The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-22
by the local school authorities In es--
tablishlng and maintaining sucn
schools as In their Judgment the pub

tablishng and maintaining such
&C. In their 5ma1ginent tie pub
rrhe object OF this constitutional pro-
vision was evidently TO give to tile
local school boards unrestricted au-
thority to distribute and expend THESE
local school funds N suc ,,, way .. az IN
require; and any enactment OF
the LEGISLATURE or regulation of the
State Board of Education abridging Or
restricting that authority would seem
to be In direct conflict with the spirit.
IL not with the letter. or this sect1o'i
of the Constitution.
Though It is generally held that the
Legislature can do whatever is not
expressly forbidden by the state 2, and
Federal Constitutions, yet u Is well
tafion that where THE Constitution
grants discretionary powers to any
man. or body Of men. the nesislature
cannot abridge or restrict the powers
thus granted. 1t should also be remem-
bered that these district school trus-
tees are constitutional officers. invested
by the Constitution with the very
powers Of which the statute in ques-
ton seeks to deprive them.
II the Legislature can take from
these school officials all power to select
the furniture for their schools,lt ian
so abridge and restrict their authority
in this and other matters as to pre-
vent them from establishing and main
tanning In their respective districts
"such schools as in their Judgment the
public welfare may require"
Surely the state Board OF Education
Is standing on very uncertain ground
when acting on the authority granted
takes to prescribe to the local school
boards what kind of desks they shall
buy for their schools and what price
they shall pay for them.
There Is another phase of this sub
tect that Should not be overlooked.
From time immemorial we have heard
our political orators descant on the
beauties and glories of local self gov
search we have. been unable TO ind
much local government in Vir-
GINA, The fact is; we have never had
much of It in this ancient Common
local government RIM was histinctIvely
aristocratic and oligarchic in form, and
the people had but very little to do
w.n a fhe
made 1t advisable to concentrate for
a a. period as much power as posi-
pie in the state government n The
the concentration and consolidation of
the rights of the people in the State
government. In no department of our
gov trl, is this more fore ,ib IL,
administration OF our public school
system. Apart from voting for the
State Superintendent of Public In
struction. the people really have moth
ing to do with the management of
their public schools: and now 1t is
proposed to take from their local
school officials their constitutional
rights to expend the local taxes in
such way as in their judgment the in
terests of their schools may require.
II the contract made by the state
Board of Education with the school
desk syndicate 10 stand and ha
enforced. our local school authori-
ties will have nothing further to-
do with purchasing school desks and
other articles of school furniture than
to pay for them and set them up when
they come.
Both Democrats and Republicans be-
lieve in Tree trade in American pro-
ducts in every part of the United
States; that Is. the right of every
American to buy without restriction
any product of American invention or
industry: and yet II we must believe
the current publications in the news
papers the State boards has issued
it's edict to the local school authorities
ordering them to buy certain schools
desks. and that the board Is soon ito
hold a meeting with a view to asking
the courts to issue an Injunction to
City from buying desks equal. II not
superior to those adopted by the.
State Board. and costing % cents less
for each desk. If this shall prove
true. we shall then have local self
government and free trade with a VEN
ee'''ee - coUNTRYMEN.