The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-08-09

happiness of the Commonwealth
are advanced by the education
of the masses. \ free people
must be developed and educated
by free schools.
I'VE have good reason to be
proud of our admirable school
system, but as the State advances
and education becomes more gen.
eral, the methods of administer
ing our public schools must be
improved to keep pace with the
public demand and to remove
well-founded complaint and dis
satisfaction.
Above all things, they should
be conducted without reference
to politics, and should be abso-
lutely free from partisan inter
ference OF dictation.
"Teachers should be appointed
and retained for their fitness only
and should be safe from removal
except for cause, after reasonable
opportunity to be heard in their
own defense.
"We accordingly recommend
the passage by the next Legisla.
ture of an act providing for the
appointment by the Governor of
a commission of prominent citi-
zens, selected irrespective of
their political views, from among
those who are personally inter
ested in the improvement and eff
ticiency of our public schools,
whose duty it shall be to examine
into their condition and manage
ment, and to report what amend.
ments of our existing law are
necessary to reform whatever
shall be found defective in their
administration and in the method
of appointment and tenure of the
commissioners.
EXTRA SESSION OF LEGISLA-
TURE.
"We heartily commend the wis
dom and courage of Governor
John Walter Smith i'll calling the
recent extra session of the Legis.
lature, and we feel that our
thanks are due to our Democratic
Senators and Delegates for the
admirable and conservative legiS.
latiOn enacted at that session in
the face of many and serious diff.
fl cultieS.
THE STATE CENSUS
1.-THE painful and diSgraceful
disclosures made in the recent
trials in the Circuit Court of the
United States in Baltimore City
of the parties charged with falSi-
flying the Federal census in some
of the counties of the State
amply demonstrate the wisdom
and necessity of our late State
census.
"Whatever doubts may once
have existed upon this subject
have been thoroughly dispelIed
and the result obtained viz, an
absolutely fair and proper repre-
sentation of the counting III the
House of Delegates, is well worth
the money it cost.
"ln taking the important step
OF calling an extra session, the
Governor was simply eXercising
the express power conferred upon
him by the Constitution. Had he
omitted the performance of his
duty, the results of the fragrant
frauds in the Federal census,
which judicial investigation has
so fully exposed, would have been
fastened upon us for ten years
without possibility of redress.
"lndeed, the alternative pre-
sented to the Governor of ac.
cepting as true false and fraud
ulent enumeration of our popula
ton, deliberately made to serve
dishonest political purposes or
of putting the State to the ex
pense of an extra session of the
Legislature to Illustrate so dis
reputable conspiracy, was one
as to which there was no room
for serious hesitation, and we con
tidently appeal to the people to
endorse his action in this impor
tant matter and to approve by
their votes the prompt response
OF the Legislature to his cali.
ELECTION AND REGISTRATION
LAW.
"The experience of 10 years
having demonstrated Ii t
changes i'll our Australian ballot
system were necessary to put an
and to the intimidation, bribery
and fraud for which, as enacted
III Maryland, it has been found
to afford such ample facilities,
and the demands for these re-
forms being great and urgent,
the Governor felt it to be his i'm
perative duty to give to the peo-
pie an opportunity for relief, and
although the calling of an extra