The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-11-05
FRANCIS 3. LIVEsEY

Answers the independents Inquiry and
Continues His Plan for the Adolf
ton Of Public schools
(The letter below is self-explanatory.
The Independent seldom has space
for reprinting circulars, which &C
counts for the refusal" of Mr.. Live
sey's former voluntary offerings" Mr..
Livesey apparently does not take
kindly to any but business PROPOSE
TONS" Is his anti-school crusade a
business propositions" Is his solicit
tude for the children as great as his
desire to allow wealthy but childless
people to escape the payment of school
taxes? In any vent, which appears
more like business proposition?
There is an old saying that it takes
all kind of people to make world.
AS but few of The Independents read
ers know of the vigorous campaign
against the public schools being con-
Quoted by Mr.. Liyesey, we publish his
letter in full-of course, repudiating
in toto his attempt to break down the
public school system, yet admitting
that it has its defects.-Asociate Edi-
tori
PUBLIC SCHOOL ABOLITION.
Editor Independent: In your issue
of September II, page 10, you chide
me for not answering you. | humbly
apologize and will here give my ex-
PLANTATION in a dialogue:
Observation-Disclosures lodges!
Livesey--Not when | think a thing
means business In good faith. | stand
as target for the bullets of the world.
Even pebbles tossed jestingly at me
I have essayed to consider, until
friends and foes, alike, protested. |
consider yours rather in the nature OF
one of these pebbles.
Observation-Disclosures B. Livesey of
Sykesville, Md, has been for a num-
Der of years circularizing the news
papers of the United States asking
them to read, print, circulate his
screeds against the public schools.
Livesey-My circulars on this line
have been rather recent feature.
Thousands of letters and articles have
been written by me for papers direct,
and thousands of them have been pub
lished in the largest dailies as well
as the smallest CROSSROADS papers.
Not long since sent you one or more
of these voluntary offerings, which
you refused to publish, while you de-
voted some space to treating me-to
put it mildly-in very cool manner.
This treatment added little to my
indifference in not answering you at
length, although just lately you had
published note from me. | suppose
you see by this time that the public
school question has bearing on the
problems of thu day and must be
reckoned with.
Observation-Disclosures time ago The In
dependent suggested that it would be
interesting to know where Mr.. Live
sey learned the vigorous English he
uses in denouncing the public school
system. He ignored the him.
Livesey-Yes, as aforesaid, "the
hint / did not deem a business pro-
position.
ependent-Later in answer to
another batch of his circulars, the as
sociate editor wrote him a personal
letter making the same suggestion. To
this Mr.. Livesey replied:
Editor Independent: AS Pitchfork
Tillman got his vigorous English from
the barn yard, SO got mine from be-
hind the plow and before the mast.
Truly. Francis B. Livesey.
Livesey-Many leading writer's are
now acknowledging that intellectual
vigor is best secured when founded
upon physical vigor. Count Tolstoi Is
one who has made arduous manual la
Dor concomltant of his intellectual
effort So, in this light, my answer
was both polite and comprehensive.
Independent--Now The Independent
believes that the best lecturers in be-
half OF 'eetotallsm are those who have
been through the mill of drunkenness
and. by parity of reasoning. the best
equipped assailant of our public school
system should be one who has him-
self suffered from tho debasng effects
OF IL! Hence. It's suggestion: II de-