The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-02-20
CARY SEENkG REELECTION
William Kittle, Secretary of the State
Board of Normal Regents Seeks Of
fee and Is Given Strong Political
Backing-Cary Stands on His Record.

u
Under this heading, the following
article discussing the respective claims
Of both aspirants for the Office of state
superintendent of public instruction,
appears in the current issue of the
Wisconsin journal Of Education.
On Tuesday, the first day of next
April, the voters Of Wisconsin, wom-
en- included, are to exercise their right
Of suffrage in deciding whether Chas.
p. Cary, the present incumbent of the
office, or William Kittle, secretary Of
the normal board of regents, shall pre-
side over the educational destinies CT
the state Of Wisconsin for four years
from Jlly ], next.
The issue is squarely drawn between
these two men. No other candidates
are in the field.
Mr.. Cary appeals to the people for
reelection solely on his ten years
record as state superintendent of pub
lie instruction. In 1902 he came to
the office through the influence OF the
strong progressive wing of the repub-
lican party, under the old political con-
vention system, being championed by
Wisconsin, great progressive leader,
Senator (then governor)) LaFollette.
In two successive contests at spring
elections, 1905 and 1909, the people
have endorsed Mr., Cary's administra-
tion and approved his record, although
at both elections strong school men,
who had won their spurs in the Wis
consin educational field, were his
opponents.
1t must be noted here, as a matter
of history, that between Mr.. Cary's
first nomination by a party convention
in 1902 and his subsequent election in
1905 by the people, change had been
made in the state constitution which
took the state lperintendency out of
politics by making it a popular cleo
tive Office, the same as supreme Judge
ships The sole purpose of this change
was to make the contest strictly nom
partisan, and to that end the time of
election was shifted from the fall to
the spring when the people would be
free TO cast their ballots uninfuenced
by partisan politics. 1t was mighty
leap from the caucus convention sys-
tenn of the old reactionaries to the
peoples choice in the modern Wiscon-
sin form of representative govern
ment. Up to the present contest, poll
tics have never entered into the state
uperintendency campaigns since the
enactment of this amendment.
Not all of Mr.. Cary's official acts
while in Office have met the approval
of either politicians or educators.
The politicians have been disap-
pointed in him because he has stub
bornly refused to yield to partisan in
| fluence, believing that his high Office
must be divorced absolutely from the
evil influence Of political bias and he
conducted along the highest lines of
professional ethics. His belief has
| been his life. He has stubbornly
avoided all political entanglements and
judicially conducted his Office in the
interests OF the schools Of the state.
The Journal has taken occasion at
times to differ with Mr.. Cary in his
educational policies. But in this par
ticular contest for Office, only a most
narrow and prejudiced attitude of
mind would permit an honest difference
of opinion as to details of policy to
overshadow the uniformly impartial
and square deal record of his admins
tration.
Mr. Cary is a schoolmaster. He
lives for the teaching profession.
Since 1897 he has been an active mem
Der Of the National Educational Asso-
citation and has appeared on many of
its programs. He is man Of maturity,
has had wide experience in educa-
| tional affairs, ranging from the dis
trict school to the state superintend-
ency, possesses Judicial temperament,
has character unimpeachable, is es.
pecially familiar with and interested
in the country school problem and in
dustrial education the two crying ed.
vocational needs of the hour.
| What possible claim Mr.. Kittle can
/ have to this high Office at the hands
of the people of the state is difficult
for many Wisconsin educators to under
| stand, though seemingly comprehensi
BILE to some politicians. The highest
professional position he has ever hello
was the headship of the Oconomowol
schools, one of the smaller Wisconsin
towns having in 1905, when Mr. Kittlt
left that place, population Of onl,
4 3,013 and high school with an en-
rollment of 145 and an average daily
| attendance of 125. Since 1905 he has
| been and now is state employe, sery