The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-13

ter than the rural school. Why? Be- cause they have the best supervision. Has the city of Birmingham gone into the republican ranks" is it not in ac- cord with the theory and the practice of democracy, because the superin- tendent of schools is not elected by the people? Is there any reason in the nature of things why the same rule should not work to the best advantage In each case? The city Board of Ed ucation, or the Common Council, elects the superintendent of schools. Is ther thought to put such election in the hands of the people? To avail him self of that jewel consistency, our friend should advocate a change, and have him elected by the people so as ito keep close to the people," Let us talk plain: Is 1t the result of rings and machine politics." that Phillips of Birmingham and Dill of Bessemer and Harrison of Union Springs and Flody of Montgomery. and many others, are re-elected, year after year? Yet such must assuredy be the case if Mr. Ellis is wise in his prognostications. Is 1t not a needless scare? This cry of rings" and republican ranks."
 The public school fund is a public trust: of 1t the state, acting in it's representative capacity. is the trustee; and the children are the benehciaries.
 
 equity to administer the trust to the greatest advantage of the beneficiaries. The offices under 1t are not plums "spoils, but trusts. Hence the frail- ty of the complaint: "rhe county boar I'd will go out of the county for a superin- tendent; it should be some one from the county" Which is the more patriotic, the better business to get the best man; or to give it to some one who has worked for ''the cause?" Let us have the name of some young man, who has been robbed of his as pirations to fill positions of useful ness in his own county" In what city has the election of superintendent by the Board of Education tended to break down home enterprise and as- ptrations?' If not dire and pitiful re- suits in the cities and towns will our prophets show LIS, logically how are the conditions in the country so diff ferent that we will become undemo- cratic, in danger of joining the re- publican ranks, and rush into the out stretch ed arms of rings" and ma chine politics" if the county Board of Education elects the county superin- tenuent?
 And who elects the county board? The people elect it; and to the people it is responsible. The county board elects the county superintendent. and to 1t he is responsible; and they get the best man they can find and if he does not do his duty they turn him off.
 Such is the case In business: the stockholders elect the directors in bank and the directors elect the men to run the bank. the president, etc. By the proposed Wilson bill. the stock holders would elect everybody else,
 so as to keep close to the people," Imagine the people of New York, or of that wild city on Lake Michigan. solemnly electing the public sch ool teachers. Don't let us be afraid, pro- lessor. let us go hand in hand with your argument far as it goes. If we forsake it. going by itselt 1t will get lost, then what? No. Technical places require men of tech nical knowledge and peculiar attachments: I opine it will be no easy thing to secure the right men, those who will do for the rural school what the city superintend- ent does for hls sch ools.
 This is the third appearance of the three R's: First, we had Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic," to which pr. Burchard added Rum. Romanism and Rebellion" now comes the professor with Rings and Republican Ranks"