The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-07-22
6be 3effersontan

allowed to speak to them about any pending
or proposed legislation, excepting in the hear
ings in committee or before the whole house.
Why should a lobbyist desire to haze secret
conference ecith q legislator? There is but
one possible answer ITO CORRUPT OR
DECEIVE HIM.
~ There is compulsory education bill
before the Legislature. Is there general de-
mand for such law, or is it being pushed by
a handful of Zealots? The subject should be
most carefully considered. If the people as a
whole demand such law, they should have
it. But recollect that it will force every ne
room, and don't forget that the pride of white
parents will deter them from sending their
children, if they are not able to clothe them
in such a way as to save them from ridcule
and humiliation.
Remember, gentlemen Many Of our poor
whites are the proudest, most sensitive people
on earth You simply cannot frame a law
which will reach every case. You may fling
sane, penniless men into the jails but you
cannot help the child, always, by doing that
Before penalizing the conduct of those who
stand in the place of parents, the law should
be so worded as not to make criminal out of
the person who is willing to put the child in
school, but who is literally unable to do So
To the jury should be given wide and wise
discretion in the matter of the motive govern
ing the parent. And we say, again, that the
State should not adopt a severe compulsory
law, SO long as the parents are compelled to
pay tribute to the School-book Trust and to
meet the Incidental expenses assessed against
pupils.
(3) In this connection, ace call special at
terotioae TO the Persons bizz If we understand
this measure, it is extremely dangerous Poor
human nature cannot be entrusted with too
much power. Autocratic authority should
never be set up in the belief that the despot
will always be of the benevolent type. Elk
perience ought to have taught us, by this
time, that when once the centralizing and con-
solidating process begins, there is never halt
until despotism results. Let the members of
the Legislature carefully study the Persons
bill and then ask themselves the question:
Suppose this tremendous power should be
vested In tyrannical hands, how could the peo-
pie get redress?
Under the Persons bill, the State School
Commissioner becomes a law-maker from
whose decisions there is no appeal, save to the
State Board of Education which he in part
appoints. He will draw two salaries He
will become e~-ofcio Trustee of the State
University, the Normal and Industrial Col
leges at Athens and Milledgeville and of all
other normal schools! He will appoint two
State school inspectors, at $4,000 each, and
these will have clerks and stenographers cost
ing $4,000 per year. He will have exclusive
power to issue and annwZ charters of literary,
chronological and professional schools I'm
der this Persons bill, the people aoiW be de-
priced of the right to elect the Couqatv School
Commissioner. That officer will not be eligi-
BILE until he has stood an examination before
the new State School Board. In other words.
the people will not be allowed to vote for any