Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-10-07
a Bear Not False Witness"

mani!e'tos, all published in the 7r,banc are
TO BE- tl.cn as an Indication of his in,cn.
'ions. During the past week he has, with
characteristic moic>ty, m,nopol.zel the
columns Of that sheet to the exclusion of
'clcsraphic and Legislative reports. and
solely to show how devoted Mr. Bigelow is
to his religion and how poorly qualified
other people are TO discharge the duties Of
public Office. His communication Of the
ID inst, entitled Local Public Schools"
is a tissue of fllschood and sophistry, cum
ninGly interviewer, and carefully guarded
in expression, SO as to throw the blame of
its Measurements upon other than his own
shoulders, should the parties assailed en-
dcavor to disprovc them. He sets out by
stating: at was an error from the start
to take our common school from the con.
troll of the Territorial school law and place
it in the hands of the Town Board" not
withstanding he must know that this GUS
tom is sanctioned by usage elsewhere, and
the apparent absurdity of dividing the
official duties of the Trustees Of town of
1920 inhabitants among ten or twenty
men instead Of the present number. lie
continues: 81 never knew the cause of
education benefited by mixing it up with
politics, and other issues still more objec-
tionablc," Now, we have never known
politics, or other objectionable issues
to enter into the selection of candidates for
town officers, except when dragged in by
Mr.. Bigclow's party and clique, and some.
times with the Deacon himself as a candi-
date. The only straight Republican ticket
ever nominated for municipal officers was
that Of last April, when regular convcu-
ton was called, and Mr.. Bigclow himself
nominated as one of the five Trustees, and
inglorously beaten at the polls. The peo-
pie have invariably defeated all attempts
to place the town government upon either
political or sectarian basis and we pre-
dlcLAll.at they will do so hereafter. The
Deacon gives it as his opipon--or rather
the opinion Of others-that the Olympia
school has suffered by being placed
under the control of the Board of Trus,
tees" but wherein it has suffered he affords
not the slightest clue. The Deacon has
very often given the opinion of others, and
sometimes been so ndiscreet as to mention
names, and has time and again been brought
to grief by his reckless assertions. We
deny that there is any such opinion among
the majority Of the citizens as he repre-
sents. The Echo, in a number of articles
attributed to the Deacon, agitated the sub.
ject under consideration just before the
last election of Trustees, and his side of
the question was very generally under
stood, as also the motives upon which it
rested for support. The Deacon then cites
Mr.. Sparks as authority for the assertion
that his "small children have been sent to
a private school 25 per cent. cheaper
for tuition, than charged at the public
school" This is doubtless true. The
teacher is young lady who teaches small
children at home, with from ten to fifteen
scholars in attendance at So per quarter
netting her from $50 to SIS per quarter, OIL
$40 to SIS per month, not sufficient sum
to pay for her clothing, aside from hel
board and other expenses. The Deacon
doubtless was aware of this fact but it wa:
not his purpose to tell the whole truth
but only so much as should serve his object
His assertion that the incidental expense.
of the school arc paid out of the public
school fund, in violation of law, is another
cunning evasion, for he neglects to state
that the fund is augmented by pro yate
assessment which pays one-half the salary
and expenses, and the Deacon objects il
another place in his communication, to tn,
Trustees drawing from one fund to pay tn,
DEFICIENCIES Of another fund. But we hay,
not space to note all the glazing misstate
ments and false conclusions of our aspirin.
Representative. They are of a character
where the facts are known, to answer
, themselves, and all we ask of the Assembly
is fair consideration of the subject if i
should be forced upon them for action.
The manner of making up the towr
assessment also troubles the Deacon yer,
much. The Town Trustees advertised
day for parties feeling dissatisfied with the
amounts at which their property had beer
assessed, to appear and show cause for 9
reduction of the same. Those who ap
peared declared that the cause for dissatis
e. -.