The record-union., 1892-02-12
some HEATED DEBATES.
FreehoIder Armstrong Loses His Tenn
per and Talks ImpassionateIy.
The Committee on Police Matters, He
said, Had Been Insulted-Chief Of
Police to be Appointed.

~e"Ah lasI evening. 1nefe were present
Chairman Green and FreehoIders Wein-
stock, LaRue, Smith, Hall, Roberts, Cox,
White, Knox, Johnson, Hubbard, Sim
mons and Armstrong.
The report of the Committee on Educa-
ton was taken up again, and there was
considerable argument over the sections
defining the duties of the Superintendent.
ON motion of Freebooter LaRue, finally,
1t was decided that the Superintendent
should make his report in June instead
of December.
Mr.. Weinstock offered to insert the fol-
lowing amendment: provided, the
teachers having had the longest expert
ence and receiving the most pay, shall be
by him 1.-THE superintendent assigned to
the lowest primary grade"
Mr.. Weinstock spoke in favor of his
amendment, saying that the teachers of
the youngest pupils were the most re-
sponslble IN any Of the schools.
HIGH-GRADE TEACHERS.
Freeholder Johnson opposed the amend
ment. lie had list Of the studies that
hlgh-grade pupils used with him. and
said that it was natural that the teachers
OF these grades had far more to do in
order to keep up with their pupils than
BIduGS.
lOwer-grade teachers had far less to do
than those Of the higher grades, and
therefore should not receive less salary.
Mr.. Johnson was willing to accept the
present law, which provides that teachers
having the lower classes shall have at
least two years experience. He thought
this covered the difficulty suggested by
Mr.. Weinstock completely. A teacher,
ne said, who had had years of experience
naturally desired 10 advance into the
higher grades, whether the salary was
higher or not. This was natural.
Mr.. Weinstock explained that his
amendment did not apply TO the teachers
of the High School.
Mr.. Johnson said that if the amend
ment was applied only to teachers in the
primary grades he would not object to it.
WILLING TO COMPROMISE.
Mr.. Weinstock was willing to amend
his amendment to suit Mr.. Johnson's
idea. He wanted it understood that his
idea was that promotions in the primary
schools should be downward-and toward
higher saiaries-instead Of to the upper
grades. These classes needed more at
tentlOn and teachers of more experience
than the higher grades.
Mr.. LaRue thought that if Mr.. Vein
stocks amendment prevailed the teach
ers would be going backward instead of
forward.
Mr.. Roberts, too, was opposed to the
amendment. He thought it was dis
cOuraging to a teacher To have to 90 from
higher grades to lower ones, and he pre-
dicted that under such a system there
would soon be 10 teachers.
Nj. Weinstock was on the floor again
to dispute the statements that it required
teachers as experienced TO handle the
lower classes as the higher ones.
The debate lasted some time and when
finally submitted to the board the
amendment was defeated by vote of
4 TO 8.
Mr.. Johnson offered an amendment
that the superintendent should be al
lowed clerk, to be appointed by him
self
This met with a vigorous opposition at
the start, but was finally adopted.
Mr. WelnstOck offered an additional
section TO the report to the effect that
teachers being admitted into the schools
shall be submitted to examination by the
superintendent and the teachers of the
schools.
The new section was laid over until the
next session of the board.
PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
The special order of the evening-the
consideration of Freehoder Halls sub
stitute for the report Of the Committee on
Police Department-wa next taken up.
This report suggested the appointment Of
the Chief Of Police by the Mayor instead
of his election.
Freeholder Armstrong did not think
that, according to parliamentary usage,
the substitute of one outside of a COM
mittee could be taken up in preference to
the regular report. He moved therefore
that the regular report be taken up first.
Mr.. LaRue said he understood that the
regular report had already been taken
up, and he thought the substitute would
be in order.
Mr.. Armstrong assured the board that
the same result could be reached by con-
sidering the regular report again.
Mr.. White moved, as an amendment to
Mr.. Armstrong's amendment, that the
report and substitute be considered to-
gether.
MIR. Armstrong lost his temper, and
said he "breathed the atmosphere around
him." and was confident that the regular
report would be voted down. Still, he in
sisted that the committee had right to
be heard first.
Mr.. Cox, also of the regular committee,
argued that the report should be heard
first.
Mr.. Hail. the author of the substitute,
said that the regular committee had been
heard several times. The substitute har-
monized with majority of the Free
holders, and It's consideration first would
give better satisfaction at this time than
the regular report.
GOT STILL MADDER.
Mr.. Armstrong; temper rose still
higher, and, in an impassioned speech,
he denounced the atmosphere he
breathed' as an insult to the regular
committee. He promised that if the regu-
lar report was taken up he would ask the
Freeholders some questions that would
shake them il their confidence. If the
vote went his way, all right; but if it did
not, he washed his hands of the whole
business, and repudiated all response
bihty TO the people of the city. He de-
clared that to adopt the substitute would
be 10 establish a ring and to encourage
corruption. No decent man could be
elected Mayor because of these rings and
this corruption. The Mayor and the
Chief of Police should be independent of
each other, and should be responsible
separately, to the people.
Mr.. White took the floor and stated
that he hoped Mr.. Armstrong and the
regular committee would not continue to
believe that any insult to that committee
was intended. He hoped his amendment
would prevail, because an amicable dis
cussion could then be INDUCED in. By
considering both reports the main issue
could be reached Immediately.
Mr. Cox insisted that out OF respect for
the committee, its report should be con-
sidered first.
The discussion was quite heated
throughout, and finally resulted in an
agreement to consider Mr.. Halls substi-
tute.
The first section of the substitute, which
contained the provision over which all
the quibbling was due, was read, and
Immediately Judge Armstrong moved TO
amend it. to the effect that the Chief of
Police shall be elected by the people in
stead Of appointed by the Mayor.
The amendment was lost.
The balance of the substitute was then
y, lf.-1,N