, 1884-02-19

office at the seat OF government, to be
fitted up at the expense Of the territory
and there is to be appropriated for him
a large contingent fund to carry out
the purposes of this bill. This Is more
than has been voted to the territorial
treasurer or auditor. who have vastly
more work to do than the Territorial
superintendent. No provision is made
here nor elsewhere for the furnishing
Of the office for the treasurer or audi
tor, but the su oerintendent is to have
his velyety diyan upon which to ~recline,
and luxuriate his wearied body when
tired Of FORMULATING, while the purest
Of Administer carpet yields gently to his
tender tread.
Very wisely, not TO say patronizingly,
the bill undertakes to lecture the peo-
pie upon the subject of the character
Of the county superintendent Of schools
to elect In each county. Without the
information furnished by the bill, our
people might have forever remained IL
blissful Ignorance of the fact that the
county superintendent should be of
sound judgment, high moral character,
competent education and be able to
ali said office properly. For this are
we very thankful.
Outside of this, the bill constitutes a
territorial board of education which is
made a sort Of a cabinet for the terri
torial superintendent, and the bill per-
sistently re-enacts the existing school
law with all of Its imperfection, &c.
There must have been no effort made
to cure existing defects; but, the great
point sought for was the creation of a
territorial superintendent of schools as
a mighty mogul; and this is clearly set
forth in the creation Of the vast power
he would possess under the peculiar
provisions OF the proposed law.
II seems to have been forgotten by
the Trainer Of said bill that there were
such glaring defects In the existing
laws. If the purpose of the Trainer OF
the bill bad been to give the territory a
better system Of schools and school gov
eminent, why did he not lay the ak at
the root OF the tree and plant a new
and vigorous sappling that would grow
rapidly and spread largely its benefits
over the entire territory Sel6shness
seems to have absorbed all room for
doing good for the people. In nearly
every alternate line Of the bill is the
territorial superintendent mentioned.
This great 81 ann stands out conspic-
uously, while the real interests of edu-
cation are made subservient thereto in
the bill.
We desire to do Mr.. Smith the just
ice to FAY that. in our Judgment, he
did not frame the bill, nor can he, when
he comes to consider its provisions, ap-
prove of its peculiar features. HUw-
ever, 1t is well that all schemes, of
whatsoever character presented, should
be printed for the benefit Of the people
in order that the provisions thereof
might be duly investigated and thor
oughly criticised.
We simply ask each member of the
legislature to rea this bill carefully,
and to consider, thoroughly its pecu-
liar provisions. This course faithfully
pursued will be sufficient to cause its
defeat in its present shape.
There are remarkably generous pro-
visions in this peculiar bill, and the
sum of fifty thousand dollars is a fair
amount to be estimated in the way OF
expense which will attach to the terri
tory should the obnoxious measure pass
10 its present shape and thereby be-
come a part and parcel of the laws of
our young and progressive common
wealth.