Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-04-05
County Superintendent.

County Superintendent.
On the first Tuesday of May, i,
being the 2nd day of the month
the school directors of the count,
of Juniata shall meet in convention
at the seat of Justice of the county
of Juniata and select uipa roce, b,
a majority of the whole number O1
directors present, one person Ol
literary and scientific requirement:
and of skill and experience in the
art of teaching, as County Superin.
tendent for three succeeding school
years.
In less than a month this elec-
tiOn will take place and the county
has already been canvassed by Il
number of candidates who are
willing to devote their time and
attention to better the interests OF
the common schools of Juniata dur
ing the next three years.
There are now prominently men
toned four candidates as follows
Messrs. GOrtner, Esh, SulOun and
klinger, and these gentlemen have
thoroughly canvassed the county
and have placed before the direct
Ors their claims and it remains to
be seen who will carry off the plum.
The election of superintendent
should not be political contest,
but it has often been so in Juniata
and in every other county in the
State of Pennsylvania. 1t is al
most impossible to have such an
election free from politics.
The question now is, will the
coming contest be on lines free
from politics I?
Messrs. GOrtner and Klinger are
Democrats and Messrs.- Esh and
SulOuff are Republicans.
1T is the opinion of many men
that Professor GOrtner will go into
the Convention with the greatest
number of votes, with Prof. Memo
Esh close second. The balance
of the votes pretty evenly divided
between Professors SulOuf' and
Klinger.
A majority of the directors are
Democratic in politics. but the ma
iOrity is small, being only eight.
Professor GOrtncr is backed pO-
litically by the Crawford wing of
the Democratic party but he will
have, at least on the first ballot,
the votes of some Republican and
Democratic directors
who feel kindly to him for person
al reasons, and if it was not for the
bitter feeling existing between the
Democratic factions the Professor
would win out ut least Oh the
second ballot.
Sometimes Il mans friends re-
suit in his undOing, and as things
now stand the opposition to the
Crawford element in the Demo-
cratic party will he found voting
for Professors Klinger and Esh.
Professor Klinger halls from Sus-
quehanna township and is support
ell principally by Democratic di-
rectOrs of Independent proclivities.
He however will he supported by
A number o. Republican directors
who favor him for personal reasons.
Professor SulOuf', of Fayette, a
Republican,, who is well known
will come into the convention with
the solid Republican votes of Fey
cite township and will make good
in the convention and the
would make no mistake
in electing him.
But the unknown quantity in
the convention will be MennO Esh,
of Spruce Hill township, a man
known by his neighbOrs and ac-
quaintances as an upright and hon
est man of much more than Ordin-
airy natural abilities, and above all
of Independent political proclivi-
ties. He is free and independent
and will, if our information is cor
rect, 60 into the convention with
the second highest vote. His vote
will be of Republican and Demo
cratic directors who are not sup
porting him for political reasons,
but because they recognize his fit
ness and would like to see at least
once, a man act as County Super
intendent who does not wear the
collar Of some political boss or
bosses.
1t is said that there is a wave of
feeling among the people of Juni-
ata county, against political bosses
and boss rule and that this feeling
exists largely among the school
directors Of this county. If the
reports are true, then no candidate
who wears the collar of any boss
will have chance, and we will see
elected a man who will be Super
intendent himself. A novel sight
in Juniata, indeed.