New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-22
offices and patronage as the price OF electoral
votes which they assume IN control.
GILMAN OR JASPER!

Those ,nembers of the Board Of Education VINO
have been resolved from the first that MI Jasper
sbould no elected City Superintendent or Schoois
for SIX years under the new law have insisted
that his ooponcnts should not try TO postpone the
choice hut should name their candidate anu
bring the matter TO an issue They have ass'ilheu
This attitude with the expectation that II wouiu
embarrass their colleagues who are ANXIOUS 10
mt man of different type and higher Jlua'l!
in Mr. Jaspers place. They supposed they wou'u
be able TO saw in case the opposition faileh W
nronose 4 candidate that ideals and distractions
were all very well. but what was wanted WIS II
Superintendent; whereas II a candidate was pre-
sented they expected to maintain with an APP
pearance of candor and some show of reason that
there was no proof of his superiority to the pres
ent incumbent.
This programme was rudcy interrupted on
Wednesday when 1t became known that fresi-
dent Gilman had consented to have his name
proposed. and would probably accept an election
Some members of the Board may have never
heard before OF Johns Hopkins University or OF
DIR. Gilman but if 50. they speedily became
aware through public and private comment upon
the news of his candidacy that they could not
safely dispute his rank as an educator. Ih'y
went into the meeting, therefore. realizing thlt
their original calculations lad been upset. we
do not DENY that they rather adroitly succeeded
in creating n diversion, and causing some fresh
anxiety But at least they did not re-clect Mr..
JASPER. as they had confidently expected to do
until the last day. and they finally agreed. not
without sense of relief. to postpone action for
week
From now until choice Is made public opin-
ion ought TO find constant expression. Before
DR.. Gilman's willingness to become the head OF
the New-York public schools was so much as
dreamed Of and while 1t was doubtful II any
man Of prc-emincnt fitness and great reputation
could be secured, ii was possible 10 say in ex-
planation Of the course adopted by the support
ers of Mr. Jasper that they did not believe
better man for the place, all things considered,
could be found Or at least when that explana-
ton was offered it could not be summarily re-
icctcd without dra wing an issue Of veraclty. But
fl is difficult to see how anybody could be bod
enough to make such a plea to-day. There Is
not a man in the country whose prceminence In
his chosen field OF activity has been more con
clusiyely demonstrated than DR.. Gimans pre-
emincnce in the field where NewfOrk now ap-
rarently has the opportunity to employ him.
The person who should suggest doubt OF his
supcrlat!ve qualifications for the office of School
Superintendent would simply make himself Ut
terly ridiculous II upon an understanding that
DR. Gilman would accept an election Mr.. Jasper
should be reelected. the action OF the Board OF
Education would mean, and would be unver-
sally perceived To mean. that a majority or the
Board had deliberately resolved 10 sacrifice the
schools of New York for the qualification OF per-
sonal interests and ambitions. We do not be-
llcvc that such betrayal OF trust Is possible.