The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-03-18


sth instant The freedom of the Island
was extended TO him by the Captain
General and he was otherwise distn-
guished with marks of respect. lie Wis
tied Moro Castle in the morning and re-
ceived his friends in the afternoon. In
the evening a dinner was given in his
honor, and during the banquet he was
presented with diamond ring.
1t seems to have been determined in
the councils of Governor fIoyt that Su-
perintendent Wickersham must go. Mr..
Wickersham has been Superintendent of
the Common Schools of Pennsylvania
ever since the administration of Cover
nor Curtin, and in the opinion of great
many people it is about time that there
should be n rotation in office in this case
if only TO discover whether another Su-
perintendent can be found. No com
plant is made in regard to the manner
in which Superintendent Wickersham
has conducted his office. During his
service he has disbursed vast sums of
money, auditing his own accounts, but
the integrity of his financial manage
ment has never been called in question.
The chief if not the only ground for
Superintendent Wickersham's removal
is political. 1t is well known that for
number of years he has not been in
harmony with the Republican machine.
He has persuaded himself that his emf
nent party services entitled him to higher
reward than that of chief school-master
of the State,a opinion of his own merits
in which the ring managers did not con
cur. In 1878 he was candidate for
Governor, and failing to receive nomi-
nation he went abroad to study the man
ner in which the young idea is taught to
shoot in Germany and other foreign lands.
Senator his sympathles were with the in
dependents, and though he tried to pur-
sue such a course as would not involve
the loss of his position, his zeal some.
times got the better of his discretion.
Political circulars ludatory of Wicker
sham have been issued in which Cover
nor Hoyt, his official chief, is denounced
as tool of the machine. 1t was not sup
posed that Mr.. Wickersham would de
sire to remain any longer in such an ad
ministration, and accordingly a success
or has been looked for.
Some time ago there was rumor that
the Hon. j. A. M. Passmore, of Schuyl
kill county, was to be the successor Of
DR.. Wickersham but the relations be
tween life insurance and common school
management were not perceived. 1t il
now understood that the new Superin
tendent of common schools is to be DIR
Iligbee, of Mercersburg College, who il
regarded as very competent to fill the
position. But whoever he may be the
Legislature should no longer delay il
amending the law so as to hold the Su
perintendent of Public Instruction to s
more strict accountability in the disburse
ment of the finances that come into his
hands Under existing law his accounts
are not subject to the scrutiny of the
auditing department. He disburses more
than twenty six per cent, of the entire
expenditure of the Treasury, and for this
disbursement he is held to no official ac
countability. The next Superintendent
may not be rs scrupulous as DR.. Wicker
sham or there may not be as much con
fidence in his integrity,and therefore the
laws should be amended so that his ac
counts be subject to the supervision o:
the Auditor Generals department.
Patriot.