The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-29
SOLONS WILL WEEP
GOVERNOR RENFRow OF OKLAHOMA
PUTS HIS FOOT DOWN.

/ There Will be No Session of the Legislature
OF the Territory This Winter, He Tells
| be willing to Serve Without Pay, Rem
! frow is Not so Certain About the Other
| Members of the w-Making Body
Teachers Associations New Officers
OIslahoma News.
Guthrie, o. T., Dec. zs.-The following
| very pertinent and interesting letter
was sent from the governors office yes
| terday to Mr. c. T. Prouty, of Kingfish-
er, who wrote the executive long letter
a few days since asking that special
| session Of the legislature be called for
! the benefit of taxpayers. Prouty offer
| ed to work free of cost to the territory.
The letter follows:
Guthrie. Dec "a, 1895.
! Honorable c. T. ProUty, K!ngfsher, .. T..
Dear Sir: Your esteemed letter of the
! 7tn inst. asking that an extra session
| Of the territorial legislature be called
at an early date for the purpose Of post
poning the payment Of taxes for the
y
payers Of the excessive penalty imposed
| by the last legislature, has been received
| and carefully considered. You state:
AS this has been year OF depression
and failure of crops, TO a large extent
| at least that kind Of crops from which
| people could realize money, the question
| of taxes of 1894, in August last, makes
the taxes, and the fact of their becoming
delinquent, if not paid at this time, and
. - odd Qr
once, and an additional tax of one per
cent on the first day of each month
for the first two months; and an adj
ditional two per cent a month for the
second three months; and five per cent
per month hereafter until paid. 1t
seems 10 me these penalties are too
great a burden for our people to bear,
in their present depressed condition
while lament the partial failure or
crops and that the taxes of 1895, fall
due soon after the postponed taxes of
1894, and / am Of the opinion that the
penalties imposed upon delinquents are
unjust and excessive, yet after mature
elaboration 1 am forced to the conclu-
sion that no extraordinary occasion has
arisen within the meaning Of the Or
ganic Act which would justify an extra
session of the legislature. The condi-
ton of the territory has not changed
greatly since the law complained of
was passed, and one of the greatest
| hardships in connection with the pay
ment of taxes has grown out of the
postponment of last years taxes. So
far as the penalties for delinquent taxes
are concerned, the last legislature with
full knowledge Of all the facts saw
fit to affix these penalties, and it would
be presumption in ME ito assume that
Majority of that body has changed its
mind so soon. / need scarcely add since
the expense of the last legislature was
over $50, 900 that l fear the expense of
another session at this time would i'm
pose an additional tax much greater on
account than the benefit likely to be
derived from an extra session, a bur-
den that ought not to be placed upon
the people except for the gravest causes.
/ feel sure that the taxpayers of the
territory appreciate your generous offer
TO attend the proposed extra session
without expense to the territory but 1
find nothing in the records Of the audi
tors office that would justify the as
sumption that this spirit of generosity
is shared to any great extent by a
majority Of the members of the late
assembly.
IF in any case the taxes are oppres-
sive, the fault is with the officer making
such levy. In view of the increased
valuation of this year over last, the
per cent Oh TAX OuSnl 10 nave Detn It
duced in every instance.
Whatever might have been proper
prior to the actual collection of the tax,
now that the greater portion Of the
taxes have been paid, it would be ex-
ceedingly difficult to remove the pen
alties without injustice TO those who
by great effort and sacrifice have paid
their taxes promptly.
very truly,
WILLIAM C. RENFyRow,
Governor"
OF course this letter puts a stop to all
the talk about the legislatures extra
session-Renfrow has squelched ii.
TEACHERS SENSATION.
The convention Of the Oklahoma
Teachers association has closed. A pa
per read by Superintendent Umbholts of
Oklahoma county on Examination
Questions, Both City and County" pro-
duced a great sensation. This paper
championed a radical change in the
selection of teachers, with a view of a
change in the instruction of children,
asking that more attention be given to
developing the child's mind and soul
with other methods than routine ma
chine work. Its reading led 10 a long
discussion.
G.. E. Greenlee. Of Guthrie. opened
the discussion, telling of the old kind
puzzle the applicants, with no idea of
their practicability.
Prof Thatcher, OF Edmond. followed
advancing the idea that if a teacher
once passed an application and OBJ
tanned a first grade certificate that
should suffice as long as they contin-
ued in active service. The thing OF
continually examining teachers he be-
lieved wrong.
Superintendent McLain. OF Oklahoma
City. Thought that knowing was ante
cedent 10 doing; no man could teach
a thing he did not know. \ teacher
who thoroughly knew a thing could en-
Enthusiastically advocate it and in most
cases successfully teach il.
President Boyd made statement for
the territorial board telling OF the work
required TO get out the questions The
great thing TO be done was not 10 teach
certain subjects or branches but TO
develop the powers Of the scholar. Il
was utterly futile TO attempt 10 dis
cover a teachers real ability 10 develop
the scholar by any series Of exa-nina-
ton questions. 1t was conceded that Il
an applicant knew thoroughly certain
subjects he had a development OF mind
which would fl him 10 a certain extent
for teaching but only trial could tell
the real ability OF the teacher.
D. d. Dawson. % Guthrie. thought
Clat the NNOle SUBJECT OF examination
questions appeared 70 be TO catch the
teacher on some material point and
not bring out his real knowledge or
ability.
F. F. Miller. Of Saltwater. said there
were two ways 20 examine mantle
old way 10 find out what he knows and
what he does not know, or the new
and Better way OF finding out what a
man can teach
Professor RipA sail 10 ~
vanceG by Professor Umbholtz were ex-
GALLANT mn. -h.a -ha-,n -,-..-.Is