New-York tribune., 1903-04-03
REJECTS REGENTS PLAN.
NO COMPROMISE LIKELY
Skinner Opposed Suggested Amend-
nlents-4 LiUeIy Hearing.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE. ]

Albany, April 2.-The Senate Chamber was
crowded this afternoon with and women who
had come to attend the hearing before the Senate
Committee Education the bill OF Senator
Stevens unity the school systems Of the State.
This bill aboshes the office of State Superintendent
of Public Instruction and confers his powers upon
the University of the State; and these powers are
hereafter TO be exercised If the bill passes, by the
Regents OF the University. The bill thus consoli-
dates the school systems of the State.
There were present to support the bill Senator
Stevens. Bishop W. Doane. chancellor of the
university; Regents William H Watson, st. Clair
McKeiway, Daniel Beach, Pliny T. Sexton. T. Gull
ford Smith, Albert Yanderveer. Thomas c. Hen
drick and William Nottingham; J. r. Parsons jr.
the secretary of the Board OF Regents: Professor
H P. Warren, of the Albany Academy; Principal
7. H Armstrong president Of the Associated
Academic Principals; DR.. J. W. Lesener. president
of the Homeopathic State Medical Society; Prin-
cpal T. B. Lowell of the Niagara Falls High School
and Principal B. l. Brown of the Sherman Col
legiate Institute
In opposition TO the bill Senator E. R.
Brown, Charles R. Skinner Superintendent of Pub
lio instruction; Danforth E. Ainsworth. Mr.. Skin
ner's deputy; Regent Charles E. Fitch. Principal
Palmer Of the Fredonia Normal School. Erwin D.
Whitney. of Chenango Forks. and Edwin F. Nc
Donald, of Massena.
St Clair McRelway, in the Of his speech
favorIng the BILL proposed certain amendments to
the bill OF Senator Stevens. which he said he
2rofered on his own behalf. Afterward he said
some Of the Regents present said these amendments
would be acceptable to them
SKINNER REJECTS AMENDMENTS.
The amendments provide for an increase of the
Board of Regents by adding nine or eleven new
Regents one to go out each year; four OF the nine
or Eve OF the eleven to be chosen from the mem
bers of that party which cast next to the largest
number Of votes at the last State election. Repre-
sentation OF the minority party in the Board CT
Regents is thus granted. Another OF Mr.. Nickel
ways amendments provides that the Superin-
tendent Of Public Instruction shall be chosen py
the Board Of Regents, hold Office at their pleas
ure, and to be ex offcio Regent sun an
other amendment provides that the salaries Of the
present Superintendent and his deputies shall con-
tinue to the end of their present term Finally,
Mr. McKelway suggests that the enlarged Board
Of Regents shall have all the powers OF the present
two departments Of education.
These suggestions, II appeared were not ac-
ceptable 10 Mr.. Skinner, who had previously re-
fused to enter any conference on the measure 90
it is evident that from now on the Regents VIII
labor in the interests OF the Stevens BILL and the
Department Of Public Instruction will try to Sc
cure the passage OF either the bill Of Senator L. X
Brown or that of Senator ". L. Brown, both being
regarded as in the interest of the Department OF
Public instruction. At the conclusion Of the hear
ing the chairman. Senator Lewis, said that no
action would be taken by the committee TINS "eeh
The hearing lasted until 7:30 p. m. and even
then there were a score of persons VINO had pre-
pared addresses who could not be heard Superll-
tendent Skinner. Deputy Superintendent Ainsworth
and others spoke against the Stevens bill.
Senator Elon p. Brown, speaking against the
Stevens BILL declared the Regents were as Inuch
in politics as any men in the State
',yyhen voted for Father Hendrck. OF Roches
ter for Regent explained Senator Brown. looking
directly at the clergyman. Il was told that ne was
q priest Of the Catholic faith and Republican.
have since discovered he is the peer OF any Hepuo-
licar politician In the State of New York
Senator Brown concluded with the wish that the
hope Of gaining power, one hand, or the fear OF
losing it. the other. would not prevent unnca-
ton. The campaigning should be abandoned ana
the idea Of winning out" suppressed
Charles E Fitch. Of Rochester, who said he was
the Oldest member of the Board of Regents in
length of service, advocated the E r. Brown Dill.
He held that in the E. R. Brown bill the present
Regents should have coordinate authority with
the term Regents OF the Board CT Education He
said further that secondary education belonged now
TO the Department of Public instruction and should
remain there until there is complete unihcat1on
James Russell Parsons. jr., secretary Of the Re
gents, spoke in favor Of the Stevens oil saying
that It would really unity the educational system
and put an end to the contentious inevitable under
a dual system and also that it would remove the
entire school administration from the domain OF
party politics No other pending BILL he said, could
accomplish these two things.
Mr.. MKEI.wAT's ARGUMENTS.
St Clair McKelwav. in the course of his address
in support of the Stevens bill, said:
l other a
TO be a fifth wife. She was. however, little
She said: Mr.. Brown I should think. your four
deceased wives weuld mix things up for you IN
His reply was: "'No not at all, Miss Jones.
Trese ,1tcation bi1is SO far reviewed are dt
ferent shades OF two Browns. The committee
sh1ad TRe two R9t saes H1 % by blend have made third
vide that this legislature shall elect nine but
eleven new Regents The eleven are 10 i lsnfn ne he
performed le by the old boardony the board is
to die And of the eleven the wicked I1em4craIs t
Regents will ''concede nothing" the author Of the
frst Brown bill VIII concede three Rege9ts TO the
Democrats Could concession or condescens!on
further go? The Democrats only need three votes
to tie the Senate ana sometimes ] i'9g f esgv gI
get them DO not prgsue me to SPea6 I95 6fc @
PPere PeIIsloai have not done So fnd in one OF
these bills That is my warrant ar t or 5P2Qgy 9 59f
the people Of this State viii sanction any measure
affecting education which proposes 10 casI L0ts G i
the choice of Regents do not 6eieys Demoera6s Is
the strength they hope TO have would Justly taee M
assuming that they are put 9d ID
| sanction anv such plan. In old arithmetcs frac-
tions were onosed by this latest shade Of Brown
are decimal WITH Al deServeo FpTId sbpo1Id The
Defn0ei1C Fe 1os no better way of doing could be
| devised than by their acceptance or thls lqea,
which reduces both fractions and politics to their
Ve1y aowg Substitute for these bills the Regents com
mend to the committee the simple ana 95 slhs1e I
reas,rre which Senator Stevens has introduced II
nan be defended or opposed 1t cannot be 1i mis-
| ,Tnderstood 1t has State Board or tducalol
cnnceaied in its recesses. 1t has no duai system
| bjSden in II under the name Of unihcatlon. ~
oeos ,1baf II saws. II carries over the powers
Of the state Department Of PUBLIC instruction % @ o
% of II provides for the cot-
i5,.Ica o% he salaries of the supernte tendent ana
bie IDENTITIES TO the end OF mis- term II enapss; p
br1 work if they SO desire. during competency
ana goo dEooi system the spirit Of equity and OF
conlILlo. oIeEir that has been exemplihed by the
non-Partls tls4llStllo 1niies education