Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-13
Situation Over Revision of Laws
Very Much Mixed in Leg
islature
sELFlsANEss IN OPPOSITION
Many Elements Oppose Measure-com-
mittee Seeking Views of Sincere
People and Will Make Effort to For
mulate Sill Less RadicaI-The Sit
uation Reviewed.
Special to Times Republican.

4 Des Moines Feb. 13.-The Legislative
situation with regard to the school bill
is very much mixed and the outcome
/ is so far from solution that no one or
earth is in position to say just what
/ will be done. There is little question
jhut that majority OF members of both
house and senate are anxious that some
bill will pass chat will help the schools
! a feeling generally prevails that some
relief is absolutely necessary. The pres
lent laws Of the state are in hopeless
| tangle. They contain 80 many confiic-
| tions, contradictions, obscure, mean
| ingless ard obsolete provisions that
not only the teachers of the state but
! almost everyone who has to deal with
them or with the school system Is ask
ing for relief In this situation the
members of the Legislature, while in a
perplexing position. feel the weight OF
their responsibility.
The Thirty-third general assembly"
said one OF the senators who has gone
ent has other matters at the front, lis
trying to learn what changes should be
made to provide the relief which very
evidently the most of the people feel
we need. They want to put the schools
on better basis, and In fact make
Iowa's schools what they should be.
The proposition is to lay a foundation
for an educational system for years to
como. The old laws have long since
outlived their usefulness That Iowa is
falling behind in the educational adj
vance which her surrounding sister
states have been making no one can
deny
Selfishness Back Of Opposition.
But at the very outset self interest,
personal gain ambition to hold Of
fees. and selhshness of all kinds has
appeared to argue for self-aggrandize-
ment, no matter what comes of the
children of Iowa and their schooling
period Is it not sad commentary
Upon the greed and egetism of man
kind Of today that he is willing to place
every stumbling block in the way of
Children securing the best education
possible simply because by so doing
some one may lose the interest on a
little public money, which the commun-
ity has entrusted to him for safe keep
ing; or because he may hold some
petty school office In his community;
or because of some small personal dis
advantage he may feel that it becomes
his duty to oppose the good of the
schools of an entire state?
1T is conceded on every hand that
the present school bill needs changing.
Intelligent, unselfiss, honest criticism is
acknowledgements by every one of us
who has an interest in securing some
new law. Many Of us have sent hum
dreds of copies of the bill into our
districts with the request that the peo-
pie study the bill and write their opin-
ion.
Present Machinery Cumbersome.
"Tlle commission which wrote the re-
port have never taken the attitude that
their report is perfect. They were
most anxious for assistance and sought
far and wide for all The suggestions
they could obtain which would help
them mold a new school law which
would advance the cause of education
and give the schools some relief from
the present cumbersome school ma
chinery. Few who have the welfare
of the project at heart are not willing
to get new light and help. The spirit
prevails among the members that
that everything can be done
to help the schools should be
done. But the selfishness Of human
nature strange as it may seem,
today is threatening to wreck the
whole plan and overturn one of the
best and most sacred movements that
has taken place in this state for many
years. 1t is from this class that the
protests are coming to the state cap
itol today and 1t remains to be seen
whether petty personal gain is going
to wreck movement of tremndous
Importance to this commonwealth.
Peoples Views Wanted.
If the good people of Iowa who
have the welfare of the babies of the
state at heart would send in their
views and state that some bill should
be passed to provide better schools,
which would at least prevent the state
from tagging in the march of educa-
tional progress, it can easily be shown
that not selfishness but the general
good Of all will he the spirit which
the members of the legislature will
give heed to.
"a thousand and one objections, and
Just as many amendments are being
offered to the present measure. 1t is
thought by some that In order to get