Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-20
Instruction In the Constitution.
washington Post.)

AWdShlnktOn GoStb
The Legislature OF North Carolina re-
Gently passed an act requiring teachers
or public schools 20 read aloud TO their
pupils az least twice during each term
the Constitution OF the United States and
the Constitution Of their own STATE The
object OF this act Is cOmmendable, for
II Is undenlaby important that all citl-
zefB should have some knowksdge-ar
least general idea--Of the structure OF
national and state governments. ~ our
system OF forty-five republics, each SUI
preme In al powers not delegated 10 tho
central authority. united IN one republic.
whose power Is supreme In all matters
surrendered or delegated TO II by 80 ge)-
pie, II very complex plan. II Is not
practicable TO go into all the details In
the course OF cOmmOn-school instruction.
one would naturally suppose that IN a
country whose government rests on he
ballot, and where the highest positions are
open TO the children OF the hurlblest
household, the Constitution would be al
most universally read, marked. and in
wardly digested. As a matter Of fact.
however the average citizens acqualnt-
ance with the fundamental law OF the
republic Is extremely slight. and there
are millions OF voters who have never
read or cared to read line OF A. TN
less the teachers I'm North Carolina who
are now charged with the duty OF read
ing the Federal and State constitutions
TO the children under their charge, arc
exceptionally well informed In this re-
sDect, many OF them are about TO explore
an unknown field.
Ignorance OF the Constitution Is by no
means confined TO the illiteTatc OF native
and foreign birth or even 20 those who
have had few facilities for the acquisition
Of knowledge. There are large nunbers
Of well-informed business men and not n
Few who have an extensive acquaintance
with literature-and even some graduates
or colleges-who have only the crudest
conception OF the compact between the
IA not A. IItra To-.
OF the general lack of information on this
great subject. the Post has Just received
a communication, the writer 81 which. y
man or more than average intelligence,
question that. N the public schools did
their duty, any pupil OF a grammar school
should be able 10 answer. Our corresponds
ent writes: viii you kindly state
whether senator Is elected for less than
six years after TIE State has been adj
mitted into the UnionY Assuming that
this inquirer is by no means solitary and
alone in his lack OF knowledge on the
subject OF his inquiry. We VIII cite n
clause from the first article OF the Con-
stitution. section g. which provides that
IF vacancies happen by resignation. or
otherwise. during the recess Of the i.egis-
lature OF any State. the Executive thereof
may make temporary appointments until
the -iext meeting Of the Legislature. which
shall then hll such vacancies" The
terms OF appointed senator's have varied
In length from single day 10 more than
year. The Hon. Mark Hanna II now
filing by appointment vacancy created
by the resignation OF Senator sherman.
The next Ohio Legislature will elect for
the balance OF the unexpired term for
which Mr.. Sherman was elected In ies2
and on which he entered In 1898. The
same Legislature will elect a senator TOR
the term beginning at the expiration OF
that term. March 3. 1899 and the same
. man may be elected for both the unex-
plred balance and the succeeding six
VQaFa