On January 13, 1914, Father Duncan had notified the Commissioner of Education that

After having given 57 years of my life to the mission work here, it is scarcely reasonable to suppose I can quietly acquiesce in a change which forbodes evil to it.

BUREAU SEEKS TO BROADEN SHOULDERS "UPON WHICH WOULD BE HEAPED MUCH BLAME"

Showing that the plotters feared the wrath that would be visited upon their heads if their conduct became known to the world, on June 27, 1914, Beattie wrote the following to Secretary Lane, asking for other shoulders to help bear the odium of the dastardly act then contemplated:

* I wish to state here that if it at any time becomes necessary to remove Mr. Duncan from the island, although an officer of one department could do so, I believe it would be much the wiser plan to have the unpleasant task performed by someone from the Department of the Interior and another from the Department of Justice working together. This would at least broaden the shoulders upon which would be heaped much biame that, for sentimental reasons, would be forthcoming from many of Mr. Duncan's old-time friends in the States

As if in anticipation of such a request, shortly before this, P. P. Claxton, Commissioner of Education, endeavored to have both Jones and Beattie appointed special peace officers under the Department of Justice; but, fortunately, it seems that neither Jones nor Beattie ever actually served as officers of the Department of Justice in this or any other capacity.

POLICY OF BUREAU OF EDUCATION BASED ON DOCTRINES OF COMMUNISM

Under practically all civilized governments the possession, enjoyment, and ownership of property are recognized as inherent rights of the individual, subject only to the supreme right of the State to exercise the power of eminent domain. The illegal possession of the Metlakahtla Christian Mission today by the Secretary of the Interior. its present custodian, rests on the doctrines of communism pure and simple-introduced into Alaska by the Bureau of Education.

If such illegal acts of high-handed communism go unchallenged then property rights of all the people can with equal injustice be swept to the winds. In view of the acts and policies pursued by the Bureau of Education at Metlakahtla, it would appear unnecessary to search in foreign lands for at least one of the sources of the "red" menace, seeking to undermine the principles of our Government.

The illegal seizing and wanton despoiling of the Metakahtla Christian Mission on American soil will find no parallel except in the orgies of those who, during the French Revolution, destroyed the churches and placed inscriptions over the cemeteries, declaring death to be perpetual sleep and that there was no hope for redress for such outrages even in the next world.

SECTION 35. FATHER DUNCAN'S SELF-SUPPORTING MISSION DESPOILED

The purposes of Father Duncan's industries. Industries created as adjuncts to mission. Reports of the Treasury Department commend Father Duncan's industrial activities making his mission self-supporting. A striking contrast related by an eyewitness. Father Duncan builded foursquare. Seizures by Bureau of Education at Metlakahtla. List of property illegally seized by Department of Interior. Facts relating to despoliation disclosed in succeeding sections

THE PURPOSES OF FATHER DUNCAN'S INDUSTRIES

When he first went amongst the Tsimshean Indians and began his efforts to induce them to abandon their barbarous customs, Father Duncan realized that he must show them evidence of material advantages to be gained by adopting the new life-the inevitable results of right living.

It was apparent to Father Duncan that in introducing civilized habits and elevating these people to better modes of living, the transformation from standards of savagery to those of civilization imposed the necessity for increased expenditures, and that in consequence he must find for them new and more lucrative sources of income.

Father Duncan was a man of unusual business and executive ability and extraordinary resourcefulness, which enabled him to solve problems that would have been undertaken only by a person of deep human sympathy, lofty ideals, and infinite faith that Providence would guide and assist.

When Father Duncan began his mission among these degraded savages at Fort Simpson in British Columbia, he found them extremely unclean in their persons and habits of life. Therefore, the first industry he introduced among them was the art of making soap. As a result, instead of the natives being obliged to pay the Hudson's Bay Company's price of one mink skin, or $1, for a small cake of soap, the size of two fingers, they were taught by Father Duncan to make a large bar of soap from their waste materials at a cost of but a few cents; and then they could afford to

be clean.

After this simple beginning, he introduced various handicrafts and taught the natives better methods of trading.

The sawmill and other industries followed, until the settlement at Old Metlakahtla became a model industrial mission village.

Father Duncan's idea of financing the work of a Christian mission was thus expressed in a letter to Judge Thomas N. Strong, on December 9, 1887, at the time he was establishing his mission in Alaska:

With regard to myself and my plans for helping the people, I suppose there are many who object to the course I take. Some would prefer I should beg. I choose rather to work and support myself and carry on God's work in my hands by lawful labor and thus train the people with me to self reliance, and at the same time use the profit of our industry for their benefit

As a result of Father Duncan's foresight and the successful execution of his plans, the Metlakahtlans reached an economic independence in keeping with their development in civilization, as evidenced by the homes of the natives and their ownership of the necessaries and conveniences of life.

Father Duncan, through his industries established and built by his own ability and efforts, made his mission independent and selfsustaining and provided the funds for perpetuating the mission after his death.

In addition to supporting his mission and employing all the fruits of his labor for the benefit of the natives, Father Duncan, through these industries, solved the problem of providing them with selfrespecting work as a means of livelihood, and paid them liberal

wages.

INDUSTRIES CREATED AS ADJUNCTS TO MISSION

Father Duncan's records show that, since the settlement of the mission colony in Alaska, he had paid to the natives of Metlakahtla more than half a million dollars in wages when, on March 24, 1915, the Bureau of Education, under false pretexts, forced him to stop operating his cannery and other industries, and finally seized them.

The industrial activities of the mission were carried on by Father Duncan as private enterprises, but his industries were an essential part of the mission and served the following purposes:

1. A practical means for the vocational education of the natives; 2. An opportunity for the natives to secure employment at liberal wages and be self-supporting, and to purchase the things required by their adoption of civilized habits and customs;

3. As much as possible to keep the natives at home, and thus avoid the demoralizing influences of white settlements and of contact with uncivilized natives in other localities;

4. To provide funds in order to enable the misison to be and to continue as an independent, self-sustaining Christian mission.

REPORTS OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT COMMEND FATHER DUNCAN'S INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES MAKING HIS MISSION SELF-SUPPORTING

The relation of Father Duncan's industries to his mission is very clearly stated in reports of the Treasury Department after official investigations of his cannery at Metlakahtla by Howard M. Kutchin, a special agent of that Department.

In a report made by Mr. Kutchin, published as Senate Document No. 113, Fifty-seventh Congress, second session, page 29, it is stated:

* The plant * *

is rather an adjunct of the general scheme of

Mr. Duncan's missionary activities than an independent enterprise.

In a previous report made by Mr. Kutchin, published as Senate Document No. 168, Fifty-sixth Congress, second session, page 71, the statement is made:

It is to be remembered that all of these people are Northwest Indians, and have been redeemed from densest savagery. The oldest of them can recall the days when cannibalism played a part in their barbarous rites. Today they are, par excellence, the most peaceable, religious, moral, industrious, and prosperous native community to be found between Puget Sound and the Arctic Ocean.

William Duncan has worked this miracle not only by his sole efforts, but in the face of interference and embarrassments that must have crushed the spirit and paralyzed the effort of any other than a man of heroic mold.

But who shall escape calumny?

It is said that he has grown rich in his pious work and has fattened on the labors of his dupes.

It was this story that impelled me, with an entirely impartial mind, to undertake to learn the truth. The result convinces me that the confidence of the Government has not been misplaced, and that he and his people are worthy of the favors they have received.

* * *

Obviously, in order to make a success of his enterprises, as well as for business reasons, it was necessary and advisable for Father Duncan to control the industries which he established and financed on his own responsibility. The wisdom of Father Duncan in handling these industries in accordance with sound business principles, and his high standard of integrity and fairness in dealing with all persons concerned with the enterprises, will not be questioned by any honest, intelligent, and well-meaning person acquainted with the facts.

However, the industries established by Father Duncan were not an end in themselves. They merely fitted into his larger program "for the betterment and uplifting of the people of certain native tribes of the North Pacific coast, and in particular the Tshimsheans", in order to rescue them "from their dark and evil ways to the light of the simple Gospel of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ."

The intent and purpose of these industries are clearly and feelingly shown in the last will and testament of William Duncan, by which he left all of his earthly possessions for the perpetuation of his benevolent life work.

Metlakahtla was above all a Christian mission. There Father Duncan directed and conducted the activities which met and satisfied all the needs of the Metlakahtla natives, including the physical, the intellectual, the civic, and the spiritual.

A STRIKING CONTRAST RELATED BY AN EYEWITNESS

Elsewhere in this report will be found a letter written by B. A. Eardley, a respected businessman, who for 15 years had lived on Prince of Wales Island, 18 miles from Metlakahtla, and who testifies from personal knowledge of the despoiling of this mission and of the results of the persecutions directed against Father Duncan.

This letter from Mr. Eardley is dated November 11, 1916, and from it a few brief excerpts will be here quoted.

After describing a night of debauchery and brawls among white men which he had witnessed at Ketchikan, Alaska, Mr. Eardley describes in contrast the beautiful scenes among the natives at Metlakahtla before the plans of the Bureau plotters and their confederates had come to fruition:

I went up on deck, and leaning in the shrouds gave myself over to my thoughts. The night was intensely dark, the sky overcast, and the previous night's dissipation and debauchery [of white men at Ketchikan] still haunted

me

I had not thus been long engaged, however, when there suddenly came to me from out of the darkness, across the waters, the strains of the sweetest music I have ever heard-music which seemed to bring with it benedictions from Heaven itself. I listened amazed, and my eyes unconsciously sought the heavens, as I recalled the story of the shepherds of Bethlehem, for as the sweet strains became more distinct I made out the notes of a familiar Gospel hymn, 26465-39-pt. 35—32

sung with rich melody by voices which blended harmoniously. Gradually the singing grew more distinct until the singers seemed to have come close enough to observe our riding light, and note the dangerous position which our vessel occupied, for the song changed to Pull for the Shore, Sailor; Pull for the Shore. * * *

* * Shortly after midnight a breeze came up, when all hands were called, anchor taken in, sails set, and we worked our way down the passage, and made Metlakahtla in the early Sabbath morning, where we obtained an explanation of the sweet singing which had come to us across the waters the night before in the story of some Metlakahtla native boys who were returning home from a distant sawmill, where they were employed, in order that they might spend the Sabbath with their families, singing Gospel songs as they went. And when the bell in the church tower began to ring I saw the natives coming from all sections of the quiet village, cleanly and decently clad, their Bibles in their hands, wending their way, accompanied by their little ones, to the beautiful church edifice they had themselves erected under the direction of the man of God, their leader. Upon entering, devoutly kneeling, asking a blessing from God upon the service, and then, led by the strains of the small pipe organ, played with skillful fingers by an Indian boy, they chanted in native tongue and sang in English praises to the Most High. And here I spent my first Sabbath in Alaska, here I first met Mr. Duncan, and what I saw that day, coupled with the experiences of the two previous nights, made a profound impression upon me.

On the one hand I had seen my white brother, with centuries of civilization behind him, and all that boasted civilization is supposed to stand for, with all the blessings of education which had surrounded them from their youth, with all the helpful and inspiring influences which are supposed to flow from them for the making of character and manhood, recklessly and carelessly casting it all to the winds, plunging headlong into sin that was debauching his manhood, debasing his body, damning his soul.

On the other hand, I saw these natives, one generation removed from bloodthirsty savages, quietly, peacefully, soberly, happily, rowing their way homeward to join their loved ones in the worship of God on the Sabbath day, singing the Gospel songs which this grand old man had taught them.

I believe that in no other way could the cause of religious effort in Alaska have been dealt the severe blow that has been administered to it by this action of our Government at Metlakahtla. *

FATHER DUNCAN BUILDED FOURSQUARE

Father Duncan's work in behalf of these primitive people whom he lifted from the densest savagery to a high plane of Christian civilization was foursquare.

He ministered to their bodies through his free medical service. teaching better methods of living, and providing opportunities for profitable employment; he ministered to their minds through his mission school and his system of vocational and industrial training; he trained them in the art of self-government and sought to make them "worthy of the rights of full citizenship"; and he ministered to their souls through the church and other religious activities in the community.

He was not content with giving his own life for the cause, but sought by his last will and testament to dedicate all his earthly possessions to "perpetuate the mission work which our most gracious Lord" had permitted him to conduct for so many years.

The many available photographs, innumerable pages of official reports of the Government, and accounts and articles by almost countless authors and writers who had visited the Metlakahtla Christian Mission give a wonderful picture of the results of Father Duncan's successful and marvelous work at Metlakahtla before the Bureau of Education entered upon its campaign of destruction.