Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-08-19
SULLIvAN'S SPEECH
Continued from Page u

in. accepting the challenge to de-
fend the interest of the children
of Kentucky against those who,
in order to further their own in
terest, would thrust from their
vision the magnificent array of
f, the 100000 Kentucky school chill
dren and would take from them
rights that are legally and right
fully theirs under the Constitu-
ton of Kentucky.
| am glad to notice that there
is among the student-body, such
an interest being manifested. [
believe it is nothing but your pa
triotic duty to keep yourselves
posted on any proposition that
will affect the public school sys-
tenn of our great state.
/ shall discuss first, the amend
ment, commonly known as the
first one. the one pertaining to
the superintendency, the one that
proposes to take that office "out
of politics"
/ This is an act by the state leg
islature which provides that Sec
tons 81. 90, and 95 of the State
! Constitution, be amended by
striking out the words, Estate ST.
perintendent of Public Instruc-
ton" | will read the sections
as they now stand and you will
notice that they provide for the
election of all the state officials,
Superintendent included.
/ We notice that by leaving OFT
the words Superintendent of Pub
lie Instruction, that it is no long
er an elective office, where the
people can take their choice as to
who shall be their public servant.
serving in that all-important ca
pacity of marshaling the great
public schools of Kentucky
| am sure that all of us can re-
member back when the United
| States Senator was elected other
than by popular vote Of the pco-
pie. We were always on the
lookout for ways to improve our
democratic and republican form
of government, and the law Was
changed just few years ago and
today the people themselves Sc
lect by popular vote the man
whom they want to trust as their
chief law maker.
The office of United States Sen
ator is an important one. But
it fades and dwindles into insig-
nificance when the responsible
ties are compared with the office
that directs and superintends the
education of the coming citizens
of this magnificent country OF
ours, and under the proposed
amendment. the people are about
to be robbed of their right to des-
ignate the man that will admins
ter the affairs of this great Office
| am opposed to the first amend
ment because | am afraid to tam
per with the rights of the people
because | am afraid to take away
any of their privileges what we
Acmricans, boast of so much.
/, Why bless your hearts, ladies
and gentlemen, that is one of the
great reasons / have in being
proud of my American citizenship
is that no man wears a crown by
reason Of accident or birth, ant
where we do not have to 90 tC
the trouble of robbing some mar
of his imaginary rights. 1t wa:
because such a spirit as this actu
ated and prompted them tina
some three hundred years age
those fearless, God-fearing men
commenced to look upon thu
I wilds of the western continent a
d place where they might escape
from the various ills that afflicted
them, and they demonstrated sue
cessfully, if you please, the prac
ticability OF self-government ant
think that we should. conten
ourselves earnestly and sincerel,
:, for the faith that was once deliv
cred to the saints that we SHOULD
hold firm to that which we have
tried and proven true. And i
! this not touching on the rights o
the people? Let us earnestly
i contend for and hang on to, thu
old articles of faith that we are So
proud of and under whose guild
ance. government upon which
you are as much entitled to trave
as any other man.
One of the most common argu
ments for the thing is that /;
board of commission would bt
more able to select the State Su
!, perintendent. But | say to you
that | believe the people are com
petent and fully able to elect ant
choose the man who is best quail