Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-22
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
For the Interior Department, Whose Record
Has Been Raked Over as an 0Ppo-
nent to the System,
SENATOR KENNA ON RANDALrs VIEWS
Special 10 the Register.


ord as opponent ofthe public school system.
II don't know that know all that they
are saying" he said with smile, "but if they
stick TO the truth l am content"
He is a tall man, standing fully six feet
high, so tall that his well shaped head has
pushed its way through once thick growth
of hair and rises above few fringes of the
same in luxuriance of badness that would
grace front row at the ballet. lie Is not
handsome for he Is the sort of man who
piyes more thought to mind than to body,
even if he did not he would not be hand
some. His eyes are peculiar in appearance,
half closed as he talks, the outer corners
having a peculiar downward curve. with
which his mouth seems to sympathlze TOR
its corners also drop in about the same
manner. His iron gray WhlskerS are shaVen
from his upper and lower lips and run IN
fringe about his chin. His six foot Ken
tucEy figure, the production OF the bluegrass
water and food and climate, is we'll proper
toned, and might be the envy of half the
army men in town who cultivate the physi-
cal as he does the intellectual.
Yer, nave views on the Public School
.ystem,h he said, "and very pronounced
ones. | have held them for long time,
too and have never hesitsted to avow them
when there was reason for doing so. l Ger.
tainly don't propose to permit the fact that
have been selected for public office to
cause me to change my views on matter
u n from
avowing them at proper occasions, though
| have no desire to Extensively parade.
Would you object to stating them briefly
for the reading public them :,
mot at all. On the contrary, | am glad
of an opportunity Of correcting any mis-
statements or erroneous views regarding
them that may have got abroad, and to
place before the public a theory that is en-
dorsed by q great many men OF distinction,
and is the result of a careful study OF the
facts in the case. If it strikes at the root OF
what is considered an important and al
most sacred feature of our system,
il is the fault OF the facts, which
are gathered from official figures
and not of the man who has the nerve to
call the attention to them in the face OF
he feeling that it is sure to arouse. There
ia, as | know, an idea that to attack our
public school system is next thing to attack
trg the Bible. ! attack it because | am
satisfied that it is wrong and that believe
it is making too large class of criminals
aad law.breakers among the rising genera
tion. 1t is not because | am opposed to
education On the contrary, favor it,
most heartily"
How do you reach the conclusions you
have expressed on this subject Mr.. Mont
gomeryY
by a simple course of reasoning based
on facts gathered by our trusted public
lIiclals. My fundamental idea is that the
public school system takes the child out Of
ihe control of the parents ard places it in
control of persons who do not know it
Ultimately, who have no personal interest in
ia welfare, and who cannot give it the
reIsonal care that a parent would, even it
hev desired to do so. No one can give the
aft tctionate care to q child that the
parent does and anyone who has seen
The workings Of the public school
system must see how 1t takes the child out
from under the guidance Of the parent and
he control OF the guardians that nature has
Irovded for him. In the public school the
parent can neither control the views his
child imbibes nor the associations he forms
Tie pupil is taught that the views and au-
;hority Of the teacher are above those of his
7arent. Every writer on the subject OF law
or morals claim with one voice that the
rsrent is bound to educate his children, as
Sell as to feed and clothe them. By this
,Jstem you introduce Que feature OF COM
nulism You might as we'll go another
sep and say that they shall be fed from a
common fund, or clothed in classes from
he public fund"
"You speak of facts and figures to prove
YOUR theories.
Yes. have made careful analysis of
he census figures, with this in view. did
not become so thoroughly convinced of the
correctness Of my views until had made
hese Investigations. | made them before
he census of 1850. did not think it best
10 take the census of 1870, for that was
aiken just after the war; when things were
not in their normal condition So took the
census Of 1860 and compared the statistics Of
Of the FIVE New England States that have
had the public school for so long with
these Of the States of Delaware Maryland,
Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Massachusetts and the other
States had 1865, 943 native born white in
habitants against 3,lSl, ,969 in the Southern
States that have no public schools The
proportion OF those who could not read was
much greater in the South, yet found that
the New England States had with their two
and half millions Of people 2,459 crimi
nsls in prisons, while the Southern States
| had with three millions of whites, ccmpara-
lively unfettered, only ATT in prison; or in
other words the New England system had
one native born white criminal to ever one
thousand persons, while the Southern States
had but one to every six thousand FIVE hun
dred, or six times ss many in propagation to
the population in New England as in the
South This ratio also extends to psuper
ism, suicide, and even to insanity.
DO you find the later census bearing
you ont in your viewsY'
Yes, fully"
You are accused of urging this theory
from religious standpoint, Of favoring
kulLug 'ue euuChuOuAl system anu llS luuuS
iuto the hands of the church"
For which there is no authority. l do
not favor it Here is my theory, in word;
First-Psrents are bound to feed, clothe
aid educate their children, and should be
compelled to do so.
Second-It is a public duty to feed,
ciothe and educate, at public expense, those
whose parents are unable.
ThiTd-No citizen should be taxed to
feed, clotbe or educate children whose par
ents are able TO do for them.
Fourth-AIl parents, either mentally or
morally, unfit to have charge of their
children are in duty bound to see that
neither teachers, societies or institution are
such as to injure their children in any way.
Fifth-Neither the State nor the munich
pality should force upon a child or parent