The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-08
..DI|,R.S0U'.':l |. ! 1 II
WILL. !. I \ |.
His Friends Do Not fEirIk8. The ne
Constitution Rules Hin
MEANING OF THE I L. N I|E ~ w
There Will lie Several C ,z11'li-s
dates for perinten'desnf't: ct Ct S
IF ri Public Instruction.


considerable interest," is being mani mani
tested III various parts Of tho state c cyl
corning the contest that VIII co 'r u u.
IN 1905 for the position Of
OF public instruction \. 4
This officer has heretofore been g e. elece-
cd by the Legislature, and same sam OF 81: ' ~
lIvelicst and most exciting contests Known
a tie history Of modern Virginia poll
tics nave been over this office. Virginia
no,,t,c,nns viii not soon forget the fight
eight years ago when Or, southall ~ / me ~ e
~, !, hentt defeated the late Hon. John
Ii. Massey. ". I, N, "a q.
~ thmrs. and now, according to that
the superintendent VIII ne I
elected at the Same time and IN the same sam
manner as the Governor Lieu tenant i ~
s3c;ovnrnors and Attorney General. Sectlon
4tsI II the new Constitution provides t TIM
s"tho Superintendent Of public ms tructioil,
who shall he an experienced edu uc, tor'z
8shnllI. he elected BY the qualified voters ,e.'
ef' 10 stnte 1T the same tisie and for the
- >, . fern as Governor" rheref fore, ~
8thn nex general State election, IN No %
tvanher 1905. n superintenden t OF public
instruction will for the first time 20
elected by the people. Is &. l I. u iii
3~l IITTI,E, HAY AS TO MEANllNG g.
The words used In the E .1 tlon; Z
%.swho shall be an experienced educatof.
8nrc7iTlinble I'M certain contingencies 70 Y
:, Ia some trouble. IT Is the opinion OF
8r,n,,v Who are taking a. lively interest
in the matter, that the words are Prac !, !,
~, ~, 1nen rjngless, +1nasmuchEass lhey l aii
n I" define their own meaning. and no
clause IS added anywhere 70 &. !, ~ !. w
what was in the mind OF the aple AC 'o,l
stitution builder who put those WORDS ~
the costly instrument. u.s. M tnn,. -
Estit,1tes an "experie educator lccsLte y q
question that is wide open q man VINO W,
5has been president OF a college or3llnl,&
fversit . for a long time Is an experlenceo3
3of,,cator "a SO also Is " a. man VINO mas
taught d ba ckwoods log school Tor a 1 .
d, even a part Of a term. mere Is -
vide gap between the two Then, VINO f! &
is to be the Judge Of what Is an q eSp .h,s
cnced educator, in the meaning OF THIS
hnzy section in the Constitution. the
convention or primary, which nominated
candidates. the people who do the voting
on election day o. the courts In the event
of contests? y, =. 9, /, !, > "
y MIGHTY INTERESTING QUE'sTlO On.
Truly. the language Of the Constittitio
may raise q very Interesting questlo g,
that may finally land In the courts. It
is especially interesting at this time when
candidates for the office Of super tend
ient are looming up or being prominent
" nent lonctl" in various parts OF the
Commonwealth. 3F B. sy,s ~ II II 33Gl ID
ut is no secret, SO his friends say. that
Dr. Joseph Nv Southall will be ~ cam
sdldate to succeed himself; + Is also an
open secret that some Of the men who
will oppose him ortwho are contemplating
running against hims are already raising
The question Of his eligibility
THE 81 PRESENT SUPERINTENDENT.
Dr.. Southall has never been the presl-
dent OF u college, the principal of
high school, nor a eacller in a log school
house in the good old county of Amelia,
but his friends claim that he Is AM eX-
rerenced educator In the fullest meaning
OF section 13l of the Constitution. He has
been superintendent Of public instruction
and as such at the head Of the whole
system Of public education In Virginia
for eight years, and during that time,
say his friends, ITO living man has
taken n more abiding interest In educa-s
ton and but few menshnve ever had IN
the same length Of time more varied
or more valuable experience In that
time the whole system has undergone
changes and there has been progress all
along the line. This, say DR.. Southall's3
friends. constitutes an experience more
valuable to the public school interest
than would be years of training as q
teacher or even as the head Of a higher
cducatonals institution.
But be all this as it may, there is no
doubt Of the fact that DIR. Southall will
be q candidate before the Democratic
State primary or convention. rs tho case
may be, for the position he now holds.
ana there Is also no doubt OF the fact
that he will have several very active ops
ponents. III FL II Rs
Property Transfers 55s