People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-10-27
Menace Kansas Schools
FRANK NELSON UNFIT TO SERVE
AS SUPERINTENDENT.

from Lindsborg-McPherson Confined t.
Two Years as Teacher of ElOeutiOn il
Bethany College Has No Certificat
and Not Identified with the States Edu
eational Growth.
The time was when the Republican
party of Kansas selected from anon.
the ablest educators OF the state it,
candidate for Superintendent OF Pub
lie Instruction. In years past wher
the party has nominated pOlitica
tffmmers with unsavory records fol
ether offices, its convention dared
not outrage the people by selecting
Tor this high office other than a man
with state wide reputation as an
educator and teacher
This year, however, the private
interests OF few Republican bosses
were considered paramount to the
interests Of the public schools OfKan-
sas, and in the nomination of a can
didate for Superintendent of Public
instruction young Frank Nelson,
OF Mcpherson county, was picked up
because he might be Of service to Cy
Leland and a few OF his henchmen.
This young man, scarcely over thir-
" years OF age, a resident OF Kansas
six years, and unknown to the teach
ers OF the state, is put forth as the
guardian OF thepublic schoOlsystem.
The sum total OF Nelson's cOnnec-
ton with the schools OF Kansas is
that OF teacher OF elOcutiOn two
terms i'll Bethany College, and inSti-
tute work in Mcpherson county.
He has never taught a day in the
public schools, and more than that, in
AcPhersOncOunty where heis known,
he has rfever affiliated with the teach,
ers, and to this day has never been
granted even a third grade certiti-
cate. Frank Nelson is simply a local
politician in Mcpherson county, and
his nomination was made to carry
out a political deal, thus degrading
the cause of education by dragging
1tdOwn into the mire of political
a1icanery and corruption.
The inside history of Nelson's
nomination ought to be known
to the people of Kansas. The
great masses of the people who
are proud OF our splendid pub
lie school system have no interest in
the local wrangles and quarrels of
Mcpherson county Republican office
seekers. For years, Jim Simpson,
" Leland's chief satellite, and Far
per Smith have been fighting for DO
htical supremacy in Mcpherson coun-
y. Both are tarred with the same
stick so far as Odious records are
concerned. First Smith would run
aeounty convention, and then Simp-
son would get theupper hand of him
and run the next one. This year it
seemed to be Smiths time. Simpson
wanted to be railroad commissioner
again, in the event OF the election of
the Republican state ticket in Nov
ember, and, of course, he could not
expect to win out if he permitted his
Old time political enemy to select
the delegates from Mcpherson coun-
ty to the Republican state conven-
ton.
Simpson thought the matter over
and an idea came to him. "Iwillrun
Frank Nelson, of LindsbOrg, for
State Superintendent" he said. "By
doing this Can get help from the
north part of Mcpherson county to
beat Smith in the county conven.
ton, and local pride will help me to
get a delegation that can be put
where want it for other candidates
and enable me to get enough pledges
Fix myself for railroad commits
Sloner." Young Nelson, of course,
was willing to be used as Simpsons
tool, and when Leland and his ma
chine went to Hutchinson the deal
was consumated. PEARS and other
well known educators were candi-
dates for this office, but they were
ruled out and hOoted down. Their
friends were not even permitted by
d X. Burton, who was running the
convention under orders of Leland
aud Simpson, to place them in nom-
ihatiOn.
But the great cause of education.
the elevation of the public school
system to the highest standard. to
the end that Kansas may retain her
place in educational work among the
states OF the union, are themes and
thoughts which never entered the
brains OF such men as Cy Leland and
Jim Simpson. These machine man.
ipulators regard the sacred cause Of
education with the same concern as
they would the result OF a state or
county convention which they had
packed with their ward bummers
and party heelers. What do they
care about the public schools of Kan.
sas? Why should they elect a we'll
known educator for state superin
tendent when an ordinary local poli.
tician without standing among the
teachers of the state would better
serve their purpose?
The public school system of Kan.
sas is the pride of the people. 1t is
the most precious heritage that can
be vouchsafed to their children
They intend that the present high
standard shall not be endangered 6y
to the position of state sup
erintendent an incompetent who is
to carry out the ideas of a
corrupt machine now in control of
the Republican party. On the con-
trary, the people may be relied upon
to cast their votes for the man who
has done more to advance the cause
OF education, lift higher the standard
In the public schools of the state.
and save the people OF Kansas hun
dreds OF thousands OF dollars in the
price of school books. than any man