The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-03-29
Address of Senator Critchfeld
In the Senate of Pennsylvania
on the" Compulsory Educa-
ton Bill"

ton Bill"
Mr.. President, if it were not for the
facl that believe as sincerely as be-
lieye in my own existence, that the pas
sage of this bill would prove detrimental
to the cause of popular education in
stead of being helpful to Il. l should be
glad to give it my support, If for no other
reason / should if it were in my power to
do so conscientiously, be glad 10 support
this bill because it Is q fayorite measure
of nv very warm personal friend, the
junior Senator from Lancaster How it
comes that anyone who Is 50 uniformly
right should, in a single instance be SO
radically wrong as my friend, the gentle
man from Lancaster Is upon this qnes-
ton, | cannot understand. The eues-
ton as 20 whether il is whether il is desi-
rable to have a school term Of greater
length than six months is not the ques-
ton before Us. II it were have no
doubt but that, simple as that question
would seem, We might not ali be able to
agree upon it. But as have said, this is
not the question, for the law already pro-
yides for maximum terms Of ten months.
There is not district in the State that
may not keep It schools open during ten
months Of the year If it desires so to do
and has the ability to meet the expense
that would be thereby incurred. If there
were in the State a single district that
desired 70 increase the length of its school
term and could not do so without legis-
lation, then such legislation as is propos-
ed by this bill would be important. But
this, sir, as l have already said, is not
the case, and the only question for Us TO
consider at this time is whether 1t is
proper to take a matter that is in the
hands Of the people out Of their hands
and thereby say that We are not willing
to trust 70 their judgment or their patri-
otism 10 lead them aright in the settle
ment Of Z question in which they are sast
as much and even more interested than
we ourselves can be. They have the same
interest in the prosperity Of the Com
monwealth that we possess, and in addi
ton to this, they have the love Of their
children, the strongest passion known TO
our race, to prompt them ! believe, sir,
that in a government like ours, "a gov
ernment Of the people by the people" the
more we leave in the hands Of the citi-
zens, the better the government viii be.
The only reason, sir, Why the govern
ment ofthis Commonwealth or Of this
nation is not pure democracy, that is, a
government whose laws are made by the
whole people, met together in one as
sembly. IS that our population is SO great
that the whole peple cannot assemble in
one place, and hence it is necessary that
representatives be cho-en 70 come tOgeth-
er to act upon such questions Of public
policy as equally interest the entire pop
ulation, and are Of such a general char
acser as to render il impossi Die for the
people in the several localities to act
upon them themselves. But the ques-
ton before US, Mr.. President, is not a
question of that character. The law as il
now Is, fixing AS believe, a just and rea-
sonable minimum as well as maximum
school term, recognizes the fact that
different circumstances and different con-
diticns exist in different parts Of the
State. lin any county or locality there
is district that desires TO keep Its pub
lie schools open seven or eight or even
ten months in the year, and is able 10 do
so without laying oppressive burdens
upon its citizens, there is nothing to pre-
vent It's being done, and who, ask, are
more competent to judge Of the proprie-
ty ofso doing than the citizens Of the dis
trict themselves. How often, sir, are we
within these halls by the fact
that legislation that Is important to Ger
tain localities will not apply to the entire
Commonwealth, and how troublesome
does this provision of the Constitution
that prohibits local legislation frequent
ly become. The bill under consideration
regard as one Of this character. That
it will be entirely satisfactory to portions,
of the COmmo nwealth / viii not deny
but I am equally sure there are other
portions TO which it will not only be bur
densome, but a positive injury. What,
then, is our duty with regard to this
matter? Is itright that the pc 1pls of
few counties that are blessed with a rich
soil, which in some instances is under
laid with still greater mineral. wealth,
shall say to the people Of other counties
who are less favOrably situated, -We
can easily keep our schools open during
seven months each year, and whether
you are able to dc so or not you must"
II seems to me, SIR, that it would be just
as reasonable for the man who, by the
blessing Of Providence has become rich,
to 90 TO his poor neighbor and say ~si-,
l want you 10 make for your family pre-
cisely the same provision that make for
mine" The fact that you do not pos
sess as much means as possess shall not
excuse" Il deem it important for the
general respectAbility and prosperity Of
the community in which We live that the
people shall ali adopt the same style Of
living. and therefore, whether you are
able or not. the appointments about your
dwelling and the clothing Of yourselfand
family shall be jast Asexpensive as mine
do not believe that, even my friend, the
gentleman from Lancaster, though a.
ways aff4ble and good natured woule be
willing to submit 70 any such meddle-
some interference as this.
But the friends Of this msssure cay
that the education Of our entire popuia-
ton IS matter in which every citizen Of
the Commonwealth Is interested, and
therefore We are justifable in demanding
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