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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 57. Notwithstanding my own personal views in this matter, I have not thought it wise to suddenly interrupt a policy which was the growth of years and which had the sanction of Congress and of previous ad-ministrations. I did feel, however, that it was incumbent upon me to arrest the progress of the plan so far as it could be done in order that it should extend no further. Accordingly I have refused to enter into colltract with any new schools (except the two specially authorized by Congress), notwithstanding eaniest request@ have been made for that ' . purpose from different denominations. It will be noticed by an examination of the table that the money de-voted to this purpose has been very unequally distributed among the different denominations engaged in the work, and this has given rise to a good deal of jealousy and of criticism of the IndiauOfEce. There has been during the past year a great deal of public discussion regarding the matter of contract schools, and there is a very general consensus of opinion among the great masses of the people that the work of education for the Indians should be carried on either by the , Government through its own agencies or by individuals and churches , at their own expense. The appropriation of public funds for sectarian uses is almost universally wndemned, and, while there has been no radical change in the policy of the Government regarding this matter, . there has been a very practical chauge in the attitude of the churches. The Friends have givenup their work among the Eastern Cherokees; the Methodists have ceased to ask for any public money for their schools; the Episcopalians have largely reduced the amounts asked for , , !. their schools. * The amount allowed for contract schools for the fiscal year ending June 30,1893, is considerably less than that for the year ending June 30, 1892. This decrease arises from three causes: (4 The fact that a number of contract schools have been given up by the churches and are hereafter to be controlled by thc Government; (2) the mount of money set apart for contract schools for next year has been based geu-erally upon the average attendance for last year, which, in many cases, was less than the number then contracted for; a,nd (3), owing to the large reduction by Congress in the estimates of the Indian Office for educational purposes, it has been found absolutely necessary, in order \ - to keep the expenditures for the coming school year within the limits of the appropriation, to reduce somewhat the total set apart for con- . traet schools. - Sin= the above was ~1'Ittsnth e Presb,yterims. Enisoo~dhns,a nd Congregationslists have v o M todisoontinne mei-g Government aid for their aohools. For their oBoia.1 ation see Appendix page 177. |