The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-10-31


GoRoNEa-Jas. L. Rowe.
HUDToR-Dan1 J. Bradham.
TREAsURER-Jos. Sprott, Jr.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS w. b. Il. hobbs,
T. A. Way, E. c. Horton.
Constitutional Amendments.
At the election next Tuesday two impor-
sant constitutional amendments are to be
voted on: to have the judge OF probate
elected for four years instead of two. as at
present; and to abolish the Office OF school
commissioner.
The Saseis almost wholly agreed that
all, our officers should be elected for
four reass, and, at the State conven-
tons, have epdossed this belief BY
twice renoninating an entire State
ticket, without change, 50 as to give the
State officers four years term. Tins is q
wise action, one that we together with
number Of the best papers Of the State have
Ds wears advocated, and one that We hope
by constitutional change wiz ct no distant
day be made law. About one half Of our
county ofic:s are now two years othces.
and the other half four years offices. State
senator, sheriff, clerk Of court and coroner
are elected once every four years; so, aso,
is the circuit solicitor. The other county
officers, members of the House Ct Repre-
sentatives, judge of probate. school COM
missioner, and county commissioners, are
elected every two years.
There are objections to having elections
so often. They ore very ezpensi7e; tney
frequently engender unkind and bitter
feelings among friends and neighbors; they
give trouble and uneasiness; the results
reached are never any better, and seldom
as good, as by having elections every four
years; and so We could go on enumeraunS
objections. Our observation is that the
people are more careful in electing officers
for four wears than if one is to serve but
two wears. An officer IS better fitted TO
perform the duties Of his Office the second
term than he is the first term, and four
wears is short enough for good officer to
remain in Office. Let the people be careful
in selecting their men, and then let them
remain at least fonr years.
The Office of Judge Of probate, which this
constitutional amendment Affects Is lmpor-
tant, and should be held by one familiar
with the records and the duties OF the othce.
and ought to be among the four years Of
fees, 80 that when one becomes familiar
with the duties Of the Office he will not
be in dang, OF being so soon pot out oY
new man. This Office, as the clerk OF courts,
should be tour years Office, aud we are
confident that the amendment will be car
ned throughout the State by an overwhelm-
ing majority.
There has, and justly too, been great
outcry against the school commissioner =
Office. The results obtained do not by any
ssears compensate for the expenses OF the
Office. We need change. At the last ses.
sion of the Legislature it was determined
10 place this Office in the management OF
the Legislature, the presumption being that
It would be placed m che Svpesintendent's
special charge. The duties Of school
commissioner, to obtain satisfactory results,
should, instead of being, as he now is, SIM
ply discussing Officer, be soperintend-
ent of schools man qualified to instruct
and teach the teachers aader his Jurlsdlc-
t;on. He ought, during the session Of the
schools, to be constantly visiting the schools,
to see that they are supplied with proper
teachers, to en9eavor to get the people so
interested in their schools that they would
sufficiently supplement the school fund to
keep the schools open nine or tsn months
m the year,-in short he should be a man
deeply interested in the cause Of education.
Such result, under the present law, has
not vet been obtained, but it IS believed
that by placing this officer under the I'M
nefGase charge and supervision OF the Su-
perintsndess of Education, that IN few
years, our school system, would be vastly
benefited.
In no successful educational districts are
the teachers and Immediate officers OF the
schools elected by populas vote. They
are appointed by board Of education.
Such viii be found to be the case in the
Northern States, where they have such fine
schools; and in Georgia, where the school
system is far In advance of This Ssase1 and
ID the fne city schools eS Atlanta, Charles
ton. and other cities. TIE teachers and su-
perirtendent of the schools in such cities
and States get their appointment by exhib-
iting actual qualifications, and by having
experience in such matters, and Ho6 by be-
ing elected by a popular vote.
Is there any wonder our educational sys-
tenn is so low down and so ab1sed2 Place
q lawyer in charge Of ship, and tell him
to steer the vessel across the ocean: he would
meet with rs great success as does the av-
erage school commissioner in the manage
ment of our public school system. The
method alluded to in the paragraph
above is the tried and successful
method of school system. The method
We now have is, and has always proved,
failure. Therefore We are heartily ii favor
of the constitutional amendment, and hope
it will be carried by an overwhelming ma
iority. It will be the making OF the State
of South Carolina, viewed from an eduea-
tional stand point.
The amendments are both good, both Of
them calculated to DO good. AID we hspe
Clarendon couaiy vii aoa DO behind any
COUNTY in the State i'll riling up u 5:s ma
jority for esca one Of the amendments
See to It that the ballots FOR constitutional
amendments have YES On them, anu try
&o " 3uepco acery vctar Won can TO vote for