The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-25
A PRIVATE, NOT A PUBLIC AFFAIR.

A PRIV ATE, NOT A PUBLIC Affair.
The discussion by the teachers in our
public schools Of the proposition to
create teachers pension and retire
ment fund serves to emphasize again
the propriety of-relegating all such iaf-
fairs to private initiative and super
vision With that reliance upon legis-
lative assistance which is the crown
ing mistake and weakness Of our time,
these worthy public employees think
that they must have legislative sane
ton. and the eompulsion of the state
to help their project along They have,
indeed, made one step forward in
agreeing that the fund from which
pensions should be paid must be pro-
vided by levy upon their own salar-
les, and not from the public purse.
But they still assume that the arrange
ment must be compulsory, and that a
bill should be passed through the legis-
lature obliging teachers to contribute
to such fund, whether they wish to
share in its benefits or not. This is
an adoption of the socialistic principle,
which a body of persons so well edu-
Gated as our school teachers should
avoid and condemn. It is no wonder
that it's advent created a heated dis
cussion and developed an irreconcilable
difference of opinion. The association
of these employees for the purpose of
providing a guarantee fund against
the time when they shall be incapac-
itated for active service is well
enough, but It ought to be embodied
in voluntary engagement with one
another. e se
Perhaps the majority Of persons in
all employment prefer to take care of
their own futures and to bear all risks
1t is an American habit. We are self
reliant people; and the scheme of our
government encourages, or ought to
encourage, the individually to be the ar
bitter of hissown fortunes. and to stand
or fall by the result of his own sue
cesses or failures. To impose upon
tion to make a forced contribution
from their earnings to guarantee them
against adverse chances where they
wish no such guarantee is a thoroughly
unwarranted, arbitrary and despotic
interference by the state with indi-
vidual liberty. It is a crime against
citizenship, and ought not to be toll
Grated for one moment. Such legisla-
ton will do for Germany, or for any
other country where the common peo-
pie are taught that they owe to the
state the obedience of child to it's
father, and may expect in return a
parental care of their own interests;
but it is not fit for the American citi-
zen.
We understand perfectly that the
teaching profession is the worst re-
Enumerated, according to the prepare
ton required for it and the labor ex-
pended in it, in the world. Nowhere
else, unless, perhaps. in journalism, is
reward more absurdly out of proper
ton to effort. We understand that
there may be a great many teachers
who would prefer to contribute to an
insurance fund as sort of savings
bank, against which they might draw
when their term of active service
was over There is nothing to
prevent such from uniting to form an
association for the purpose without at
tempting to- force unwilling members
to come into it by holding over them
the rod of the states authority. Let
them have their pension ind retire
ment fund and administer 1t through
their own agencies to suit themselves.
The compulsory scheme, especially as
set forth in the bill now under consid-
eration.s one, section Of which takes
away from the superintendent Of
schools totally the power of removal
even for cause and vests the same ex-
clusivefy IN the beard Of education. is
utterly at variance with all right ideas
Of either sctlooI administrator or pc
litical economy. Neither directly nor