The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-03-19

Ii the schools are all to be visited, of
what use is the proviso that directors
must invite the visitation? If they are
not, Mr.. McBride's plan Is opposed to
the supervision of schools.
have covered, think, every argu-
ment and every statement made by Mr..
Mcbride that has the least application
to the present campaign, yet have not
covered half of his circular. The rest
is made up of abuse of me. | have
shown that he has utterly neglected to
answer my arguments. He tries to
it up by the multitude of charges
he makes against me. If every one of
these were true, he nevertheless ought
not to be elected commissioner. 1t is
not l that is running, but Mr.. Mcbride
The question is not, Did Sheldon devote
his time to the work, but does Mcbride
intend to devote HIS time? The people
do not care to discuss me. and decline
to fill columns with this subject. In
| fact, the matter that Mr.. Mcbride is
now publishing is merely rehash, to
| lead voters from the issue, of statements
published Immediately after MIR. Nc
Bride was defeated by Mr.. Dimond for
commissioner when | resigned in 1894
Personal abuse as reply to argu-
ments does not appeal to me as very
dangerous. Whatever my work as
commissioner was, believe that at my
resignation the schools were in fairly
satisfactory condition; that they had
never been filled with more capable,
| better educated or more jealous body
of teachers. Besides, there was an end
of the wretched school district quarrels
which were so prominent a feature of
the Mcbride administration. How
much had to do with this does not en-
ter this discussion. My acquaintance
know my weak points and, if | have
| any, my virtues also. In this am con-
tent to rest. will merely add that Mr..
Mcbride has himself experienced won
dcrful change of heart since the last few
days Then he was so solicitous of my
opinion that he begged me to discuss
his plan of campaign. l do not agree
with him and am consequently dishon-
est and incapable. Then his testimony
was "The next incumbent practically
wore himself out in the rounds of visi-
tation and faithful labor" With this |
will finally leave my work as commits
sioner. But there are other charges
against me. Every act or supposed act
of my public life is ascribed to unworthy
a. Mr.. Mcbride charges that / voted
for H B. Dewey in 1890 True, so did
two other gentlemen of the highest
character, who have since been elected
to two of the most important offices in
the gift of the county. And two years
before when Mr.. McBride's experience
had been practically nothing, and for
years had been absolutely nothing, other
men had elected Mr.. Mcbride. What
would Mr.. Mcbride have? OF the can
didates before the board in 1890, Mr.
Mcbride, in the gentleness of his dispo-
sition, was bitterly opposed to everyone
except a gentleman now outside the
county who was opposed by the g. A.
r. and who seemed out of the question.
This gentleman was Mr. McBride's can
didate. And, judging from results, Mr..
Dewey seems better material than Mr..
Mcbride. Mr.. Dewey, without having
inherited q fortune either in person or
by proxy, has continued in school work
and made a successful school superin
tendent, while Mr.. McBride-but for
bear.
b. Mr.. Mcbride charges that | favored
Mr.. Dimond. We must remember that
Mr. Dimond defeated Mr. Mcbride for
this office, hence Mr.. McBride's opinion
of Mr. Dimond. The charge is true. So
did majority of the board of supervis-
ors, majority of the chairmen of town
ship inspectors a majority of the elect
ed representatives of one of the cOunty's
great parties and majority of the peo
pie of the county.
c. Mr.. Mcbride suggests that am
quarrelsome; that Is, mhen other peo-
pie differ from Mr.. Mcbride, he is re-
former. When differ from other peo
pie, am quarrelsome. So be it. |
shall not quarrel with Mr.. Mcbride on
this point at any rate. If Mr.. Mcbride
believes me quarrelsome he ought not
to have written his letter to me. The
question is whether Mr.. Mcbride shall
receive as much of the salary as he
chooses for doing nothing. There may
be reason for reducing the salary, but
the county does not expect to pay the
salary to a man who does not intend to
do the work. That is the question the
voters must decide. Mr.. Mcbride has
filed two long letters concerning the
Office addressed to the general public
without telling us that he will perform
its duties. Not a word or syllable is
there to that effect. The county may
not want to pay the present salary. 1t
certainly does not want to make anyone
present of the salary.
do not know whether the salary is
too high at present or not. / consider
the office one of the most difficult to
fill in the county. 1t is also the most
expensive to the officer costing for
travelling, large sum each year. No
candidate who has held the office and
afterwards made any success whatever
in life, has desired to return to it. Two
have resigned to accept a much smaller
salary than this pays.
1t is curious fact that, with all Mr..
McBrides desire to decrease taxes, the
plan that he now says he would favor,
would not decrease taxes one cent, but
would merely divert money from pub
lie to private purposes. 1t may not be
pleasant to pay taxes; it certainly will
not be pleasant to pay taxes in order
that one boy out of every township may
have his expenses paid away to school
by his neighbors. And the idea that
boy ~ or IA years old can attend school
six weeks and, returning, teach the farm
arO of lie touyp Ell m bpU IN raiQp SlICnr