The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-11-30
PURE

q DADSN4DAAS
educational institutions have been made
a. q consideration for party service
rather than competency.
A fair construction Of the boards of
management of not only the education.
al institutions, but of all of the public
institutions-the appointment Of nom
partisan boards-would relieve them
from the danger OF such suspicious.
This is possible under the appointing
system, and the law should compel the
appointing power to recognize this
principle. In the absence OF such n
law it IL possible tor Republican SEN
ate to refuse to confirm the governors
nomination ofsolidly Democratic boards
OF regents for our university and nor
NAL schools and thus relieve them from
the charge OF being political machines.
In the matter OF the local boards OF ed
ucation, SO long as the school elections
are not separated from the general cleo
tons, it will always be the case that one
party or the other will have either Il
majority OF, or all OF board. Under
such circumstances it is impossible to
eliminate politics entirely from the
management OF the public schools.
When man accepts nomination on n
party ticket, he is under obligations to
his party for his election, and is natur-
ally looked upon as his party's repre-
sentative in whatever place he is chosen
NJ unhnpl hand
however, he Is not expected, for the
sake Of party, to do violence 10 the
cause OF education by making purely
partisan selections when it comes to the
matter OF the choice OF teachers. 1t is
human for the member not to forget
that he himself was elected as a party
candidate and to, perhaps, give the pref
erence to the applicant VINO represents
his own political faith; but, if he is an
honest man, he will not do so unless all
other things are equal. His political
iayorite must have equal merit with
the applicant from the opposite party.
In the selection OF public school teach
ers, however, partisan politics has not
cut any figure in West Virginia. 1t Is
fortunate for the state that they have
not. Merit has very generally been the
sole qualification considered.
"a
But there is other patronage besides
the appointment of teachers, within the
control OF the local boards Of education,
such as, for instance, the selection OF
clerks. In the large. cities and coun-
ties these plums are something desira-
BILE, and are generally looked upon as
belonging to the majority party in the
boards. There is no harm in this, for
where boards OF education are chosen
at political elections and as candidates
of party, it is no more than just that
they should regard that fact suili-
GENTLY to desire to favor representa-
tiyes OF their own faith in the bestowal
OF patronage, outside OF the school
room, providing "all other things are
equal" For example, two men Of oppo-
size political faith are candidates for
clerk OF the board Of education in
community. Each is we'll qualified for
the place, both IN point OF ability and
moral character. Let us suppose that
Il majority OF the board are Demo-
Gratis. Does anybody doubt which OF
the two applicants will be selected? or
course not. II be does. he hasn't been
a closo student of the habits OF the
Democratic party. And suppose the
Democratic majority does select the
Democratic applicant, il he fills the JEFF
fersonian requirement-if lie is capable
and honest--what violence has been
done tho cause OF education? And
haven't the Democratic members OF tho
board kept in mind the TACT that they
themselves were elected as party candt-
dates, oil ticket along with Democratic
candidates for purely political offices,
aud, perhaps, nominated by the same
convention, or Mt the same primaries?
Now, suppose there are majority OF
Republicans on the board, could Demo.
Gratis expect them to do what they
themselves did not and would not do
under tho same circumstances? This
is practical politics as it will BIO so long
rs school elections are not separated
from general elections. / do not wish
TO be understood as advocating the APP
plication OF politics TO our educational
affairs as they affect tho public schoo!
room. 1 would as soon introduce secta-
riauism in the public schools us parti-
sanism. Either would be un-Ametican.
%,
Tho Democratic effort to set up an OPP
position to Hon. S. B. Elkins for United
States senator continues, but it has
abated somewhat. Tho editors and or.
gans have heard something drop in the
shape OF united expression Of scnti'
ment for MIR. Elkins from every section
in the state. these expressions do not
come from the Republican press
alone, but from every county comes the
word that Mr.. Elkins is the choice OF
the people. 1t was known this was the
case all along, aud the ridiculous effort
Of the Democratic press and politicians
to create dissatisfactions by nominating
various leading Republicans, among
whom are some OF Mr.. Elkins' staunch-
est supporters. for tho sonatorship, has
only served to emphasize the TACT. Dur
ing the campaign, when no other Re-
publican was mentioned Tor the senate
but Mr.. Elkins. aud when, by common
consent, no was tho leader in tho fight
for tho legislature, Democratic papers
were impressing on tho minds OF tho
voters th6t "a vote for Republican
candidate for tho legislature was vote
for Elkins." Now, with equal vigor,
they are attempting to make those same
"a.