Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-18
RAAe ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
He Believes They Are safe in the Hands
Of the People.

He Believes They Are Safe in the Hands
Of tho People.
The democrats are fortunate in hav-
ing as candidate for superintendent Of
public instruction one who is able to
make an aggressive campaign, and dis
cuss from the stump the great issues Of
the day. Superintendent Raab in his
campaign throughout the state has not
pursued the evasive plan Of Mr.. Inglis,
the republican candidate, in relation
to the school law, but has frankly and
boldly defined his position on all the
the questions which properly como
within the administration of his Office.
In his recent speech at Du Quion he
spoke as follows:
You do not call on q cobbler to
paint q picture, nor on a carpenter to
amputate limb; hence you would not
expect o school man to enlighten you
on the tariff or on the money system OF
the United States. On the latter, per-
haps, you might call on a schoolmaster,
for the teachers, as a rule, are capital
lists and, therefore, would be best able
to speak on the question Of free COIN
"A few days ago, at Decatur, an or
ganization was perfected for the for
nation of Young Mems Democratic
Clubs When I first read this l said to
myself, if only young men are to be
permitted to join such clubs a good
many of us will be excluded from them.
But when saw the democrats assem-
bled at Decatur, men just arrived at
the age of twenty-one, and men who
had voted the democratic ticket for the
last forty years, said to myself: There
ere no old men In the democratic party;
democrats may be old in years, but
they are all young in spirit and energy:
young by virtue of those old and ever
new principles of true democracy,
which are as old as the hills and as
bright and new as new silver dollar
Applause.
'All democrats are permitted to think
Tor themselves and to grow happy ac-
cording to their own fashion, yea,
democrats may not only think for
themselves, they also speak their minds
freely on ali subjects of public interest.
And here is one of the vital differences
cratic parties When in the republican
party, the bosses have spoken, all is
hushed, neither press nor speakers
dare to gainsay the dictates of the
managers. And, when in Legislative
bodies, the question is put to a vote,
every republican votes for the party
measure. This was best cxemplified in
the fight over the reform of the tariff
In the senate. Every democrat,
from the president down to the
humblest voter, spoke his mind
freely, little thinking that this
was water on the mill of the enemy.
The republicans thought now the dem
oc-ats are a-fghting among themselves
and we may gain an easy victory over
them. But, 10 and behold, the senate
bill for the reduction of the tariff con-
tains SO fundamentally nine-tcnths OF
the reductions contained in the Wilson
bill-that the people should be satisfied
with what has been gained and, l be-
lieve, the people acknowledge that the
democrats have redeemed their pledge
given before the election. Yes, when
democrats have wrangled over meas
ure and spoken their minds freely, they
close their ranks and firmly united they
march on to victory. [Applause.l
"But suppose You want to hear from
me word on the conduct of the pub
lie schools. Since protection has
worked SO well for the favored indus.
tries, people have arisen who want pro
lection for the schools. They are afraid
that the schools are not safe in the hands
Of the people; they want them protected
their way. Some of these protection.
lists of the public schools have a scheme
by means of which they want to make
money out of the people; others want
to put in some branches which will
make the school and teachers
subservient to their ends and
party schemes; third class wish
to introduce some new fad or sensa-
ton. As if the school had not enough
to do if it educates the children to lead
honest, patriotic and useful lives!
When the school does that and teaches
the young true principles of economy,
thrift and q sense Of duty, it surely
does its duty toward the common.
wealth. [Applause.]
II know that nothing is dcarer to the
people of the state than their free,
comm on public schools: these schools
are safe under the protection of all the
people and, beseech you, my friends,
that you see to it that all sensational.
ism, all sinister schemes of would-be
rcformers be kept out of them-ther
these schools will assist in raising q
| generation Of men and women who
will be the pride Of any common
wealth" [Great applause.]
The Longest Word.
The longest word in the English language i.
lot "emiles," although there Ii a mile between it