Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-12
An NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Started
In Taylor County to Organ
ize the Teachers
RIGGS DOUBTS ITS UTILITY
Main Object Of the Association
Said to be Securing of Better Sal
aries, But Superintendent Riggs Is
Of Opinion Tint Teachers Would Get
No Benefit fer Their Dues.
Special to T,mes-Republican.

Special to Time Republican.
Des Moines, May Estate Supern-
tendent Rigs Is in receipt of a copy
of the constitution of the Teachers
I. Cte,arfield, Iowa, which accompanied a
1etsar from county superintendent IN
southern Iowa Who SAID that TIE teach
ers - that section have gone into the
association in large numbers. Sup
erintendent Riggs carefully considered
the constitution of the organization
and consulted with the attorney gen.
erai relative to Ii. He then authorized
the following statement, which, at first,
he expected to send to the county sup
ferintendent of Eng state in a circular
which he is preparing on other SUBJ
jects:
This Office is in receipt of a copy of
the constitution Of the Teachers Ma
tional Protective Association purport-
Ing TO be an organization for the pur-
pose Of increasing the compensation of
teachers.
The home office is at Clearfield, Ia.
Any holder Of a certificate may be-
come member upon paying SIS and 81
per month thereafter for such time as
she is employed in teaching. The mon
ey is TO be used for the compensation
OF the general officers. president and
secretary and ishe expenses of organic
ing and extending the association.
.Oue county superintendent writes:
The promoters of the scheme are doing
an excellent business among the rural
teachers of my county
1t is our opinion that the teachers
who become members OF this organiza-
ton will receive no value in return for
the money expended
John c. Beatty is president and Har-
svey S. Duncan, Jr, is secretary and
treasurer of the association, according
to the copy of the constitution which
has fallen into the possession of SUI
perintendent riggs.
He has no idea Of the number OF
teachers who have contributed their So
membership fer. and have begun to con-
tribute their SL month dues, but he
assumes that 1t is very great, Judging
from the tone of the letter which called
the scheme TO his attention.
He is distinctly of the opinion that
the association lis the outgrowth of the
agitation whis,h has been progressing
in the state for a long time for higher
wa gss for the teachers of the rural
schools.
The third article Of the constitution
provides that the general officers Of the
association who are named in the same
article, shall hold their office until the
first general association meeting which
is fixed for the year 1908: it provides
that thereafter the terms of the gems
eraa Officers shall be four wears In
length.
The eleventh and last article of the
constitution fixes the disposition of the
income of the association. It provides
that the membership fees and dues
be ussd for the compensation Of THE
general officers and the expenses Of
organizing and extending the associa-
ton as the same may be necessary and
required"
The fiCth article fixes the fees at IS
for membership and 81 month dues,
but no dues are TO be charged while
the member ds not engaged in teach
ing.
Superintendent Riggs said Tuesday
that there was nothing In the law
which would authorize interference
with the assoc iatdon, so far as could be
discovered. But he cannot see from
the provisions OF the constitution that
the association will be Of value TO the
Seanheqg who join 1t.
Article four of the constitution pro-
yides for annual meetings by delegates
on the last Wednesday in June, 1905.
and thereafter. Each county may have
one delegate after 1T has twenty-five
members of the general association
being then permitted to form a local
association, whose president shall be
the delegate.
Each local association has the right
to determine what snail be a reason
able minimum compensation for the
services of the members as teachers,
and pending the formation OF the local
associations the constitution recites
that the members agree that $40, $3.50
and $50 are reasonable wages for hold
ers of first, second and third grade GER
t6cates.