Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-23
rrRom A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE

Il
HARRISBURG, February 22.-Depart-
ment Commander Stewart of the Grand
Army of the Republic, has not yet appointed
his Soldiers Orphans Committee. He had
intended to reappoint the committee of last
year, but some of its members felt that soma
other comrades should be asked to share the
burden of the work that is yet to be done,
and requested the commander to replace
them by new men. Commander Stewart,
therefore, has taken the matter under ad-
visement, and it is quite possible there will
be new men on the committee, though some
of the old members will probably consent 70
serve to give the organization the benefit Of
their experience in this particular branch
of the work.
Chairman Stewart, of the House Soldiers
Orphans Committee, has one very ugly
letter In his possession. It's unpleasant fea-
ture is charges it contains against former
Superintendent of the McAlisterville
school, the other of the charges being from
a mother who sought employment at the
school in order to be near her children. A
letter from another woman, similar in its
character, is said to be in the possession Of
WILL HAVE WEIGHT.
These charges while tending to create q
feeling against the school, and while they
will have some weight with the joint COM
mittee of the Legislature, in no way effect
the present local management, and therefore
should not be given too great weight in
considering the points in controversy.
The joint committee of the two Houses
will not meet until next week, but q number
of the members. perhaps a majority, ars
strongly in favor of removing from the
Soldiers Orphans Schools to the Normal
schools all children from 12 years of age
upward. The disposition of the committee
is to leave the younger children in the
schools until they arrive at the age of II
years. when they also, ifthe plan is adopted,
will be removed to the Normal schools.
The wiping out of the soldiers orphans
schools controlled by the syndicate, OF which
ex-senator Wright is the head, is GER
tainty. These schools, however, had the
hearty Endorsement Of Superintendent
Higbee, and Governor Beaver, in conversa-
ton with The DISPATCH correspondent
concerning the one at McAlisterville,
spoke in high praise oft. Even the report
in which Inspector Wagner attacked
Superintendent Higbee and the manage
ment of the soldiers orphans schools, has
MANY GOOD WORDS g.
to say for the four syndicate schools, from
which it would seem that though the
children might not be maintained in
luxury, they were even then in much better
condition than many children dependent on
their own parents.
A gentleman whose standing in State
politics is high, and upon whose public
record the breath of suspicion has never
blown, said emphatieally to your eorre-
spondent: "Senator Wright is the most
maligned man in the State ofPennsylvania,
but what's the use of saying so in the face
of all the newspapers in the State? When
they get after man he might as well quit
right there"
This opinion is given as the undoubtedly
honest expression of opinion on the part Of
an honest man, whose opportunities for
observation have been fully as good as those
of the persons who attack the schools under
the syndIcate's management. 1t is re-
ported here, with no idea Of shielding the
schools from adverse legislation. Their
doom is already sealed. 1t is possible to
dispense with several schools, and as the
syndicate schools have been most attacked
they must be the first to 90. SIMPSON.