New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-24
TO ELECT THE REGENTS.
BROWNS AMENDMENT TO WHITE EDU-
CATIONAL BILL.
TO BE CHOSEN FROM EIGHT JUDICIAL DIS
TRICTs-DEMoCRATs MANY CONSIDER
1T A PARTY MEASURE.

TRICTs-DEMOCRATs MANY CONSIDER
1T PARTY MEASURE.
Albany. April @ (special).-senator Eon r.
Brown. OF Watertown. made the interesting
statement yesterday that Senator White had
accepted from him an amendment to the latter's
Educational bill, which would provide for the
election OF state Commissioner of Education
in 1905 by Regents elected in the eight judicial
districts of the state. The bill would provide
that the first Commissioner Of Education should
be nominated by the Governor and confirmed
by the Senate but the second holder OF the
Office (the term being six years. should be
elected by the judicial District Regents OF the
university
II have been opposed to the state Educational
bill up to this time" said Senator Brown but
the acceptance of my amendment OF course
has induced me to support the measure. The
amendment provides for the election OF re-
gent In each one Of the eight judicial districts
at the fall election With the Governor they are
to be known as elective regents to distinguish
them from the regents who have been elected
by the state Legislature. The first Commission
er OF Education, however, under my amendment
will be appointed by Governor Roosevelt. but
when his term expires his successor is to be APP
pointed by the Governor and the eight regents
elected from the judicial districts. My purpose
In having these regents elected from the judicial
districts is perpetually to insure that the edu-
cational system Of the State shall not ever be
controlled by the city OF New-York. New-York
now controls its own schools, and do not wish
1t ever. through gaining possession of the Leg
isature, to possess power to elect state super
intendent Of Public instruction. and thus grasp
control Of the school system Of the rest of the
State. BY providing that the elective regents
shall be elected from the judicial districts there
will be a certainty that the counties outside of
New-York Will always have the naming of the
state Commissioner Of Education"
NEW REGENTS TO HAVE FULL POWER.
Il also provide in my amendment that
the Judicial District Regents shall become
members Of the present Board of Regents
and act with them on all matters OF business
now transacted by them. But my amendment
also declares that more regents shall be
elected by the Legislature. AS they resign or
die therefore, their places will not be filed. The
regents Of the judicial districts in a few years
would form the majority of the Board Of Re-
gents and would then control its policy. Under
my amendment the Board of Regents thus
created will control both branches of the edu-
cational system of the State. the high schools
and the common schools"
THE judicial district elective regents are TO
hold office for fourteen years and be ineligible to
hold office after attaining the age of seventy
years The regents are going to have a meet
ing Monday Tuesday, / understand. 10
consider my amendments"
Senator White declared. when told what SEN
| ator Brown had said: Il have accepted his
| Amendment providing for the election of the
regents by judicial districts and the other parts
of his plan and shall move its adoption on Tues
| day next"
Senator Browns proposed amendment to the
Educational bill has not become generally
| known to the members of the Legislature. Some
| Of those who have heard of IT made the criti-
| csm that it is very late in the session Of the
! Legislature to propose such radical change in
| the educational system Of the State IL would
| be wiser. In their Judgment. to postpone until
| the Legislature of 1900 the consideration Of
| such a measure. They doubt If all the hearings
OF such provision for the control of the schools
could be noticed in the brief period between
Tuesday next and Friday, when the Legislature
adjourns.a
MAY BE HELD PARTY MEASURE.
Some Republicans express the fear that the
bill will be considered political one since under
the judicial district system of eecting the re-
gents II would almost inevitably happen that a
| majority Of the men thus elected would be Re-
publicans. In the election Of Supreme Court
| Judges in the judicial districts the Democrats
ordinarily control three and the Republicans Ave
districts. The bill, therefore, would substantially
| provide for the making of Republican as State
| Commissioner Of Education for six years and
then the election OF five Republicans in as many
| judicial districts, who for fourteen years
ceeding would control the school system Of the
| State and who would elect at least two State
| School Commissioners. Thus for twenty years
| the bill would put the control Of the schools in
| the hands of one political party Republicans
say they fear the only result OF the establish
ment of such system would be constant at
| tempts by the Democratic party TO break II
down; that as soon. therefore a Democratic
| Legislature and Governor should be elected. a
bill would be passed to take the control of the
| schools out Of the hands of the Republican re-
gents and thus the schools OF the State would
be made the prey of politicians.
The regents Of the university will consider all
the arguments for or against the bill with great
care at their meeting on Monday. 1t is, Of
course possible that merits of the bill not now
perceived may be then pointed out to them.
Their own Office Is merely an honorary and un
paid one, and therefore they can act on the bill
as they think in a dsinterested manner. If the
measure will improve the educational system OF
the state. they will undoubtedly approve of II.
II will be remembered by many that Senator
Browns plan Of elective regents, elected from
the judicial districts, to control the educational
svsten of the state is substantially the same as
The one which he presented and urged upon the
constitutional Convention of 1894. he being a
member OF that body and also member OF Its
| Committee on Education. and which was re-
| iected by the committee and by the convention.