The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-11
POLITICS AGAIN
Enter Into a Lively Debate in
the State Legislature.
A N0N-PARTISAN QUESTION,
In Which the Democrats Imagine
They SEQ q "BueaDoo" in the
Shape of the Teaching Of
Civil Government.
sa..inl ,t,pnleh d a. In,.lliaenc.r.

hpteadl DIspdleA 70 tAs 4hte4lgeAeeF.
CHARLESTON, W. VA, Feb. 10.-Hous
bill 72, introduced by Mr.. Morgan, Q
Marion county, providing that ciyi
government and single entry book.keep
ing be taught in the primary school
occupied nearly all of the Houses tim,
to-day. Judge Ferguson moved I,
amend it by striking out civil govern
ment and providing that teachers shoult
not be required to stand examination OF
bookkeeping before July, 1892. Thil
caused quite q squabble, which wa
ended by the Judge withdrawing hi
amendment and moving that the bill be
laid upon the table and made the special
order for this afternoon at 8 o'clock
When 1t was again taken up the racket
began again. when Mr.. johnson, oi
Monroe, moved TO strike out the words
''and civil government" Colonel White
stating that he wanted TO know what
was TO be selected as q text book on civil
government before he would vote for the
measure. 1tseemed the gentlemen were
afraid that at sometime In the dim and
distant future the Republicans might
have a msjority In the Legislature and
adopt book that might inculcate the
principles OF the Republican party.
Colonel White said that when he
wanted to build a house the first thing
he did was to count the cost.
Mr.. Lynch said he thought the first
thing the gentleman would do in such q
case would be to buy a lot, If he didn't
already have one. No power on earth
could select a book for the schools OF
West Virginia except the Legislature,
and 1t had not the power to do 80 unless
provision was made forit, as the bill pro.
posed.
Colonel Freer also had few words to
say and he said them in most telling
manner. His speech, though brief, was
universally admitted to be the most elo-
quent oRortyet delivered on the floor OF
the House. He eaid he was thankful
that he had arrived ct an age when he
could rise above party prejudice upon o
question that concerned the people Of
the State. He believed that the princi-
pies Of q free government should be
taught TO the children Of the State to
familiarize them with our institutions.
He could excuse younger people some-
times for allowing their party zeal to run
away with their judgment, but men of
maturer years, like the gentleman from
Ohio county and himself, should
rise above such things, particularly
when, as in this case, the mat.
ter interested the whole people, and
he was surprised that with the situation
as at present, with forty.four on one side
and twenty.one on the other, the major
ity should fear an advantage would be
taken Of them on the text book adopted.
He was proud OF the bright-eyed boys
and girls OF West Virginia, and believed
they should be familiarized with the
government under which they live. He
believed that these principals should be
instilled into the minds OF every boy
and girl who lived within the shadow
Of the flag.
Mr.. Thomas, of Putnam, also favored
the bill as originally offered and opposed
the amendment.
Mr. Welch, Of Mineral, to bridge over
the difficulty for the benefit OF his friends
from Ohio and Monroe, moved to sub.
stitute for "and civil governments" !"
"and W. L. Wilson's history OF the
Democratic party" he believed in the
principles Of the Democratic party and
thought they ought TO be taught in the
public schools. This created some little
amusement, but the amendment was af.
terwards Withdrawn. Mr.. Shaw said 1t
was not the object to teach either de.
mocracy or republicanism in the mod
ern acceptance OF the terms, or to drag
In what was called low grade OF poll.
tics, but to teach the principle upon
which our system OF government rests.
In hia opinion no more important study
could be introduced In the schools.
Mr.. Pugh, of Hancock, was the next
speaker. He said: II am sorry that
politics have been dragged into this
discussion. Certainly it ia possible to
select text books that are non.political,
but were It question Of politics think
the gentleman from Ohio county dis.
plays little faith in his party, when we
remember that II representa- two.thirds
OF the votes upon the floor OF this House.
The gentleman exhibits little faith in
the ability of his party to raise Demo
cratic children when ne argues they
may be influenced by the republicanisn
OF certain text books. / an a Rspub
lican, and would travel long way tt
see the text book or the school teacher
that could make Democrats Of my boys
Their mother Is Democrat and she
can't convert them. I'm not afraid Of |
text book on civil government even II il
should be democratic In its teachings.'
The amendment was lost by an over
whelming vote, and on motion Of Judgt
Ferguson the bill was amended by pro
yidiug that 1t should not be required
that either civil government be taught
or that teachers be required to stand ex
animation upon these branches before
JANUARY /, 1892. The bill was then or
dered TO Its engrossment and third read