New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-09
CUP TO" THE GOVERNOR.

Mr.. Platt is avOwedly reaching out for the
public schools. The Republican machine is a
little more candid than we supposed it would be
in its treatment of the unification scheme which
four members of the Governors special COM
mission have proposed in opposition to the dis
interested and sagacous judgment of the three
others. As we have said repeatedly, and as we
are glad TO observe, many of our cOntempora-
ries without regard to party are saying the
plan of the majority contains. among various
seeming defects, one blunder so obvious and so
deadly that 1t is hard to refrain from calling it
by harsher name. They propose, with pro-
LESSONS of devotion to the principle of keeping
the schools beyond the reach of political power
and influence, to turn them over to the politi-
clans by providing that the first Chancellor of
their new Department of Education, the execu-
tive head of the public school system, shall be
appointed by the Governor with the consent
OF the Senate-a Governor and a Senate. as it
happens. whose antagonism already makes it
doubtful whether the latter can be induced to
confirm the formers original appointment to
any vacant place.
The plan is that the first Chancellor's sue
cessOrs shall be chosen, at intervals of eight
years. by the Regents, and the majority actual
ly seem to have supposed that this was keeping
the schools out of politics and politics out of
majority members of the Governors Commits
sion are the only persons in the State, if we
except the Governor, who have taken even for
a moment, that view of the case On other
points opinions are considerably mixed, but
MeSsrs. Hollis Wilkinson Mcmillan and Aims
worth appear, unless the Governor is with
them, TO be quite alone in thinking that the
way to exclude politics is TO give the politicians
a tight grip at the outset At the present mo-
ment the operation of their minds is not a mat
ter of great importance, but We confess We
are rather curious to know just how they are
affected by Mr.. Platt's prompt conclusion that
there is no use in pretending to arrange for a
future bestowal of the power to choose Chan
cellors on al independent non-poltical body
and his order to his managers at Albany to see
TO it that the Educational bill shall continue the
appointment in the hands of the Governor and
Senate.
But however Mr.. Platt's disclosure of his in
tentions at this time may impress these four
credulous gentlemen, il is not at all likely to
astonish anybody else, excepting possibly as an
example of indiscretion. 1t might have been a
little easier to carry the business through with
out such a proclamation than with it. Or is
there warrant for putting the case the other
way, and saying that it might have been hard
er to protect the schools against the politicians
If Mr.. Plat had kept his own counses? We
hope The evil which is threatened is mon
strous in character and dimensions. 1t has al
ready been clearly recognized and denounced
by a great number of citizens and by many
newspapers of all shades of political opinion,
not one of which, we trust, will now regret and
retract its verdict. How is it with you, Gov
ernor? Are you irrevocably committed on the
wrong side?