The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-11-21
ovERw0NnED SON our CHILDREN.

WIZ ~ EcNnOuslbIc"-prDl. McMccIlcu
SUGGESTS itenctly for the Trouble.
To The &iitoto the intclhgencer. 81.
SiR:-A short timc since noticed very
interesting discussion i'll the New York
Herald on the topic suggested by the above
head.line. 1t is undoubtedly subject
attended with manygreat and serious diff.
cnl'les; and now, that in the late elections,
to the apparent satisfaction OF tho rank
nnd iile Of the two great political parties,
the people have 20 triumplanlly viuli.
calca their rights against "boss rule and
the great "nachine," so long engaged In
crushing out the Iile.blood OF our free in.
stitutions, 1t may ben proper time to In.
quiTc alspassionHtcly into the operations
Of TINS boss nnd machine work in matters
.terests. -
the people will naturally inquire-as
they have right 10 do-wEat general poll
tics should haye to do in such matters: es.
pecially as relates 10 our municipal lie? |
mean, particularly, us to the election or
appointment OF County Commissioners
Sheriff, members Of the CITY Council, police
officers, Justices Of the Peace, School Com.
missionefs, and other functi0naries OF sim.
liar and inferior grade? And, upon candid
reflection, the answer will be: Nothing n,
uli. Then how does 1t come to pass that
the persons filing the offices referred to.
are chosen almost exclusively with refer.
ence TO their political leatifiss, and often
WIN but very little regard to their real
Qualifications? now there is evidently n
sfeat wrong herc--a wrong seriously ullrct.
ing the public ut large.
Ih'!t this state OF things is brought about
through the agency Of the "machfnc,n the
public mind is well convinced. but what
is meant by the machine? 1t means the
subofdlnatlon OF public interests 10 the in.
tcrests OF moro or less unprincipled usp.
rants 10 Office. It means division of
spo''s among parties generally the least
worthy and the most ,nscrupulous rs to
the means OF attaining their end. II means
simply most detestable system OF Axe
grinding, III which the most unworthy
persons, standing in the background, or
coming boldly to the front in defiance OF
pnpilc decency, arc wontto take the lead.
T ho" TIE MACHINE AFFECTS THE scRo5I.
Now wish to apply the foregoing gen.
eral remarks TO tue management Of our
pubic school interests. 1t would seem
that Interests 50 sacred us these could hard.
" come within tho range Of this deadly
uiaSS-the machine. But, alas such Is mot
tue fact. boards OF Education arc elected
It IS SO IN this city ut least-by the ma.
chine. School Commissioners arc nut in
nomination, their names tackled on 10 In,
tall,ehd OF one or the other party tickets
ana voted through at tho district elections
III such Il way that but few seem to know'
or care, who the party is that seeks the
once or what his qualifications And
there he is, anil there he will remain for
SIX long years. and perhaps for three times
!nA'' until lie begins 10 feel that he has II
ne estate in tae Office OF Commissioner
lie may be all ignommus, or Il .lrp,kam,
or aShrewd axe.rrinder. or anything else
tflat honest and honorable men NAV hold
II contempt; but there lie is for six long
years at leasr, and there seems to be no
help Tor it. II the machine cannot m
smashed here rs well us elsewhere, then
things must run on ior an indefinite length
o! time in their usual channel.
NOW, what is the legitimate outcome of
al ms! Just what We see. do not mean
thai our schools aro not Of respectable
%sade-,;as much so at least as the average
throughout tho country, for this state Of
things prevails almost everywhere, even in
good Old Boston, but should not have
the courage Of my own convictions if did
not say that there is great room for i'm.
provement. There is one general wall Of
discomfort all over the country, and much
anxiety is expressed lest our public school
system should be brought into disrepute.
And Tor all this, l honestly believe we arc
indebted to the lnaehinc Not the machine
litical parties. -SI0 -