The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-18
Con- O'Nedl Sends First
 Message To Legislature
CONTINUED FROM PAGE s)


 advertising them. Students are deceived
 and come away from such institutions with meaningless degrees, believing that
 they have been well educated. The result
 t that they are failures in life, real col
 leges and universities are injured, and
 the states educational standard is kept
 low. This pernicious practice should be
 stopped stopped now and 'sforexer. 7.
 competent board should be created tos
 the purpose of ascertaining and publish
 ing what institutions are prepared to do the work upon which degrees can saieiy
 be granted, and no institution should DC
 permitted to confer degrees unless II
 measures up to this standard.
 I. therefore, recommend:
 1. The submission to the people at the
 next general election of an amendment to the constitution permitting 9 local dis tr;ct tax for schools. a maximum limita-
 ton to be placed upon the amount of
 such tax.
 ?. The appointment of an educational commission with appropriation to cover the salary of secretary and other nec-
 essary contingent expenses; this com mission to be nominated b ythe governor subject to conirmatio by the senateSand to have power: ta) to codify and simplify the school laws of the state; (b) to make
 
 system and to make full report with such suggestions for legislation as they may deem proper and advisable.
 Such a commission could make a par tial report to any adjourned session of this body, and after such report is re- ceived we can then more intelligently enact such legislation as the needs of our educational system demand.
 B. That after the expiration of the terms
 nf4 t,A cnr,t nj Ion 0f
 education, they be selected by the county boards of education-to serve for stipu- lated term, with right of reelection; that proper standard of qualification be fixed and that they be required to devote all their time to, the work; that the salary be fixed by the county board of education. md that there be no requirement that the county superintendent shall be res ident of this state.l A 2 Primary Election Law The system of nominating candidates by direct popular vote has in the past few years rapidly won it's way into public favor This method of nominating can didates for state and congressional of fees was first adopted in Alabama in 1902. The system. however, had prevailed in many counties and districts of the state many years prior to that period. We have therefore had sufficient expert
  Alabama to ascertain It's defects or ob- jections, and how can they be removed? The large and increasing expenses to which candidates are necessarily subject ed under this plan has become a serious | evil It is idle to- say that candidate 1 need not spend more money than he wishes. No man enters state contest for office without a desire to win suc- cess, and to win success he speedily dis covers that he must adopt every leglti- mate method of campaigning which will = lead to his nomination. He must dis tribute lterature-he must visit all sec- tons of the state--he must write personal letters to the voters and must use the columns of the weekly and daily press. 1 He must organize committees, employ stenographers and clerks and liberally patronize the postoffice. In Alabama the campaign is generally inaugurated months and even years be- fore the nomination Is made, and during all that period the time of candidate must be devoted principally to campaign ing. ,5,74.ia1s The necessary result of this system is ttat the expense accounts of candidates seeking nomination are constantly grow ling and to such an extent as to prevent