The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-25


nut street hand was laid upon his
shoulder and familiar voice said to
him, General. how would you like to
succeed Tom Stewart as secretary of
internal affairs?"
II am sure | would have no objec-
tions," was the quick response.
"Then put yourself in readiness to
announce your candidacy; meanwhile
rest assured you will be nominated If
it is within my power"
That hand and voice was David Mar
tins. The next day he went to Wash
ington and held conference with Sen
atOr Quay and secured his promise to
support General Latta. Within Il fort
night Il conference was held at Phila-
delphia between Martin, Latta and
three or four embryo candidates for
secretary of internal affairs, at which
it was decided that the general should
be Il candidate and all present pledged
him their support.
The other aspirants quietly threw
aside their ambitions and the next
morning the Republican newspapers of
Philadelphia announced in their editor
ial columns the candidacy of General
Latta. He started in the campaign
without opposition for the nomination,
and except the candidacy of Charles II.
voorhees, and Lucius Rogers, of Smith
port, which We're never taken serious
ly, he had a clear field and was NOM
mated by acclamation. The most
formidable aspirant who stood aside
in favor of the general has since re-
ceived his reward according to an
agreement made at the gathering.
This is how General Latta came to be
nominated and the story has never be-
fore appeared in print. AS to his sue
cessor as clerk of the quarter sessions
court of Philadelphia the lucky indi-
vidual will be Magistrate Ahern. He
has been endorsed by Senator Porter,
David Martin, City Chairman Glenn
ents and all the leading politicians, and
unless there is a new deal he will be
appointed by the governor early in
April.
Work Ahead in the Legislature.
There are many important bills on
the senate and house calendar relating
to the educational interests of the COM
monwealth which will be considered
when the legislature re-convenes to-
morrow. Some of these are well adj
vanced and will reach the governor
within a month. Other bills of like
character are under consideration by
committee and will be disposed of final
ly during the coming week. In the sem
ate a bill has passed finally requiring
school directors and controllers to pur-
chase out of the school funds American
flags to be displayed on the school
houses in their respective districts. The
bill increasing the minimum school
term to seven months was killed by the
senate.
The arrcompulsory education bills on
the house calendar for second reading
and will be considered next Tuesday if
called up. There are also on the calen-
dar bills providing for township high
schools and appropriating 100000 for
their support; designating the first day
of May as Sanitary Day" for the pur-
pose of holding exercises relating to
sanitary science; authorizing school di-
rectors or controllers to appropriate
annually from the school taxes not
exceeding , per cent. to establish and
maintain public school libraries; pro-
viding for a census to ascertain how
many children of a school age do not
attend school; prohibiting trustees Of
state normal schools from making or
being Interested in contracts with such
schools; extending the provisions Of
the act authorizing central boards Of
education in cities of the second class
g.. INF Ia,
instruction i'm the mechanics arts and
kindred subjects to cities of the third
class; authorizing school directors Cr
controllers to maintain out of the pub
lie school treasury free kindergartens
for children under years; authorizing
boards of townships or districts to pro-
vide for a supply of water therein for
fire and sanitary purposes and to locate
fire plugs near the school buildings;
Increasing the number of boards Of eX-
aminers of the state normal schools
from FIVE to seven and permitting the
superintendent Of public instruction to
appoint the examiners at his discre-
tion: authorizing the trustees of nor
NAL schools to arrange with the school
directors of any adjoining school dis
trict by which the pupils Of such dis
trict may be instructed in the model
school of any such district; authorizing
boards of controllers or directors to
direct instruction to he given by means
of pictorlally illustrated works in any
of the several branches now taught
providing that the compensation of di-
rectors attending triennial election of
county superintendents shall not eX-
ceed SO n day.
The Douthett bill providing for the
purchase of school books at publishers
prices Is on the house calendar for first
reading on Monday evening. The head
officials of the department of public
instruction are earnestly opposed to
the bill and declare that If 1t becomes a
law II will increase instead of dimin-
ish the price of books. They contend
this Is true in Ohio. where such law
Is in operation and that books were
never cheaper in Pennsylvania than
under the present system. The bill is
aimed at the school book trust. Six
bills providing various methods for dis
trbuting the school funds are slumber-
ing in the house committee on educa-
ton.