The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-04-07
SCHOOL MATTERS.

Mr.. Harrie freeman had secured thu
! top of the editorial column of thu
Banner to continue his tiradt
against me, for he might have had I
much larger audience by using the
CHRONICLE, which was offered 10 him
and he could have said all the near
things he has said in the g Banner .
and elsewhere, and such other anC
meaner things as no one but he could
invent, providing he would sign his
name to the article. But of course
two such heads are worse than one and
he needed the literary assistance OF
the fake reporter for the Newark
News ;" His mouth marks, however
are plainly visible in the language
used.
He does not deny the charge that
has been made against him but tries
to divert attention from the real and
only issue by throwing mud at me.
He also drags in the Board of Educa-
tion which comes dangerously near
involving the schools themselves in
the controversy. Does he want to
open discussion in regard to the
schools?
| will answer the several points in
the article as briefly as possible.
l. The members of the Board, with
one marked exception, are representa-
tive men of high character for whom |
have great respect, and have never
said anything to the contrary to Mr..
Freeman or any one else,
2. That am not a real estate owner,
and therefore should have nothing to
say, is quite aristocratic and might do
in England but not in this country.
AS a rule the more real estate man
has the less he cares for public schools
and the educating of other peoples
children y. In fact it is not a month
since Mr.. Freeman, in speaking of a
new high school building said to me,
The rich men would be against it
tooth and naildon't you know"
B. | was not born in Morristown
and for that reason narrow minded
creature may regard me as an "unde-
Sirable citizen -, but a residence of
nearly fifteen years gives me, believe,
right to speak out when | know that
a great wrong is being done; and the
fact that in all these years l have
made no public protest against any
thing proves that | am not what the
/" Banner - would call kicker y
4. L do not desire the office of trus-
tee. a member of the State Board of
Education should not be member OF
a local Board, but he has perfect
right to protest against what is prac-
tlcally stutfiag the ballot box at a
school election, that is the voting by
order Of one man of hundred or more
men mostly from Southern Europe
who never think of voting except
when ordered to do so.
.. | see nothing amusing in this
matter 1t is very serious business
ana yitally affects the most sacred in
stltution controlled by any munich
pality.
o. Mr.. Freeman finds grain of
comfort in the fact that three years
ago the CHRONICLE said he was a good
clerk. No doubt he is a good clerk
and good trustee in his special ca
pacity. He looks after the tanitors
also the repairs and supplies, and is
probably the handiest man on the
Board but l do not believe that the
other members will any longer tolerate
his nefarious election tactics.
80 much for the composite editorial
in the Banner. Now a word in re-,
gard to the animus of the man and
his methods of revenge.
For years he was very friendly and
often came to me for information in
regard to new school laws, and other
and recently when he was
worried about letter from the High
School Inspector | comforted him as
best could But the day before cleo
tlon told him that his schemes would
not always work, and that sometime
the people would demand the right to
speak for themselves. Then he turned
against me, made personal.
matter of it and canvassed the town
pretending to quote what / had said
about certain individuals or classes of
people. Some of his stories contained
a little truth and others not a shadow
OF it. Two samples were given in the
Banner"
expected to suffer but have been
more than repaid by the thanks have
received for turning on the light, and
If the discussion through the papers
and by the people generally will put a
stop to the wholesale abuse of the
elective franchise in school matters,
and | belieye it will, my only object
will be accomplished.
G. e. SURDAM.
p. S. That people may read both
sides marked copies will be mailed to
the handful who take the " Banner .
and do not take the CHRONICLE
The Theatre Project.
About a dozen citizens met in the