The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-18
THE HIGH SCHOOL BILL.

From the Sun. =. +, ~,.Sv - -.
The defeat of the bill for the relief Of
the Board OF Public Education, in the
House at Dover, is q matter of regret
in which we think, all good citizens join.
There have been no good reasons given
for its defeat. There were certainly no
good reasons for making the defeat Of
the bill a party measure. However, if
the Democrats who lined up solidly
against the passage Of the bill can afford
to make party issue on the question of
public schools, then Republicans can well
afford to take up the challenge and meet
the Democrats upon the ground they
have chosen.
The question at issue in the defeat of
this bill is not one of economy in public
expenditures. 1t has gotten beyond that,
and has come to be simply question of
providing for IN expense already i'll
Cured, and which must be paid; an eN-
penditure made by public officers in the
discharge of their duty. The questions
of ACCESSIBILITY for such an expenditure,
and the necessity for it, at this time,
were clearly within the decisive juris-
diction of the Board of Public Education.
The authority to do and the duty to do
was laid upon them, and what to do was
tis) made to rest upon their judgment.
They have obcyed the law, at least the
spirit of it, as was admirably shown by
Chief Justice Lore, in his speech at the
opening Of the school, if not the letter.
There is not the slightest suspicion of
anything wrong in the contracting for,
the erection of the building, or the pay
ing for it. 1t was needed--urgently
needed-and has been erected to supply
that need, and has been done literally
as becomes the people of this city. There
are small schools enough. The need was
for large, well appointed school house
in which there should be every needed
appliance which modern pedagogy has
invented and supplied, and to which as
many Of the pupils OF the public schools,
AS was possible, could be admitted.
Such IL school house has been erected.
1t is in possession of the city, and in use
as a school building. The sequel proves
that financially the Board of Public
Education made good bargain. And
further that their financing of the project
has the approval of the Chief Justice of
the State, who literally Put his hand in
his pocket to aid them in its completion.
Moreover, the bill before the Legisla-
tnre is not one asking for an appropria-
ton. The bill simply asks authority to
issue certificates of Indebtedness for Il
specified sum, to be due and payable at
specified times and to be met by money
accruing regularly, at tho times specified,
to the Board of Public Education, under
the law and for The purpose specified
the erection of new school houses.
Ii'I' 'dn w H. ''''llttlit l'HNtiH l'l
voting against this bill There seems to
be but two causes that can be assigned
for the opposition. First, political piGue
over some legislative disappointment, or
perhaps. as was intmatcd in one of the
speeches in opposition, resentment for
tn" rejection Of advice proftor"d to the
Board Of Public Education during the
time the building was being erected. or
again, opposition TO the Public Schools
and TO public education. We submit
that these are not sufficient REASONS for
the defeat of this bill, and that its de-
feat for the reasons assigned will not
be credtahl" 10 the opposition. 1t will
make a Situation diicuIt of explanation,
and in addition will be al injustice TO
| Chief Justice Lore and William J..
Bancroft, who so literally aided this
greatest Of all the projects for lettering
| public educational facilities.