Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-25
WANT INDEPENDENTS
MCFARLAND OPPOSES RADICAL
SCHOOL LEaIsLATIoN.
In Address Before Anacostia Mems
Club Declares Separation From
Municipal Control Unnecessary.

Inc members OF the Mems Club OF the
Anacostia Methodist Episcopal Church en-
tertained its friends at the church build
Ing last night and listened to an address by
Commissioner mcfarland, during the
course of which he took occasion to COM
plimen the citizens of Anacostia for their
interest in District affairs and the public
spirit shown by them on several occasions
in the past. The attendance at the meet
ing was limited to men and a large body
OF representative citizens was present. The
room In which the meeting was held was
decorated with flags. The exercises OF the
evening were opened with the singing of
America Rev. Charles o. Isaac, the pas
tor OF the church, pronounced the invoca-
ton ana Mr.. Arthur B. Suit, president OF
the club presided. Mr.. Bowen sang two
solos and Mr.. johnson Hardy entertained
the audience with humorous Rotations. Mr..
Suit then introduced Mr.. Macfarland. who
was received with applause After compli-
menting the public spirit of the people OF
Anacostia and their interest In District af-
fairs Commissioner Macfarland said that
1t was encouraging to find wherever he went
in the District that the citizens were keen
ly alive to the needs Of the District and ac-
tive in all efforts to improve conditions.
Public opinion, which governs here as
nowhere else. because It is not DETECTED by
partisan politics. is kept informed and In
duential by the constant interest Of many
citizens" he said. Your public servants
feel Its power at all times. We at the Dis
trict building welcome every expression of
It. In many places there Is an inevitable
and incessant antagonism between munich
pal authorities and the people, because the
former belong to political rings that live
directly or indirectly upon the public treas
ury. Their interest Is not the public inter-
est. But here there is separation be-
tween municipal authorities and the people,
because their interests are one. The Com
missioners and the citizens work together
welcome suggestions of the citizens as we
welcome their cooperation. We welcome
new ideas from any quarter. They must.
however, be applicable TO local conditions to
be of practical value.
THE Commissioners have recommended
many improvements in our social laws for
example, because they had been success
fully tested elsewhere and were not inappH-
cable here, but 1t is waste of time to
consider ideas which useful elsewhere are
useless here. For example, law passed to
separate the public school system from the
municipal government, In city then In the
grasp of ringsters and grafters, to save the
schools from robbery and the teachers from
being hlackmailed is not a law which need
he copied on our statute books. No wonder
our citizens are indignant at the implied as
pensions upon our public school system,
which can safely stand the severest test,
namely, by their fruits ye shall know
them.
I'VE want real improvements, physical,
intellectual and moral in every department
Of our community life. But we do not want
the District to be made an experiment
ground. Above all, we want no experiments
with our public schools, even with projects
which may have been needed under abse-
lutely different conditions elsewhere. For
century the District taxpayers have had
trict government, and have always had
voice in their management. For seventy
eight years the District taxpayers paid the
whole cost Of the schools. 1t is only for
the past quarter of century that Congress
has paid half the cost of the schools. Nat
urally, our people are more Jealous of this
interest than any other; nearly one-siNth of
our population is in the public schools. and
they call for the largest amount of money
in our budget They have had great sue
cess as their graduates attest. We are just
ly proud Of the fact that seventeen leading
colleges admit upon our high school certif-
Gates; that our teachers are constantly IN
vited to other cities; that the President of
the United States and others of the most
eminent men and women testify to the
value Of our school draining to their young
children. - The schools are not perfect; no
human institution Is; constant Improvement
should he and will he made. But mere
change is not progress
AIT the conclusion of the Commissioners
address an informal reception was held
during the course of which Mr.. Macfarland
greeted each member of the club Refresh
ments were served after the meeting.