The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-08-26
OTTAWA FREE TRADER: SATURDAY, AUGUST &C. 1877.



Some three weeks ago We published whs
purported to be speech to the school board
by Geo. A. Markle, member for the 1sr ware
Fault was found with US for publishing it in
correctly. Last week we found on our tt
bic communication from Mr.. Markle in tn
same hand writing, and that We should no
again be accused OF publishing it incorrectly
We directed our compositors to set it up cer
batim ct Eteratim As written. Somebody out
side OF our office corps heard this direction t.
the compositors and reported it to Mr.. Markle
whereupon, on Friday morning, after the doc
ument was in type, he came rushing in, il
great excitement, and demanded his manu-
script, which of course was given up to him
and so it failed to appear in the FREE TRADER
This is not the version Mr.. Markle gives OF
the matter in this weeks Republican, but it is
the way zoe understand it. We will add, tina.
the manuscript was not such as would have
made Mr.. N. appear ridiculous if printed as
written, and it was not to make him SO APP
pear that we proposed to publish it rer5atdm,
but for the other reason above indicated.
AS to what Mr.. Markle, in his column and
half IN the Republican is trying to "get
through him." the matter can be disposed of
in very few words. His whole line of de.
fence is, that Mr.. Clark's salary " as principal
of the high school," was never higher than
$l,25O; but that from 1867 up to last July he
received $3.50 in addition for services as Su.
rerintendent Of the city schools. Of this su-
perintendency Mr.. Markle contends Mr.. Clark
was never relieved; but he always performed
its duties and received his extra pay tor so
doing; and when, six weeks ago, the board
re.appolnted him principal Of the high school
and fixed his salary at $3.50 no change was
intended to be made in his pay, but his sal
ary was to continue just as before-$l, $50 as
principal of the high school, and $3.50 as su
perintendent.
If this is SO, then all we have to say is that
this whole quarrel about our schools for the
last five or six weeks has been the most rielic.
ulOus farce on record. Mr.. Clark was salts.
fled with his salary of $1,000 last wear,
whether it was made up in parcels of S1,25O
and $3.50, or in one lump of $1,000. He re.
signed expressly and solely because $3.50 were
cut off. II the board, as Mr.. Markle saws. did
not mean any such thing, but simply meant
that his pay in future as IN the past should
consist OF two parcels-$l, $50 and S95O-u.
stead of one-$l, 5OO-in the name of common
sense why did they not say so Mr.. Clark
would have been satisfed-the whole civ
would have been satisfied, and all the late
" unpleasantness would have been avoided.
Besides, Mr.. Clark would not have resigned
Miss Green, Miss Case, Mr.. Wilson, &C., would
not have resigned, and our schools would
have remained in their old, prosperous, CON-
Portable condition.
But it Mr. Markle is stupid enough to be-
ieve what he says, his confrercs in the board. |
md all the world outside, know better. Mr..
harkle has eontradicted himself forty times,
md is bigger fool than we ever took him
or, II he is ignorant of the plain simple facts,
hat in March, 1868, Thos. II. Clark was
!ected superintendent of the city schools for
ne year; that April q 1859, at meeting of
he school board, Mr.. Spencer moved to con. |
niue him as such for another year, changing
ne name Of the office Of superintendent to |
principal OF the high school," and although
he order at that meeting was adopted, at
he next meeting it was, on motion of Mr.
Courtney, rescinded, and the office of SUPER
ntendent from that day forth was abolished. |
These are the simple facts, and although Mr.
Clark always kept up the system of monthly
eports he had instituted while superin-
endent, he never pretended to do SO, except
IS voluntary matter on his own part as
principal Of the high school, and nobody sus.
'ected or dreamed that he was still superin-
cndent. Mr.. Markle has shown that he can
'rawl out by pretty small hole, but nothing
'ut his soul is diminutive enough to oct
trough as small hole as this.
A "sYNDIoATE".-This word appears quite
frequently of late in the dispatches referring
o the negotiation in Europe about the Bout. |
veil loan, and as it is found in no dictionary. |
he question Is frequently asked what it
means. We presume the simplest definition
would be, "a combination of bankers to take
Up loan;' but in the present case, the idea
would be conveyed to an American reader |
With vastly more precision if instead of "syn.