The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-06-14
COPELAND REPLIES
TO ATTACKS MADE
upon HIM

UT uW TIM
Editor Advertiser was to be
hoped that when the Commissioners of
Public Instruction and the supervising
principals had finished their sessions,
their self-appointed critics and men
tors would accept the situation and al
low the agitation to subside. Such,
however, does not appear to be the
case. Shielded behind the editorial
"we' of the Bulletin, the arch.agita.
tor of affairs educational still contin-
ues his campaign of misrepresentation
and detraction.
During the meetings of the supervis-
ing principals L made no reply to the
baseless fabrications constantly dinned
into the ears of the public through the
columns of the Bulletin. Personally
care nothing for the Bulletin g abuse
No one who knows me is in the least
affected by it, and the public have long
since learned that the Bulletin dis
plays real ability in the art of aligning
itself on the wrong side of every ques-
tion. The position of my detractors
seems to be that if they keep up their
mud singing long enough and per-
sistently enough some OF the mud will
stick. Therefore it would Seem ad-
visable for me to make some public
statement, not in the way of defense,
, but in explanation.
! | have been publicly accused, through
the Bulletin, of doing politics, of work
| ing for county control of schools, of
drawing the color line against the Ha-
waiians, of cherishing ambitions to FIJI
the superintendency, of professional in
competency, of stirring up trouble in
the schools, of being an agent of the
school book trust, and of all other high
crimes and misdemeanors which from
time to time seemed to fit in with my
opponents ideas of the situation. Yet
in all this clamor not one single fact
has been aiduced in support of these
multitudinous charges, The sole
weapons used in the windy campaign
against me have been absurd accuse
tiOns, malicious abuse, simIan sneers
misrepresentat ions, innuendoes, venom
Gus calumny and evident though inef
fective falsehood / have been ac
cused of driving the commissioners to
wards educational ruin like flock o
frightened sheep, while the fact is that
have never in my life had five minutes
conversation on school matters with !
single member of the present boar
except Mr.. Aiken, and not with hin
for several months preceding the meet
ing in Honolulu. SO far as | know
the action of the commissioners wa
taken in accordance with their know
edge of the situation and their ow1
Judgment regarding it. The stan
which / have taken in school affair
recently was taken in the hope that
might commend itself not only to tn
commissioners but to the public genel
ally; and, SO far, ] have no reason t
believe that my position was mistaken
have been charged with coercion, blu
as to whom i coerced and INTO what
coerced them my opponents maintain
discreet silence. The only coercion
know anything about was that excl
cised by my opponents upon one of IN
colleagues, who was coerced into sigI
ing an affidavit false in every partie,
lHI riNe OHcs HdlnclNs Jhdb Htcult
his promise of assistance-a promis
which he had not the manhood to keel
The abuse showered upon me has nc
even the merit of consistency. In on
breath j am sneered at rs a doddeI
ing dotard far gone in senile dementia
in the next / am warned against as
dangerous demagogue whose raider
innovations in the educational line NJ
likely to overthrow the law OF gray
tation and the Constitution of th
United States. The contradictions an
Inconsistencies of the attacks on IN
are the best proof Of their utter il
sincerity and lack Of substance.
not trouble myself in the least eoncerr
ing them.
Many people, however, perplexed wit
all the fire and fury, the punk AN
pifHe of the newspaper war, are inquil
ing what II is all about, anyhow. Ho'
does IL happen that "a body Of schoo
tenehers can not discuss 40 prosaie an
matter of.fnct subject NJ the cours
of study without straightaway enga,
ing in Kilkenny eat hghtf VIII
could not plain, clearly expressed n
quest 0f the commissioners reeeiY
proper consideration without the dil
graceful qnihbliug, quarrelng nn
wfangling which characterized the eOi
duet ~ rertain members aud would d
neuhers ~ the supervising prineipal'
'meeiingg why should heaven an
'eaIih Boz turned upside down 10 val