The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-03-13
WASHINGTON NEWS
LODGE TACTICS.
Especial Correspondence

olic public has been called to an ef-
fort that was being made in Congress
to discontinue custom long in vogue
Of extending an agreement with the
Sioux Indians, which is contained in
Section II of the Act of March 2, 1889.
This agreement is, in fact, an extern
sion of Section of treaty entered
into with the Sioux April 20, 1868, in
which the government, as a part of
the consideration for the cession and
surrender of a large portion of their
lands, guaranteed adequate educa-
tional facilities for not less than
twenty years. 1t was because of the
fact that at the expiration of twenty
years adequate educational facilities
had not been accorded that the
extension of Article z of
the treaty was made in the Act of
March Q, 1889. At the expiration of
these twenty years the government
had not yet complied with it's promises
and recognized the fact.
The government no longer makes
treaties with Indians, but Congress
has the power to extend treaties.
Recognizing that it was bound in jus.
tice to carry out it's promises to the
Sioux, it has year by year appropri-
ated 100000 for education among the
Sioux, not as an act of charity, but as
the payment of debt by extending
year by year the agreement of Sec
ton II, of the Act of March 2, 1889.
This has been done every year since
1910 and there was every reason for
the practice to be continued, because
it has been clearly shown that the gov
eminent has not yet made adequate
educational provision for all the chill
dren of the Sioux tribe.
The Indian appropriation bill, as re-
ported from the House Indian COM
mittee, as usual made provision for
the extension of the treaty for an
other year. While the bill was before
the House, the provision extending
the treaty was stricken out on q point
of order made by Mr.. Sisson of Missis-
sippi, on the ground that it was legis-
lation. In the Senate Indian commit
tee the matter was thoroughly dis
cussed and determined on its merits,
with the result that by vote OF seven
to four the committee amended the
House bill by extending thestreaty for
one more year.
During the consideration of the bill
in the Senate. Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts made the point Of order
that the provision continuing the
treaty lis general legislation in that
it repeats in part the statute of 1897"
1t is hereby declared to be the settled
policy Of the government to hereafter
make no appropriation whatever for
education in any sectarian school. The
point of order was very ably chal-
lenged by Senator Walsh of Montana,
who demonstrated clearly that it was
not we'll taken, as will be seen by con-
sulting the Congressional Record of
March 2. 1915, pages 5767-5773. How.
ever, the president of the Senate, Vice
President Marshall, sustained the
point of order and the provision ex.
tending the treaty was lost. The ap.
preparation was made as gratuity
and not in recognition of the rights
of the Sioux Indians and the obliga
ton of the government to fulfill its
promises made to them in solemn
treaty. The question was neither dis
cussed nor determined on its merits
1t being much easier to thwart the
ends of justice by the cowardly expedi
ent Of raising point of order and
having the legislation thrown out on a
mere technicality.
This is the first time that the Con
gresham from Mississippi has ap
peared in the role of an antagonist
Of Catholic Indian Mission schools and
of using point of order as a weapon
to attack them. The Senator from
Massachusetts, however, is skilled in
this method of attack, and has made
use of it on former occasion to de
prive Indian children of their rations
because Of their attendance in mis-
sion schools. His antagonism to Cath
ole Indian schools is a matter Of pub
lie record. For number of years past
he has not been heard from in this
connection, but his action in regard to
the Sioux treaty extension was by nc
means unexpected.
Why was the point Of order raised
Simply because funds appropriated
under treaty are available for educa.
ton in Indian mission schools, while
gratuity appropriations are not. Elk
cept for this reason no one would ever
have thought of raising q point of
order against the item in question and
of appropriating money to Indians in
charity which the government owes
them in Justice.
After all the time and effort con.
sumed in putting through the points
of order, at the last moment the In.
dian appropriation bill for 1916 failed
of passage, and a joint resolution con.
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