The Washington herald., 1908-02-25
PRESS SCHOOL BILL
Test Of DOlIiYer Measure to
Come Tomorrow.
MAY GIVE PRESIDENT POWER
Friends OF the BiIl Suggest that He
Be Made Source of Appointment Of
Wishes Of the District See No Ben
eft in This-PrOner Compromise.

That the Dolliver bill, proposing to re-
organize the administration Of the Dis
trict schools. will pass the Senate to-
morrow is the belief OF the Senators who
are backing the bill.
Senators who are opposing the meas
ure, however. say that the bill will not
get through the Senate in its present
form. and that material amendment VIII
be made in II before passage.
Senator 3urkett yesterday made an ef-
fort 10 get unanimous consent to take up
lthe bill for consideration tomorrow. but
Senator Kean. Of New Jersey. entered an
emphatic objection. and Senator Burkett
| thereupon gave notice that he would
move tomorrow TO take up the bill. This
means that vote will be had on the
motion 10 consider the bill, and the
friends of the measure claim that they
have more than enough votes for this
purpose.
This votA> however, will not be an
! adequate test OF the strength OF the bill
as it is the unwritten law in the Senate
that every Senator's bills are entitled to
consideration. whatever may be the prob
dDiuly as 10 tuelF Idte.
Four Oppose the Bill.
Four Senator's are known to be unal-
terably opposed 70 the passage Of the bill
in its present form, owing to its having
the united opposition of the Districts
population. All but perhaps one OF these
Senator'S however believe that the bill
would be generally satisfactory to the
people of the District II It were amended
so as to give to the Commissioners the
power of appointing the proposed director
OF education. whom the bin makes the
executive head OF the schools. This
power. under the terms of the bill as it
stands, is granted 10 the Federal Com
missioner Of Education.
Those who are behind the bill in the
Senate say that they would be willing
10 agree TO an amendment placing this
power in the hands of the President. but
that they are unslterably opposed TO Civ
ing Il 10 the Commissioners.
Nay Prefer Compromise.
The President has not been approached
on the subject. but it is understood that
If the opposition appears TO be as strong
when the bill is taken up as il now ap-
pears to be, this proposition may be made
by the hackers of the bill to avoid its
definite rejection. II is not believed, how
ever. that such a change would be any
more acceptable 10 the Senators who are
acting for the people of the District than
the present provision. as the question IN
volved is not the fitness OF the Commits
sioner Of Education to make proper Sc
| lection, which is unquestioned by the bills
opponents in the Senate, but IT is the de-
sire of the people OF the District to have
the administration of the schools remain
ultimately in the control OF local agencies.
Both Sides Missionaries.
That the fight on the bill viii be de-
termined one is a foregone conclusion.
Much missionary work has been done by
residents OF the District. including par
ents and teachers. in the weeks during
which the measure has been pending and
the friends of the. measure in its present
form a fortnight ago admitted that the
opposition in the Senate to the appoint
ing provision was stronger than they had
expected II 10 be.
They have been circulating, in the mean
known 10 have formed no decided opinion
on the question. and they now believe
that much of the disapprobation OF the
bill in the Senate has been done away
With