Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-04-17
superintendent of Public schools.

III the ldHO lbbue Oh illc uN 1%isA
in answer to Taxpayer" on the pro-
priety OF holding primary election
to decide the contest for the position
of superintendent of public schools
for this county. In this letter DIR.
Mapp makes desperate, but unsuc-
cessful effort to show that an attempt
was made In the democratic mass
meeting to take snap Judgment on
The people Of the county by forcing
u measure upon them in the shape
OF resolutions for primary election.
To dlsprove this assertion it is only
necessary to submit the following
facts: Taxpayers article was sent
to the ENTERPRISE on March l7th'
nearly two weeks prior to the mass
meeting, but it unfortunately shared
the fate OF Dr. Mapp's long letter to
that issue of the paper in being
crowded out by more important
matter.
In the next place, without any at
tempt on the part of Mr.. Joynes or
his friends, the largest crowd for
many years was present at the mass
meeting and it is hard to see how
the people there assembled could
take snap Judgment on themselves.
Such an assumption under the CIR
cunstances is an absurdity; so far
from making any such attempt, Mr.
Joynes did not even know that any
resolutions on the subject were going
10 be offered in the meeting. The
resolution was offered by Mr.. Mock
without consultation with Mr.. Joynes
or his frieads, and was intended
merely to get the sense of the large
number OF representative democrats
present froIn all parts of the county.
IN Il spirit OF fairness to DIR. Mapp
AID his frie4ds, the matter was post
ooned until April court, when be-
:ieve the people will demand that
they have q voice in the selection OF
man to fill this important Office.
SO much for this.
The burden of DIR. Mapp's effort is
to show thas this is an office with
which the masses of the people have
nothing to 90, and that the agency
Of primary election would violate
fundamental law, custom and the
preroeative OF the State Board OF
Education. He asks why this novel
method of procedure has been pro-
posed and why it has not been re-
sorted TO Oh former occasions. l re-
ply, primary election is not novel
method Of deciding contests of this
Kind, as it has been resorted to in
other counties of Virginia. The OBJ
ject is to get the sense OF the demo-
cratic voters of this county on a
matter of vital Importance to the
taxpayers, who support the public
schools. The fact that this method
has not heretofore been resorted to
in this county is no argument why
we should not adopt it in the present
case. 1t is generally agreed that it is
the best method of getting the sense
CT the people on any public question.
1t is surely the best essense of democ-
racy, and DR.. Mapp claims that he is
Simon pure democrat; that is, he
believes in the rule of the people.
The Federal Constitution invests the
President with the power ofappoint-
ing all officers, but it has never been
considered q violation of that i'm
mortal document or an infringement
OF the Presidents prerogative to have
contests for misunderstanding, and
other Federal offices decided by q
primary election. In fact, heads Of
departments have been frequently
known to order such primary cleo
tions. All that is sought by the
advocate of primary election is te
get the sense of those who are most
interested in this matter, and surely
no good democrat ought to object tt
any such fair and open handed pro-
cedure No attempt has been made
by Mr.. Joynes or his friends to drag
this matter into the arena of politics
That has been dine by DIR. Mapp
who refers to his long record of thirty
years in the service of the democratic
party; but he fails to tell the people
that twelve of these thirty year!
have been spent by him in holding
lucrative Office, which is surely al
adequate compensation for all hi
services and sacrifices for the good o
the party. Mr. Joynes may not bt
able to bosSs of so long a record, bu
his voice has been heard in all part
Of this couzty for the triumph o
democratic principles, and his pre-
cinct at the last election gave {
democratic majority of 1856, while DR.
Mapp's precinct, usually democratic
gave republican majority.
If DR.. Mapp has such a long RECORD
of efficient service in the cause o
! democracy, Why does he virtually de
cline to submit his claims for thu
position to the decision of the people
/ and on what or whom does he rely il
/ his contest for this Office if not upor
The will OF majority of the demo
cratic voters of this county? Does hi
expect our honored State Senator tt
give him this position again over the
head and protests of a majority of the