The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-02-20
SUpT. CARY OR kI11Le?

"The Next State superintendent
Shall 1t be Cary or Kittle?"
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, women
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 of
the state of Wisconsin for four years
from July |, next.
The issue is squarely drawn between
these two men. No other candidates
are in the field.
Mr.. Cary appeals to the people for
ELECTION solely on his ten years re-
cord as state superintendent of public
instruction. In 1902 he came to the
office through the influence of the
strong progressive wing Of the republi-
can party, under the old political con-
vention system, being championed by
Wisconsin's 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 OPP
ponents.
1t must he noted here, as Il matter of
history, that between Mr.. Carys first
nomination by party convention in
1902 and his subsequent election in 1905
by the people, change has been made
in the state constitution which took
the state superintendency out Of poll
tics by making it popular elective
office, the same as supreme judgeships
The sole purpose OF this change was to
make the contest strictly nonpartisan,
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 uniniluenced by partisan
politics 1t was mighty leap from
the caucus convention system Of the
old reactionaries to the peoples choice
in the modern Wisconsin form of re-
preventative government. Up TO the
present contest, politics have never en-
tered into the state superintendency
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 disappoint.
ed in him because he has stubbornly
refused to yield to partisan influence
believing that his high Office must be
divorced absolutely from the evil in
lluence of political bias and he conduct
ed along the highest lines of profession
al 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 over
shadow the uniformly impartial and
square deal record of his administra-
tion.
Mr. Cary is a schoolmaster. He lives
for the teaching profession. Since 1897
he mas been an active member of the
National Educational association and
has appeared on many Of its programs.
He is man Of maturity, has had a
wide experience in educational affairs,