The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1900-10-27

they are playing their political game
Tor the sp0ils Of Office. Occasionally we
find man holding position Of honor
and trust. willing to be guided by JEFF.
ferson's test of fitness for ONCE when he
was solicited by applicants for public
Offices; he wanted to know-"is he ho
nest. is he capable. and is he faithful;
bat when the BOSSES" are distribu-
ting the political plums; they ask "can
he be Of further service to Us. can we
use him as stepping stone to future
stations Of honor. When man mani.
tests Jefferson's high ideal Of duty he is
regarded a. q crank-as an impractica-
Bile fellow who must be put aside to
give way for more progressive man.
Under the above preface. will ask
another question: For what was the
School Board appointed lpresume all
to whom this question was propounded,
would reply Ito put In motion the edu-
cational machinerY Of the parish. and
to look after the educational interests of
our children. the latter obligation en-
braces many questions. I think the
Board would admit that up TO the pre-.
sent time 1t has been . notifying fail
ure-failed to meet the expectations
and wishes Of the people Of every Sec
ton of our parish. Its delayed birth
brought anxiety and apprehension as to
lite future usefulness. Its weakness can
not be attributed to hssty ushering in
to life. for its period of CESSATION was
unusually long and its coming was
heralded some time before it's real iden-
tity was known. It seems to have been
born under an unlucky star. for the first
step 1t made II fell into hole that jar
red 1t from center to circumference,
from which the court will have to extri.
cate 1t. provided 1t does not ny to pieces
BY intense vibrations and internal dis
sensions. which would not be q misfor-
tune. for it might rebound to the public
good II It were horn again. Il has
acted from the beginning Of its organ
ization like . child with o new toy.
ignorant Of what use to make Of It. It
did know that Superintendent must be
elected, but II did not know that we
have native born citizen In every way
capable Of fllling the position, 60 took q
gentleman from abroad. thereby bring
ing on legal complications, and now we
must await "the laws delay, and in
the meantime be left without an acting
Superintendent. with the schools closed
at the most desirable season of the year
for study and regular attendance Of pu-
pills. There 10 not voter in this pa
rish with ordinary common sense who
does not know that it would be impoesi-
BILE to draw from the registration list
nine persons, the majority Of whom
would not say appoint Mr.. P. d. Olivier
School Superintendent; but the Board
in its profound wisdom-a wisdom 90
profound that 1t becomes more mysteri-
Gus the longer We contemplate it
thought proper to ignore the wishes Of
the fathers and mothers Of the parish,
and appointed foreign born citizen to
look after our educational interests
man whose fitness for the position has
never been proven.
The only excuse have heard for such
q strange ignoring of the claims Of one
who has demonstrated his capacity to
perform creditably and satisfactorily the
duties Of Superintendent. is. that he is
drawing few OF Uncle Sans dollars
under q Republican administration.
Would you hypercritical Democrats
have him parading the streets of idle
ness with the lardsr and the armoirs
emptyp Would Du have him going
about contracting debts which he knew
he could never pay? God has not given
to every man the tact and capacity to
make q living in every vocation; neither
can We always make opportunities;
when the wolf IL at the door we have to
act promptly-call to our aid such help
as is within reach. It comes with bad
grace for a Democratic leader or any
Democrat holding public Office 10 st.
Martin Parish to chide fellow citizen
for being lukewarm in the cause of De-
mocracy while 1t lie at such q low ebb
here. for it has been slumbering 90
eoundlY the echoes of beating drums