The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-21
70 the Editor OF tho Intelligence.

To the Editor OF the IntelllGencer.
DEAR sIR:-one grand work
IN West Virginia among many
Others, bears the unmlstakable
imprint of the Republican party.
we refer TO our splendid school system
and educational institutions. which owe
their existence to the Republican party.
After inauguratlng and setting in moo
ton the machinery OF our magnificent
free school system snd several institu-
lions Of q higher order. the Republican
party passed from power and for
| quarter OF n century the Democratic
party has been In full control In JAM
uary, 1895, Republican legislature was
sent by the people to assemble at Char
lesion. The Republicans returned TO
power to md a greater and weather
state than they turned over. TO the Dsm-
ocrats. Population and wealth had
each Increased. about 100 per ceat--an
increase based not upon particularly
wise or judlclous legislation, but upon
the fact that nature had filled the hills
| and subterranean depths with vast
store-houses of wealth.
In her educational Institutions the
progress had not kept pace with the
| general increase In prosperity, There
remained the same state Institutions
and the same four months OF free school
for the country districts that had been
created by the Republicans back In the
days when the states resources were
undeveloped and her people poor. NO
new Institutions had been founded and
| the educational sentiment in the state
was rather at 4 low ebb.
The first work OF the Republican legis-
| IRture wes to increase the term for the
| public free schools, making the mini
| mum Ave months instead of four. The
needs OF the normal schools and the unl-
Versity were considered, and healthtul
| legislation has already manifested Itself
| in the largely increased attendance at
| these institutions and an outburst Of
educational enthusiasm that has per-
fneRted every county IN the state. With
| the return OF the Republican party to
l power, the people feel that our educa-
| tionai system will soon take Its proper
place in the march Of progress.
So It will II we place the work IN
the care Of able and broad-minded men
/ Our state superintendent should be
school man Of experience, man Of ex-
ceptionRl power intellectually and one
| familiar with every step In our educa-
tional system, from the little country
school to the highest institutions which
| include the graded and normal schools
and the university. Among these there
should exist a certain relationship and
unity that can best be appreciated BY
one who has been trained In them. He
uione can comprehend their needs and
possibilities.
Have we such man In west virginia
who could be induced to accept the nom
ination and undertake the work at the
small salary paid the state superintend-
| ent OF schools in West Virginia? I'm.
| ouestionably we have In the person OF
| Prof, ]. Russell Trotter, OF Buckhannon,
| a man whose qualifications peculiarly
| designate him as the logical candidate OF
| the Republican party for this most Inn
portant position. Mr.. Thotter is Re-
| aublIcan and an earnest, conscientious
believer in the principles and traditions
Of that great party. HIS boyhooa years
were spent among the hills OF Preston
/ county, where he overcame the dltheul-
/ lies that loom up before the country boy
| Of limited means and by working on the
/ farm and teaching he managed to save
Il money sufficient to take q courae az the
| West Virginia University. Six years
ago he was graduated from the instltu-
tion, having completed the full classical
course In an emlnently satisfactory
manner. He taught In the conLersnee,
| seminary at Buckhannon, WIS principal
Of Clarksburg city schools and an lnsti-
tute instructor during the three years
succeeding his graduation. In educa:
tional work he met with phenomenal
success and many prominent positions
were open to him when he decided TO
take a post graduate course at Harvard
college, where for three years he has
been studying with his accustomed
Yigor and earnestness.
Mr. Trotter has been teacher for M.
teen years, has made special study OF
the educational work OF the New Eng:
land and middle states and Il elected
state superintendent would undoubtedly
take to that Important ONCE q fund OF
\ intellect, Judgment and experience never
before coupled with the management OF
the educational work in the state. In
conclusion, whatever the coming Re-
publican convention may do, 1t must not
neglect this position. II must not be
bartered on to satisfy disappointed dis
tricts, but must be dealt with, looking TO
the beSt Interest of q great work--one
which the Republican party has always
champloned. and in West Virginia
whose God father It has ever been and is
today PROGRESS.
cIarksburg, W. Va, April 20.