The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-02-23

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of the Minnesota schools for the deaf
and blind. It in no way interferes
however, except to exercise general
supervision over them with the local
common school boards elected by the
people. These will still continue to
discharge their duties as defined by
our present education laws.
This board will appoint the superin-
tendent of public instruction, whose
title, however, will be exchanged to
that of superintendent of education.
1t will make plans for the system of
public instruction to be adopted. It
will advise on all matters with the
superintendent of education. It will
appoint, in addition to an inspector of
high schools and an inspector of
graded schools, a rural school COM
missioner who shall have general SUI
pervision of rural schools. The duty
of this commissioner, and it is to be
noticed that this is an entirely new
Office, shall be to assist county SUPER
intendents in this work, to further
consolidation where practicable, to
prepare suggestive courses in agricul-
ture and industry suitable to the
different communities, attend school
officers meetings., to aid school
boards in securing proper buildings
and equipment at minimum cost, to
issue bulletins of information from
time to time as authorized by the
board, and to aid in every way pos
sible to improve the rural schools of
the state.
An animated debate took place in
the senate the other day on the subject
Of the use Of Minnesota material,
principally stone and brick, in Mime
sofa public buildings. The occasion
for it was a provision in the specifca-
tions prepared for the construction of
contemplated buildings at the uni
versity, that Bedford stone from
Indiana should be used. The general
opinion of the senator's was that, con-
sidering the variety, beauty and
utility of Minnesota stone available,
it was indefensible to provide that
university buildings should be con-
structed of stone from a particular
quarry from Indiana. Objection was
also made to buying brick outside the
state when just as good brick is manu-
featured within the state. The ad-
vantage of being able to point to Min
nesota public buildings as being con-
structed of Minnesota material in ad-
vertlsing the state was insisted upon.
The resolution adopted, which think
will meet with practically universal
approval, provides that, where
suitable material can be found within
the state of equal or greater dura-
bility and at as low a price, it must
be given the preference to building
material produced in other states in
the construction of public buildings in
Minnesota.
There is likely one Of these times to
be lively scrap in the house over
the local option bill introduced in the
house by Mr.. johnson of Candy. It
is generally supposed that we have
local option in Minnesota and the
brewery interests have all along
fought county option on the ground
that local option was preferable and
that the question of license or no
license should be left to the munich
palities Immediately concerned.
Now, while we have a kind of local
option law in Minnesota it is appIi-
cable only to townships and villages.
There is no provisions in it whereby
the many small cities in the state can
submit the question of license to the
votes OF the people. Only cities have
option in this matter which have pro-
vided for it in their home rule
charters. Mr.. Johnson's bill pro-
vides for extending the privilege of
local option to all cities of the fourth
class. That the temperance COM
mittee of the house this year is not
greatly unlike the temperance COM
mittee of other years is indicated by
the fact that it reported this moderate
and reasonable measure for indefinite
postponement. A minority of the CON-
mlttee favored it's passage, and so re-
ported. Mr.. johnson appealed to the
house to have the bill advanced to
general orders, and that there is
some prospect of it's passage is indi-
Gated by the vote of 80 to "a in favor
of his motion.
County option has had its day in
the S0nata IT, NOS oo15 10.