools not otherwise pro-
vided for, and for other educational
and industrial purposes in connection
herewith" Provided, that no part
OF this appropriation. or any other ap-
preparation provided for therein or
hereafter, except appropriations made
pursuant to treaties, shall be paid any
employee in any position in the Indian
school service who does not hold a
certificate showing that such employee
has passed the necessary examination
required by the Civil Service Commits.
sion for such position, etc."
This provision would have eliminat.
ed the Sisters and certain other EN-.
ployees from the Government schools.
The Sisters did not enter the civil
service by means of examinations but
were covered in by executive order,
:as is the case with many employees
In different branches of the Govern.
ment service. The effect of the pro-
posed legislation would have been
that the money appropriated for the
expenses of the schools could not be
used to pay the salaries of this class
Of employees.
In the bill as reported by the Sub
Committee, and later by the full Com.
mittee, a modifying clause was In
serted, at the instance of the Indian
Office, which makes the provision read
to the effect that the appropriation in
question cannot be used to pay any
employee in any position in the In
dian school service who does not hold
q certificate showing that such en-
ployee has passed the necessary ex-
animation required by the Civil Serv-
ice Commission, except such EN-.
ployees as are exempt under civil
service rules" At first, it was thought
by some that this clause would pro-
tect the Sisters in their civil service
status, but, later, doubts were ex-
pressed on the subject and a number
of congressman, among them some of
the trainers Of the bill, stated they
were of the opinion that the effect, of
the legislation would be to debar the
Sisters, as we'll as various other EN-.
ployees from receiving compensation
out Of the appropriation.
When the bill was under considera.
ton In the house, an effort was made
to have the Objectionable portion of
the item stricken out,-by the follow
ing members, namely:
Honorable Philip P. Campbell, of
Kansas; Honorable H. Robert Fowler,
Of Illinois; Honorable James R. Mann,
of Illinois; Honorable Clarence B.
Miller, Of Minnesota; Honorable Pat
rick D. Norton, Of North Dakota, and
Honorable William H. Stafford, of
Wisconsin.
The matter was discussed at some
length, Mr.. Stephens advocating the
item. Efforts to draw from Mr.. Steph-
ems information as to just what per-
sons in the Indian service would be
affected by this legislation were un-
availing. His hazy, unsatisfactory and
evasive statements may be read in the
Congressional Record of February IL,
1914, beginning on page 3774 and end
ing on page 3778. From the discus.
sion 1t is evident that a number of
congressman are under the impression
that the item will seriously affect a
number Of employees In the Govern
ment schools. The effort to elimin-
ate the Objectionable features of the
item was defeated, according to the
testimony of a Catholic gentleman
who was present at the time, by q
+ strictly party vote-44 ayes; SO noes;
! Q majority Of 10.
II the flfty-three (53) Catholic Demo.