The Washington times., 1908-04-02
People of District Should
Govern Own Schools,
Minnesota Senator
Declares.
Protest Against Measure
Read in Course Of Spir-
tied Attack on Com
mittee Plan.

Senator Burkett OF Nebraska called
up the DoIiver school bill in the Senate
today, and succeeded in getting through
motion for its consideration.
A red-hot controversy over the merits
OF the bill was at once precipitated.
Senator Nelson Of Minnesota taking the
lead In opposition 70 II.
Senator BUrketts action in moving 10
take the bill up was a surprise TO Sen
ators, some OF whom were not prepared
70 take up the measure. After the
motion had been PASSED and the bill
was being read for committee amend
ments, Senator Smoot Of Utah said ne
did not hear the motion called and
would Ike the regular order OF bust
ness
This is the regular order Of busi-
ness" responded Vice President Fair
banks. when appealed TO by the Utah
Senator.
Nelson DenOunces Bill.
Following the announcement of the
committee amendments. Senator Mel
son took the floor and strongly de-
nOunced the bill as an outrage upon
the people Of Washington. Last year"
said he. Congress passed a law re-
organizing the educational system OF
this District and providing for a Board
Of Education. Il is now proposed to
lesislate out Of existence the Board Of
Education and put the educational sys-
tenn in the hands Of one person. II
there Is anything the American people
take an interest in 1t is the public
schools.
AN over the land the people have an
~ sfHrrr nFr-~ 50
puohc schools This IS the Grsi m
stance TO MY knowledge in which IL Is
proposed 70 deprive the population of
The city OF anything whatever 10 say
about the school management. WNv
the 100000 people OF the District OF Co.
lumbia should Sa disfranchised ard
their schools pat under the control nf
An autOCTat pSSscs my cOnprehenst11
Where IS this man who is 10 be the di-
rector of eduCation to be appointed
frOm2 He may be appointed from
Hawaii, Alaska, or the Philippines and
put over the schools here
Senator Scott reminded Senator Nel-
son that the judges Of the District gen
orally were appointed from outside the
District. To this Senator Nelson made
no reply.
Fights for District
I have heard * said" continued
Senator Nelson. that the District Of
Columbia ought TO submit to this be-
cause Congress pays one-half Of the
taxes We do not undertake even in
any OF the Territories to conduct their
schools for them The people Of this
District are sufficiently disfranchised
today TO take the last vestige OF self
government out OF the hands OF the
people here and especially the control
Of the public schools seems to me TO
Of Washington ] can't imagine what
crime the people Of Washington have
committed that they ShOuld be PEN
allied in this manner"
Senator Gallinger interrupted Senator
Nelson TO point out 70 him that the
Board of Education. instead Of Ueing
established last year, as the Minnesota
statesman had said, had been in exist
ence for many years.
1T has been in a row" said Senator
Gallinger. practically every day since
IL was appointed.
Senator Nelson th,n took up the fact
that various representatives Of the peO-
pie here had desired 20 be heard before
the District Committee on this bill. but
had not had the opportunity He had
read for the information OF the Senate
the resolution adopted by the Wash
ington Chamber Of Commerce, 81 Cing
forth the opposition Of this body to
the proposed legislation Following that
he moved to submit tie bill to the
Senate District Committee.
Burkett Defends Bill.
Senator Burkett said no Senator not
on the District Committee could roaIize
the difficulties OF the school question
The committee early in the session was
put in charge Of this question by a vote
Of the Senate, directing IL to find a way
out OF the tangle. II possible. The Dis
trict was in a turmoil about the schools:
there was complaint everywhere; the
Superintendent and the Board Of Edu-
cation had failed to produce the results
expected: Senators and members were
besieged by teachers and citizens, beg
ging that the situation be Strengthened
out.
The Senate adopted o resolution d.
recting the District Committee TO form
ulate a plan. and subcom mittee Of five
members was named. Of which Senator
Burkett was chairman
About this time the Deliver bill was
introduced. The subcommittee cCnsid-
cred IL very carefully and reported II
unanimously to the full committee The
full committee. az meeting very large
ly attended. reported the bill unanin- GUS
~, except that one msHsSer dissented as
TO part Of the measure.
Asks About Cabal.
Senator Hopkins asked for al ex
PLANTATION OF the argument In favor Of
the bill. and wanted to know what edu-
cational authorities had been heard in
favor of it. Senator Flint wanted 10
know IL evidence had not developed of
the existence Of a combination IN the
board to control all its business. To the
latter question Senator Burkett pre-
ferred not TO make an answer. There
had simply been endless charges and
recriminatIon. the merits of which would
be almost impossible to @etermine.
II have here a copy Of the printed
-
Continued on Tenth Fage)