The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-08-03
Where Was Aswell When the Schools We're
Turned Over to the States Political
Bosses by the Marks Bill?
[sextus, in tho New Orleans item

[Sextus, in the New Orleans Item.l
The Editor of The Hena-To listen to DR..
Asweil in his eloquent flights of fancy, one
would suppose that he is a man of the peo-
pie and for the people, and that he had
always stood for the inalienable rights OF
man.
To hear him on the stump with silver
tongue declare that he is in favor of di-
vorcing the public schools from politics.,
and restoring to the people the right OF local
self-governmenti in their educationala affairs,
one would suppose that at last there had
been found a man who could be trusted to
break the backbone of one-man power in
the State.
Unfortunately for him and fortunately
for the people of the State who have been
fooled before, this candidate of the people
has record, and in the coming campaign
let the record speak, and let it judge the
sincerity and honesty of the candidates,
lest again the people be fooled by honeyed
words of promise and silver sounding
nothings.
By Act No. 60, page 90 of 1905, the Leg
islature of the State made Parish School
Boards elective, thus giving to the people
the right to elect and control their schools
in each parish. This board elected or ap-
pointed Parish Superintendent who had
charge under their direction and control of
the pnblic schools of each parish.
Thus far everything was we'll. Blanchard
was Governor and Aswell was Superin-
of the BILL but it was one of the platform
pledges of Blanchard and was enacted into
law at his behest.
|
and Candidate Aswell was again honored
by the people of the State to re- election.
What did he do? Or what did he permit
his new master to do without protest or
objection, and with his implied if not his
! expressed consent?
He caused to be enacted, or what is just
the same, he permitted to be enacted with
out protest or objection, and with his inn
piled and possibly his expressed consent,
Act 40, page 40 of 1908, the Marks Bill!
Did this new Tribune of the People then
raise his voice to object in their name to
an assault on their rights?
Did this Candidate of the people" urge
q single member of the Legislature to vote
against this assassination of local self
government?
Did this new found patriot then come
|
protest against the autocratic power which
this bill placed in the hands of the State
Board of Education?
Did he not goto members of the legislature
and ask them to vote in favor of this bill?
Was it not introduced and passed with
his knowledge and consent as measure
or from the State Superintendent of Edu-
cation and did he not passively. if not ac-
lively, lend it his aid and support?
If he favored the Marks Bill then what
miracle has wrought such change in bic
views? If he did not oppose the Marks
Bill then, what earnest can he give to the
people that be will repeal or oppose it if he
is elected Governor of this great State?
II If he sat quiescent then and permitted
the passage of this law without using his
"silver tongue" or raising his manly hand
to oppose it, what guarantee can he give
that he will do any better if he walked into
the Governors office of the Chief Magis-
trate of the State?
Il Act go of 1906, fathered by Wimberly and
supported by Blanchard, gave to the peo-
pie local self-government and placed in the
control of the local parish boards the con-
troll of the local parish schools.
Act 40 of 1908, the Marks Bill, left the
I parish boards elective as before, but strip
ped them of all power and left their election
sham and pretense!
Act 40 of 1868, the Marks Bill, placed in
the hands of the State Board of Education
manipulated and controlled by the Cover
nor and the Superintendent of Education
| the autocratic right and power to control
every School Board in the State, to name
and remove every Parish School Superin-
tendent who had autocratic control of every
school and school teacher in the public
schools of the parish, and it was this bill
i which made political machine of the pub.
lie school system and placed in the hands
of q political ring, as political capital, the
education of every little boy and girl in the
public schools of the State!
|, To the outraged fathers and mothers Of
/ the State, having little ones to educate in
the public schools, it looks as though this
: Marks Bill was an insidious and diabolic
t assassination of Act No. go of 1905 and
conceived and passed with the sole and
leading purpose of undoing and multiplying
the good provisions of that Act!
; Where was the candidate of the PEG.
! Pile" then? Echo, answers, where?
. He was likely considering in the quietude
Of his Office the joint resolution No. % oil
t 1908, proposing an increase of the salary
8 from $4,000 to $1,000, or for aught we know
. was assisting in the lobby the passage OIL
' the measure under discussion.
Let him answer now, before the bar OIL
! public opinion and explain to the people, il