The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21

rae EsuestiesaI ProvIsie.si-t the Proposed
Consultation.


To TIVE EDITOR or TIE sUE-str: The educa-
tional and charities articles Of the proposed
Constitution, TO be voted upon at the coming
election, are worthy of careful consideration be-
fore they are allowed to become part Of the
fundamental law. These questions were fully
considered before the Joint committees OF the
Convention, and the evidence produced estab-
lished conclusvely that the only abuse--if II
could be called an abuso-in the use OF public
funds was In connection with quasi charitable
correctional institutions.
II is true that there were claims that certain
common schools had managed to teach scctarian
doctrine ut public expense, but there was little
evidence in support OF the allegation, and the
evil was purely local and petty affair, not war
ranting any Interference In the fundamental law.
With this understanding OF the situation. and the
mem bers Of all the committees were substantial
ly agreed as to the findings, II Is interest
ing to read section Of article q in connection
with section IA OF article \. Section says that
Neither the State nor any subdivision thereof
shall use its property credit or any public
money. or authorize or permit either to be used,
directly or Indirectly, in aid or maintenance,
other than for examination or inspection, of any
school or institution of learning wholly or In
part under the control or objection Of any re-
ligious denomination, or in which any denoui-
national tenet or doctrine istaught." One would
suppose from reading that section that the Con-
stitution Of the state stood In the way OF any
national education, but let us look at section IA
of article B. without stopping to inquire into the
right OF the state to eXpend its moneys for the
examination and inspection" OF schools under
religious or private control. This article says:
Nothing In this Constitution contained shalt prevent
the Legislature from making such provision for tie
edGctt"n and pp3rt :" hs blind tie Gssf and
proper prevent any county. cty, town, o. village
from proyidnE for 5he care, ppp"rt and maiGt,
,synm, h9e m, tor SSsh men, cR H. or
control. fsyneut' by cwn'le', cities, towns, and
yllss.s to sl!sr',anlG rlse amynsty core lanaL
grlyNt eonin aTr care snpp4rt nnd nsln sp,nt1
Ie9eis urs 10 such payments snail be made fSf any
Inmate OF such institutions who Is not eyei aud
Site Board d ChsrIes such rules shall be subject
TO the control Of the Legislature by general laws,
No man familiar with the usagcs of this state
during the past forty wears will be able to read
over these provisions aud point outa single i'm
custom. and the only effect OF the two articles il
to take the state Board Of Regents, the state
Commission in Iunacy, the state board Of
Prisons out of the control of the Legislature and
the people, and compel the discharge, of duties
through agencies over which they have no i'm
mediate control.
taking tho State Board OF Regents ont OF the
control of tho Legislature. The Board has been
undergoing change during the past few years.
Among its leading spirits are Chauncey NJ. De-
pew. Charles +. Fitch, and Others, who are de-
voted TO university extension and the higher
education, and the spirit OF the Board was made
manifest in Its demand. not only that II should
be placed under the projection OF the Constitu-
ton, but that 1t should have the power, now ex-
Superintendent OF Public Instruction. This
means that the common school system. the
bulwark OF our institutions, Is to be made
secondary to that OF the higher education,
and although the C9nyention did not
that body a life lease of power. independent Of
the Legislature. and q good -naturcd or servile
Legislature. actuated by partisan motives,
may at any time surrender the choice of the
state Superintendent OF Public Instruction to
this life tenure body.
Every dollar OF money expended in behalf Of
the higher education is just so much taken out
OF the common school resources OF the State, or
an increase In taxation for the development OF
q fad. No one doubts the propriety OF higher
education, hut that IL a matter belonging to the
domain Of Individual enterprise, and not to the
State, and the people should look with disfsyor
arstocracy at the expense Of the state;
BEN y. DEAN.