The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-13
ANOTHER STRONG PLEA
 FOR THE GUNNELS BILL

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Permit me to state as clearly and in is as few words as possible why many of us fail to feel the controlling force of the statements made in your issue of last Sunday by that genial and mild-mannered gentleman Prof. s. A. Ellis, anent the betterment of the rural schools of the state.
 Yet since he says, "It has not been my purpose to again appear in print on this question" perhaps this his present letter is kind of an appendix to his real argu- ment, which l have not had the good for tune to see. sort of addendum whose office is to cure the defects of the first letter. This suppostion would account for the lack of strenuousness, of virility, which is all but too apparent.
 A careful reading of his communication will show that the good professor first at- tacks his opponents rather than their ar gument. Hear him: In column after col umn of the public journals the main question at issue is adroitly avoided; they endeavor all the while to keep the at tention of the reader off the main sub-
 
 ation of women's clubs for their support, keeping the light turned all the while upon the subject of better qualifications" Gro which. as he agrees, all assent) Let us translate these statements into the Vernacular: His opponents are more in- genious than ingenious, they know they have weak case and they are trying to fool all the people some of the tme." Think of those who favor the "McAdory- Gunnels" bill being silly enough to essay to throw dust in the eyes of the good women, the members of the Federation of Women's clubs. What a compliment to the wives and the mothers and the sweet hearts of the voters!
 Listen to some extracts from an appeal that these different "clubs" are signing and sending into headquaretrs: There are more than 600O0O Alabama children who live outside of incorporated cities, towns and villages-more than S1 per cent of our school population. Will you not give to the country child the same advantages in school supervision which have already been given to the city child? Why this un- just discrimination" Is anything more needed to show that this Federation of Womens clubs understand the situation? Yet 1t is implied that our state super intendent, elected unanimously by the peo- pie, Is engaged in an adroit attempt 70 ''fool' these who rock the cradle" by keeping out of sight the main issue. Could he do it? Would he do it?
 Next the writer calls names: If we are going into the republican ranks Has such a step been under considera- ton? Surely his case is not so weak that he must needs resort to the argument ad invidiam. That Is, these gentlemen of the McAdory Gunnels persuasion, either ignorantly or aforethought, are bent upon replenishing the republican ranks" Now, l do not think the professor means that: l imagine from his naming Hamilton he hints at opposition to strong gov- ernment." But the logical antithesis of strong is weak. That has been the trouble with the whole question of the rural schools-weak sums up the situation. And our determination is that they shall be so no longer; and we call on the professor to help us make the rural schools strong, healthy, strenuous, virile.
 Our position in a nut shell Is. Let us make the rural school like the urban schools. How shall we give the country child as good chance as the city child now has? Confessedly. as a rule, the city schools are far bet