New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-05
MIR. KNOX DOUBTFUL.
WOULD HIS DESIRED "vINDICATION" BE
POLITIC?
THE TAMMANY RING IN THE BOARD OF EDUcA-
TIoN NOW BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT
HIS REELECTION AS PRESIDENT
MIGHT REACT on THEMSELVES.


TIoN NOW BEGINNING TO REALIZE THAT
HIS REELECTION AS PRESIDENT
MIGHT REACT on THEMSELVES.
curious state OF affairs has about in the
Board Of Education in relation the choice Of
president next Wednesday, The selection OF
president every year is one Of the most important
actions OF this body, for it depends the arrange
ment Of all the standing committees Tor the year,
and the bulk OF the work done by the board Is
performed by these standing committees. Cntll the
last two years the makeup of these standing COM
mtecs has not assumed a political significance.
and the members of the board assigned to the
committees generally with view OF their fitness
for the work they had to do. In January. 1s@. and
In 1894 the Tammany members OF the board set
about capturing the public schools OF the city, so
that they could be used for political purposes. and
how completely they have accomplished their pur-
pose Will b. seen In the makeup Of the standing
committees for those years, all OF which have more
than a safe majority in the interests OF Tammany
Hall. So high handed some Of the Jobs
undertaken by the Tammany ring that some OF the
Tammany men in the board and some OF the com
nissioners who at first supported them reoe'ied ana
frequently voted against the ring on critical Pues-
lions commissioner Wchrum was one or these
and he was punished for presuming to act indie
pendently by not being reapponted as commissioner
when his term expired on January /. Comms-
sioners Charles Strauss and Edward T. steers aiso
arc members OF tho board who have refused TO be
governed by the dictates Of the Tammany ring
The recent political revolution has placed the
Board OF Education in peculiar position The
Tammanv ring is still In power. but is no" be-
ginning to hesitate to its power. and Is posing
as the reform party. In January 1894. Charles H.
Knox a member OF the Tammany Hall Law Com
m!ttee elected president OF the Board OF Edu-
cation a close vote. He promptly "hxco me
standing committees the entire satisfaction of the
Wigwam. and Tammany INSTRUMENTATION OF the
public schools Was never so pronounced as IL was
in the year lust ended. II became so bad that one
Of the commissioners admitted that 1t was no
earthly use for him to recommend any one TOT APP
poinment promotion in the public schools unless
he had first Police Commissioner John I.
Sheehan and had got his consent
such being the scandaous condition TO which the
public schools OF this city have been brought I'M
der the administration OF President Knox. it is not
STANCE that he Is seeking "viniication' In the
form OF e reelection as president 80 ANXIOUS was
b., for this coat Of whitewash that he began the
work ~ pcdG ng votes In his behalf last June MS
enorts heing chiefly confined 20 the new members
Of the board who had not been in long enough to
Know how matters stood. Mr.. Knox has continued
an active canvass IN his own behalf down to the
present time Ia this WORK lie has rosorted TO some
methods which have been discountenanced by sev-
'r,l - his fellow members. His endeavor 10 co,
cree Commissioner Rogers when m" question OF
Ga. laiters reappOinfrlenf commissioner was
being cons ierci 10y Mayor Gllroy has been iully re-
Hl, aavi 4 gone all through The labor in his
oRu behalf and in tho interests Of Iammany ran,
f,r his reelection. Nj. Knox Is confronted by the
question u b. would bc polite. aiior All. FOR MIN to
Doe reelected president Ihe s.'u,tilh mas psrn
summed up ny man well informed tn tne politics
% the boari As follows Looking al me, tne matter
purely IN the Interests OF Iamindny nan am
compelled 20 admit mat 10 would be- a serious error
- r"-eiect Mr Knox president 81 me hoari- JI st
sr~ what Migrant and scn-"less defiance OF pupic
opinion. - OVERWHELMINGLY expresses AZ IN" bpl.s
last november. tni. at "ouIl be l4ihina"S o''oe
icrlug their res'enat0ns to Mayor strong. Yet the
T"mmanY ring IL the b'ari 81 lhnc"tlon so lar
ter. is even arranging to elect Tammany man as
president OF one " me o n n3 ,e most active and
prominent members ~ Tammeny Han Ills re."ls,-
'u~ would b" 90" strongest kind u An Invitation
io Mayor strong not only to remove Ny Knox from
are IDENTIFIED win ,A~ Tammany ring I'D the board
The .viudicailpn' ~ Nj Knox by reelection az
tne public 20 in'"-'g'ic ~" pubic schools IN d
most thorough manner AMI see for th"mselyes II the
not II Nj Knox t. q be set mp 10y IN" lammahy
ring their deal ~ q president OF ne board X
will To-. 4, most unfortunate choice and VIII stu
further invite An immediate Investigation That
sir Knox has been graduated from a college ana -
practising lawyer il true. but his recent speech be-
Tore the pupils Z tho Normal College which he
caused 70 he printed was ungrammatcal and his
use OF illustrations simply ridiculous certainly
." m!'l NUM-. ''tiS pT''S tii"r,,i,n T., mako do
Education should ne finished scholar Tor We nave
men there who although deficient IN education. ar"
most valuable JOB their practical knowledge IN busl-
ness But fh" representative of the Board OF Eiu-
cation. lis president. 40 least should be a man VINO
can make an annual address without numbering the
English language. bringing IN absurd illustrations
and making himself ridiculous
This phase 81 the situation has been brought ~
fine untle ~ Mr. Knox himself and IL is said on good
.isahify ~ reIlnqushine his candidacy. I'm such A
case 70 IS probable that unanimous nomination VIII
b. t..,t lcrei To- Commissioner HubbclL hunt or
Macliy Mr. iluhbe. T. the present candidate OF
the opposition and has the support u eight or nine
members -.
Mr. Hunt is the only Republican member ~ the
board He has been elected president OF ~" board
three lines bat f f. understood That he u dlsln-
,iu,l a. serve AS president again on account or his
Law practice Mi Maclay was the anti-Iainmany
,tuil,i, la 1879 and again In 1884, He has declined
tn become 4 candidate again. however. unless the
choice ls luminous The developments 81 me next
fev DAVIS viii be- noted with great deal OF interest
h., the politicians In the board ana II - hghly pos
.ihle tnat the election next "Wednesday VIII snow
AN almost unanimous vote for Mr. iuDbell or Mr..