The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-06-08
Ths State Beard 81 Edlcatior And
Eocktriigs County

~idlnlbu liliH FN-.f
THE .iection ~ county -uperintendent-
under tkepre~ent system impo-'- great
burden on the state board composed ot
Governor attorney -tienrral and -uperin-
reuleut of publr Instruction 10 is a
vicious system and ought NOT To- exist
n the members 0f the board have mo-
other dc~ir,. than % -elert the best men
they viii surely make grave mistakes
for g r. mnniiestly impossible that they
should boz able fo decide properly AZ long
range -o many contests mlstnAe on
their pnrt 8. q very serious thing for the
community aiiected Should there be- an
inclination 90 n-e the power thus given.
a. build lpa political machine therr l.
no room Tor doubt that very powerful
machine rau be- built up
There have bern many charges that
the hoari hayc b.rn using their power.
n the interest oi Hr Montague. bnt we
have teen slow to believe the charges A.
we rhiuk there should h' exercised murh
charity when charges ar. being banded
about in bot poiitral contests We
should Ike % -ec the proofs always be-
f1rr we a.-rrpt such charges
There has only one in-tanre come nm
Ier our rh-ervarion that We must admit
ha- bad look about 10 and thar l. the
ieri-lon ni rhr contest IN RocSbridg.
.0euty >avil.e rho incumbent.
va- 40 applicant ior re-appointment.
There IS no questions Di hi- high rharac-
t.r qualifications iur the 0fiicr He i one
ui the best -urerintendeut- ia the state.
DE- was defeated by state SENATOR Dr 4.
y Johnston. ~ NaturalIridge who may
W may not have qualifications ior the
place ~ be- Is an unknown quantity An
experienced. capable enthusiasts worker
and worthy man and one giving sati~-
faction IL tnrned out for a new man
such n change should not be- made ex-
-rnf 0n the very -.rongeSt grounds ID
public policy
The Rockhridra county News ha- two
editorials in its last Issue on this subject
in one 10 says
Arrrpting. n We have in the pa-r that
Nartin'- strength lay in his ability 10
shake the plum tree in the interest OF
his adherents WE question whether h.
ran 30 SWANSON any good Martin has
heen lamentabie failure IN this line tie
ha.. tried ro 10 nothing in state affairs
aud with a Republican administration at
Washington could 10 nothing there.
But the disappointed plum seekers can
not but be aware from saturday. work
m Richmond that % greater than Martin
A. plum shaker ha- appeared % at
tack n new and striking luminary at
-ucressful machine building \ man who
has the perspicuity 20 discover the politi-
cal -poils in the hitherto sacred pre'inct-
Of the public school system and the nerve
20 parcel out the superintendeucies OF
schools to further his chances for Cover
nor cannot but excite in their hearts an
admiration and q confidence that viii
Obscure the abilities aud kill the influence
of Thomas : Martin
/ In the other it says
The failure Of county superintendent
( of schools Sayille 10 secure re-oppoint-
ment ~ the office he has so efficiently
and faithfully filed was heard with -in
cere regret by the large number Of thos'
interested in the cause OF education in
thizcounty NO OmAnever had stronger en
dorsement for re-appointment than h'
had and no man ever deserved then
more. That they were unheeded by th'
scheming politicians who constitute th'
State board Of education IL not surpris
ing
Statements coming from such sOurc'
are not 20 he ignored We have person
ally known the editor Of that paper ioi
thirty years. and we know there II NJ
more honorable and truthful man in th'
STATE Of Virginia
We DO not undertake to pass Iudg
ment on the State boar'l. but We do say
that it, course in this particular instanc'
needs explanation This explanation
may be good one, but it should b.
forthcoming the arraignment cannot
without bringing discredit On itself b
ingored by the board.
Personally, because Of our partially
for Mr. Montague n between him an'
A. ....,,., 49,. ,,.,,.t sa~ ma HON. 2,