Amador ledger., 1903-10-23
PRESTON SCHOOL SUPEF
TENDENCY.
SUPERIN-

There are said to be at least
dozen applicants after the position
of superint tendent of the Preston
school at lone, which position has
been voluntarily surrendered by
Superintendent Riddick. 1t is re-
ported in the Sacramento papers
that owing to the antag onisms Gre
ated, no Amador county man need
look for the berth. 1t will go to an
outsider, so as to avoid as much as
possible running against the Jealous
les that prevail in local circles. 1t
is no secret that Superintendent
Riddick met with much annoyance
during his term from local causes,
altogether apart from his efficiency
as an admins strative officer of the
affairs of the school. There is no
question about his suitability for the
position; no doubt about his doing
good work for the boys under his
charge. The policy upon which the
school is founded may be seriously
questioned. Whether the results in
the reformation of the youthful
criminal element have been commen-
surate with the efforts put forth and
the expense incurred, is a subject
upon which there is ample room for
diversity of opinion. It must be ad-
mitted that if they have fallen short
of anticipations, the present super
intendent is in no way to blame for
it. 1t is too often the case that the
man occupying responsible posi-
tion, who tries to live up to his con-
victions, and does his duty con-
scientiously and fearlessly, falls heir
to the largest share of abuse and
defamation. This is true, not only
in public life, but in all positions of
of trust. A man cannot pursue the
straight path of duty, as he sees it,
without running against the self
interest of others, and thereby
awakening opposition more or less
bitter From the tone of the city
papers 1T seems to be settled that
no home applicant stands any show
for the superintendency This idea
is undoubtedly founded on worthy
motives-a desire to keep the school
as free as possible from factional
Jealousies which are likely to mar
its usefulness. 1t may be that under
existing conditions, this course is
the only one open to the board aux-
ious to promote the welfare of the
school; but if so, it simply shows a
deplorable state of affairs, not in
the school itself, but among the out
side forces contending for supre-
macy. The Ledger believes in the
political doctrine of to the victors
belong the spoils." 1t does not be-
lieve in going outside of the repub-
lican party in the filing of any cffice
OF trust under republican admin
istration, believing that a straight
out republican administration is
more likely to prove efficient and
harmonious than a mix-up of differ
ent party adherent. At the same
time the Ledger hopes that the lone
school will not be made machine to
be worked by scheming politicians,
who seek only their own selfish ends
in tossing the emoluments of Office
back and forth to their political
vassals, to bolster up their own as
pirations. This class should be
avoided at all hazards. Neither the
lone school nor any other state in
Stitution will prosper when directed
by the political barnacles. who in
fest all political organizations, who
act under the impression that politi-
cal parties are merely the means to
exploit their own individual inter
ests.