The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-11-22
MR.. WACNER'S A

TALLING attention to the fact that the State Board of Education
has agreed to hear Mr.. Jonathan II. Wagner on December 2, in
- a statement Of his side Of the matters referred TO in auditor
Whittier 5 recent 80 page commentary on the state department Of
education, the Journal in its editorial column ON Monday wonders
just why they agreed 10 hear him
Without knowledge Of the purpose of the state board of eduea
ton in extending this hearing, and without having consulted any Of
its members, we believe that we can answer that question correctly
We believe that the state board OF education has extended this
opportunity 10 Nj. Wagner because its members are fair minded
men and women who believe in justice, fair play and decency in the
conduct of the public business and for those connected with that
business.
We have no doubt that the state board Of education has taken
coenizanee Of the fact that Jonathan II. Wagner served this state
honorably and efficiently for four years as state superintendent of
schools that be was the head of the state school system during the
ing any previous decade in the history of the state or territory; that
ue an adequate maintenance of schools, teaching forces and admin
istratiye equipment; that he enjoyed the confidence and esteem oil
the teaching forces of the state who evidenced the same by eleeting
him 20 head the organization now in session in this city; that he
went ont Of his office without an official audit, although it $ a matter
Of record that he sought Il that after nearly a year that office was
made the subject of a rambling and diseursiye report by Travelling
Auditor Whittier which was labelled an audit but which was in
fact mainly a statement, Of Whitters views; that a garbled. exagger-
ated and magnified news report of this audit was published in
the Albuquerque journal, upon the basis Of a conversation about. il
between a corporation lawyer and a member OF the state boar" OF
education, and that this account was followed up by a plaeard dis
binn,ss that this saudi,'" which at the worst alleged no more than
extravaganza against Wagner, furnished the basis for a special grand
the state; that this same audit" was made the basis by the same
publication of references TO educational nabobs' and other allu-
sions tending 10 set up prejudice against Wagner; that, in brief, an
effort has been made TO fix al administrative scandal upon Jonathan
u. Wagner; no single item Of which has been proven IN the slightest !
going TO permit Wagner a public hearing, has fosiered all OF these
in fact that ii has found it expctent to put It's own force of expert
auditors into the state department of education IN an effort TO find
there something to back up the ex parte statements it has published
concerning Wagner and for which it is liable without adequate
The journal, it will be noted, offers its columns as the place for
You who are familiar with all of the facts and conditions should
he in a position 10 Judge where J. II. Wagner is most likely to get
a square deaf, before the state board Of education, which is willing
10 givs him : public hearing and an opportunity to reply to tn,
which has already convicted him and which is now working three