The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-06-01
RESTORE THE
PAY OF THE
TEACHERS

The party that does not put a plank
in its platform this time faVoring the
restoration of the salaries of the teach
ers In the public schools is going TO
get hurt The tide is rising. Not a
doubt of II. And the good people are
going to force the politicians to stand
with them for once. In fact, the
sbrewdest of the politicians already
see this. as the statesmen have long
seen 1t.
1t is the purpose of the people who
are taking UP the cause of the teachers,
and of the coming generation, to see
that the salary restoration plank is in
every platform, to see that no man Is
voted for who can not be relied upon
10 stand by the plank. and to see that
the plank is not a mere bit of political
dead wood after the campaign. This
is a very live issue indeed in local pol
itics-because it is the voice OF the
coming man. the rising generation,
that commands attention. Youth must
De served as the candidates will learn.
ACTING GOVERNOR TALKS.
Favor the restoration of teachers
salaries to the old fgure?" said Acting
Governor Atkinson in answer to
question as to his position on the issue
yesterday. "Of course j am In favor
of it, 1t am in favor of more than
that hope that the teachers and the
people who have taken this matter up
will not only get the salaries put back
on the old basis, where they were be-
fore the twenty per cent. cut, but that
they will not stop until they have per-
fected an arrangement by which the
public school teachers will be advanced
progressively in pay for longer terms
of service and consequent greater effi-
cheney.
'Fancy a condition where police
man gets $40 a month and school
teacher only $40 1t is an economic
absurdity. The teacher trains the
young so that they become law-abid-
ing. and so lessons the work of the po-
liccmen of the future, and II Is at
least twice as important that this
trail ing should be given as that the
policemen should be kept on duty. The |
greater the spread of education, the
less need there will be for policemen.
EDUCATION AND TEMPERANCE.
by all means let US agitate for the
restoration of teachers salaries, ana
let each party be given to understand
that II must put a restoration plank |
in its platform. Let the teachers ana
their friends organize organize, organ |
ize. Put the planks in the platforms,
and compel attention. Then pledge the !
candidates specifically to the restora-
tion of salaries, and to the progressive |
system of increasing pay. 1t is nom
sense to suppose that there is not
enough money in this country to let
the teachers in the public schools be
paid adequate salaries-and, If there Is
not enough in the funds we have now,
then let the parties be pledged to raise
enough
''And, while the people who are In
teresting themselves in the restora-
tion of the teachers salaries are about
IL, let them keep their eyes IN the
saloon issue. There are altogether too
many rum shops and small gin mills
in this Territory, and there is urgent
need that some steps be taken to lessen
the number. The most effective steps
can be taken through the candidates
for the Legislature, just as the cam
paign for the restoration of school
teachers salaries must be carried on"
SAM JOHNSON'S POSITION.
Restore the salaries of school teach
ers!' said Captain Sam Johnson.
''Sure! Put the plank in every plat
form. l am for it, you bet! Why, l
pay my garbage men $40 month.
Think of only paying school teachers
sf5i 1t is nonsense! Huh!'
And II is nonsense. Everybody is
agreed upon it. The school teachers
are training the men and women of
the future in this Territory. They are
training the voters of the future-the
citizens-the lads who will cast the
votes. and mayhap the lassies who will
east them.
The lads will cast them, anyhow.
They have the right, born in them,
Shall il be said that the voters of the
future have no claim upon the voters
OF today no right to make a demand
of the voters of the present time?
Why. they have all the right there is.
They have more than all the right.
They are coming into their inheritance,
and they will in a few years have ii
IN their power TO call their fathers
pretty sharply to account IL the old
men do not do the right thing
DEBT TO POSTERITY.
Don't let any voter run away with
the notion that because posterity has
done nothing for him, he owes nothing
TO posterity, lie win find out what
posterity Will do 10 him, II he lives
long enough,
All this aside, most determined
e1ort is TO be made 10 get the salaries
Of teachers In the public schools put
back to the old hgure and TO that end
each party Is 10 be asked TO put
restoration plank In It's platform, ana
ench candidate TO make a specific per-
aonal pledge OF restoration. And the
party that refuses, or the candidate
who proves false To his pledge, VIII
feel the weight of wrath,
Indeed, this is as important a thing
nA The temperance hght, Tor what Is
the gooi of protecting the morals of
lhe young II they are NOT given the
best teaching NJ morals that monry
'an pay fore The teachers of Hawaii
ARE good teachers, most NJ them ana
Tiny NukW HNsN.U IN4IY NInI. t..f.I.t