Albuquerque morning journal., 1921-07-17
AS THE PEOPLE VIEW 1T

( encompass its defeat arises from
those who spend the money they
supply, that they can be trusted
to carry the amendment. It is
quite outside the range Of human
nature to expect that any group of
men-or women-delegated with
the task Of managing our schools
will, In the face of the crying need
for education here, look upon the
question from any point OF view
but this: How much money can
we get? What is the most we can
do with it?" That Is their Job;
that Is what is expected from
them. But at the same time, what
we have a right to expect, is that
somewhere there shall be a check,
a balance wheel. That Is what is
meant by the expression that gov
ernment is system of checks and
balances. And what those good
people really want, in their excess
of zeal, is that there shall be no
check, no governor at all. That is
the gist of 1t. And unless there is
break and 1t is applied-and ap-
piled soon, we will run away and
jump the track. You have your
self said that the state is practic-
ally bankrupt and that Is exactly
true. And the people are nearer
desperate over high taxes than they
ever were before. We must cur
tail In schools, and in roads and
everywhere or lose out entirely.
A proper Capitalization Of gov
ernment Is not only bad but abso-
lutely essential TO efficiency and
progress The very people who are
fighting this amendment which
you now oppose because 1t tends to
centralization-are actually strong
partisans Of centralized control of
our educational matters (and of
others almost unlimited centralized
controD. Is there not some vto-
lent inconsistency in that? This
control should be intelligent and
fair and actuated by broad vision
and high standards. Is 1t now so
actuated in this state? Is 1t free
from the same underlying fear
that now mars so many OF our pub
lie activities? Let us hope 80.
There is actually no branch of
our public affairs more in need Of
q thorough revision than our sys-
tenn of public education. That
was clearly pointed out In the Bag
ley report presented to the last
legislature by the Revenue Com
mission-and ignored. completely
and utterly gnored-ignored
through fear, fear of politics and
politicians, fear that votes would
be lost here or gained there, fear
that this boss or that boss or the
other boss would not stand for it,
In the meantime we go ahead with
an impossible chain of higher edu-
cational establishments which, in
spite of the valiant efforts OF their
managers can with difficulty be
ing materially improved. And in
our public schools, commendable in
so many respects, we go ahead
satisfied with standards pro-
nounoed to be far below normal by
those who know. The way out of
these difficulties is not by further
subdivision and segregated action
but by finding ways to use the
means, actually available, for bet
ter results, and by the peoples
seeing to it that the men they
choose to manage their affairs are
competent to do it right or to tell
the reason why they can't.
The amendment Is step in the
right direction on the basis that
the people want their public trib-
ute kept within the bounds Of rea-
son and properly used-and that
they can secure these results only
through the checks and balances
which are the fundamental basis Of
any sound government or any sue
cessful business.
Cordially yours,
H. ]. HAGERMAN.