Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-02-25
Shanghai.


ture have furnished material for
conversation and discussion, for
the last few days. The friends OF
prohibition are greatly elated over
the vote in the House, the most
sanguine did not expect entire sue
cess at this session, but all agree
that il must succeed, it is only a
matter Of time, and that time is
not far in the distance. The most
fiattering compliments are passed
upon those regardless Of their 20
litical faith, who voted in favor OF
the resolution. A large majority
of our best citizens, will at the
next election, lay aside their party
spirit and vote only for men who
are known TO besound prohlbi
tionists. Present incumbent, who
opposed the bill, will have an OPP
pOrtuni.y to hang their harps up
on the willows. Our senatorial
district certainly did her work
nobly, Jefferson solid, Morgan sol
id ard Berkeley one half. Your
Wheeling correspondent, thinks
the temperance men will fuse with
the Republicans in the next cleo.
ton. We will say for his edifica-
ton, that the temperance party
will be strong enough to tage care
of herself and there will be no fu
zion with any political party
There are hundreds of men all Ov-
er the country, who are honest in
their political views, who do not
regard this a political issue, but
one, in which every good citizen
should be interested and will there
fore put away their party feeling,
and vote for those principles which
will do the greatest amount of
good to the greatest number Of
people without doing injury to
anyone.
Mr.. Evans res olution for the
prohibition of corporal punt sh-
ment in our public schools, has
given use to pretty general express
sion of opinion upon the subject,
and we find comparatively few
who favor the resolution. The
people of this section look upon
the teacher as their legally author
lied nge MT, to instruct control, cor
rect, and if needs be punish their
children while at school, the teach
er is of course expected to perform
these functions strictly within the
bounds of proprieiy. If the trus-
tee should employ teacher, who
proves to be one of those lions OF
which Mr.. Moffett, the delegate
from Pocahantas) speaks, he has
the same authority to discharge
him that he had to employ him.
The idea of sending child home
with a message to its parents to
punish it, and expect to have the
message delivered, is simply pre-
pOsterOus. Ii the message should
be delivered, it would require
much less time to prove the child's
insanity, than it did to prove Gut
teau's sanity. Again in many in
stancesif parents were told of mis-
conduct upon the part of their
child, the matter would come up
for investigation at home in the
absence of the teacher, the chllds
statement would be taken for gran
ted, it would be justified, and the
case dismissed, the child to return
to school with full authority to do
as it sees proper. We are opposed
to converting school teachers into
threshing machines, but as soon
as the teacher is powerless to pun
ish his pupils, his efforts in many
instances would be as fruitless as
forcing feathers against the wind
AS a teacher, there is no duty, We
have to perform so repugnant %
that of f1ogging, yet we sometime
find it absolutely necessary. When
such is the case, 1t is done in til,
same spirit that we would punish
our own child at home, not with
feeling of revenge, but prompted
by sense of duty. POcahontas
thinks that those who cannot teach
without whipping, are not fl to
teach, and that it Is relic OF bar
barism and schools should be gov
erned by love and SO on. Thirty
five years ago this sort of punish
meHt was Inflicted in schools and
we think a comparison Of those
days with the present, will prove
that the standard of intelligence
and morality, was as high then as
now. Talk about ruling lot of
boys with love, feeling to which
they are totally apatheiic, when it
conflicts with their natural incli-
nations. 1t might do for short
time, but would soon grow cold,
and love is like buckwheat cakes,
excellent when fresh, but would
choke one TO death when cold.
Agents for the sale of the life of
Garfield, have been canvassiDg the
valley, but with little success. The
cause of this not being more sue
cessful, is owing to the over work
done In advertising the work