Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1890-01-18
Blu. the B.acklegs Have More Power at
the City Hall than the Board
of Aldermen.

IRON the Chicago Tribune OF Monday. Jan. b.
Controller Onahans opposition to
the public schools is notorious. Mr.
Onahan's attack VIGOROUSLY ignores
the palpable abuses of the system-the
special studies, the fads, the orna-
mental or would-be ornamental stud
les There is no criticism of the teach
ing Of foreign languages; of the gin
gerbyead ornameutation of the public
school buildings OF the dancing halls
which under a former Democratic adj
ministration were added to buildings
at a cost Of $4,000 to $4,000, while
$4,000 children were excluded from the
schools for lack of room.
All those things pass unnoticed. But
two OF three women, admirably
equipped, highly educated, and
thoroughly efficient, get $1,000 each
per annum. The cry of extravaganza
is Immediately raised. Superintend-
ent Rowland, graduate of one of the
leading universities, gentleman OF
culture, experience, and ability, who
has made the Chicago public schools
an example for the world, is paid
$1,000 He is attacked He gets ST.
GOO per annum less than the Controller
and $4,000 less than the Mayor, and
$4,000 less than the weakest of the
Judges, and makes 81 900 less than
the pettiest Justice of the Peace. The
unlettered functionaries of the city adj
ministration are angered thereat, and
they shout extravaganza.
At the same time those same func-
tionaries are developing plan for the
appointment of five Inspectors of Po-
lice at salaries Of So, 900 each, and the
increase of the police force by the adj
dition Of 500 patrolmen. Schemes
are in contemplation for the increase
of the salaries of other officers aud for
the waste of the public money in other
directions. The Democratic Alder
men p1oTo e to keep down the educa-
tional appropriation so as to increase
the appropriation for the politicians
Advantage is taken OF the fact that
Democratic pot-house politicians in the
Town Of Lake gave exorbitant salaries
to mail-po' a.o politicians as princi-
pals Of schools, as ianitors and other
functionalie5 to make complaint.
"There are too many superintendent! y
shout the Pecksniffs, and they add the
Town of Lake superintendent of dis
trict schools, who are paid fancy
prices by their political sponsors, to
the list. They take no note of the fact
that those superintendent are the
creatures of political accident. They
charge the system with the abuse
when the Democratic rir g3ters, then
associates and co-workers, alone a:t
responsible
A member of the School Poa.d talk
ing on the subject Yesterday said
"Why, we pay rather moderate salaries
in my Judgment We pay Mr. How
land $4,000 per annum. We pay Prof
Burroughs, who used to he Presiden
Of the Chicago University, and Prof
Delano, one Of the ablest educationa
men in America, $1,000 each. We pa,
three other Assistant + superintendent
$500 each Two of the latter ar
woman, and my idea always has beer
that they ought to be paid the sam
SALARY as Prof Buro lghs and Prof. De
lano They do as efficient work. TIL,
compensation certainly not too much
They ale exceptional in their line. ]
they devoted themselves 20 literar
work they could make more
The principals Of the larger gram
mar schools are paid g, 300 each, an,
al this salary We cannot hold our hes
men. They do not think the salar
sufficient They want to he lawyer
81 trymcu doctors and leave us a
soon as they get "a chance
The suburban towns before the
we're annexed got some II oar be-.