Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-07-08
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
NOT RUINED YET
Another Cox Press Bureau
Fabrication Disproved
WILLIS KNOWS SCHOOL WORK
Malignant Statesment of What the
Republican Administration Would
Do to the Code Did Not Come True
Changes Made Are Approved.

Columbus -(SpeciaD aD-Even before
Governor Willis was inducted into
office the Democratic papers were
teeming with calamitous predictions
of what would happen under his ad-
ministration. Among other things it
was declared that the school laws
enacted under the previous admins
tration would be ripped" asunder
and that the pupils of the rural
schools would be consigned to the
dire and terrible conditions that
prevailed prior to the advent of James
NJ. Cox.
AS soon as the legislature convened
ald bills began to drop into the hop-
per, some of them incorporating the
extreme vlsws of those smarting un-,
der two years of autocratic rule, the
Democratic critics set up the cry that
the extremist of these proposed meas
ures represented the views of Gov.
Willis.
Look at the Result.
The work of the legislative session
is now concluded and what are the
results? The needs of the benevolent
and educational institutions of the
state have been provided for as never
before in the history of the state and
the school code remains without ma
teral change. The Winans law sim
| ply reduces the number of district SUI
perintendents from not more than one
for every twenty teachers to not more
than one for every thirty eachers, and
this change had the sanction of prac-
tically all the educators in the state;
provides for giving villages the option
OF having their own superintendent or
continuing under a district superin-
tendent.
viii They Stay Out of Politics?
The school code adopted two years
ago is still intact. Its future must de-
pend largely upon the county and dis
trict supervisors who, because of pro-
fessional and personal interests are
its staunchest advocates. II they will
devote themselves industriously and
religiously to their work and let poll
tics strictly alone, all will be we'll; if
they yield to the temptation to con-
vert themselves into a political ma
chine all will not be well. In the
meantime it must not be forgotten
that the rural school teacher, who is
the most underpaid of all those en-
gagged in school work, has not prof
tied financially by the new system.
Unfortunately the increase in salaries
has gone to those higher up"
I'VE urge the enactment of laws
comforting upon the Supreme
Court Jurisdiction to revise the de-
cisions of the Secretary of State
on primary, election and initiative
and referendum questions"
The Cass law puts the determining
of the validity of signatures upon the
members of the local board of cleo
tions, who can readily secure knowl-
edge of the facts, leaving the Secre-
tary of State none but clerical duties.
I'VE pledge the Republican par
ty OF Ohio to the appointment Of
farmers to all offices whose funo-
tions relate to the farm"
This pledge is kept by the Smith.
Mallow law which decentralizes the
, | agricultural commission does away
with four $4,000 commissioners and
provides for non-salaried non-parti
san agricultural board which elects 9
$4,000 secretary, saving $4,000 yeal
in salaries.
I'VE recognize the wider claims
of the people upon their govern
ment for legislation to promote
social justice, and pledge our CO.
operation in the broader move
t ment for human welfare"
! The Republican party was organ
I lied for that greatest of social uplifts
|, the freeing of slaves, and 1t has beer
5 the most effective advocate of socia
Z reforms
. 1--WE further propose the decen-
Z traliZation of the licensing author
I, ity which, through the present
/ plan OF appointment of Commis-
). sioners by the governor, tends to
II make a political machine of the
5 saloon. We would place the IL
y censing authority beyond the ma
J. nipulation of partisan politics."
The McDermott bill puts the issu
ing of licenses in the hands of thre
officials elected in the county, TIL
!. enforcement of the laws regulatin
: the traffic being an executive functio
is vested, necessarily, in the governol
. I'VE heartily favor the construc-
e ton and maintenance of a state
S wide system of good roads, but we
;. demand that the large expendi-
y lures for that purpose shall be
& made by the regularly constituted
u authorities of each county"
5 The Cass law provides four tow
d ship highway superintendents instea
!; of eight, and they will do the roa
e dragging, the Office of township roa
y dragger being abolished.
.e The county surveyor is made tn
!, county highway superintendent an
i. his duties are greatly increased. II