Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-07-31

way and the senatorial oligarchy
continues to get what it wants. Taxes
, are growing higher, are already
mortgaging the future to its own
jeopardy. The people are told that
. to maintain this government we must
, assume incredible debts, we must
take on increasing and staggering
liabilities. Always, the people pay
it. But how can we?-Miami Me
tropolis.
ELIMINATE TIE POLITICS.
The Tampa Tribune editorial pub
.lished or this page today deals with
a subject that should be Of interest
to all Florida The Florida election
laws make no provision for an emer-
gency nomination, such as must be
made in providing for the selection of
a state superintendent Of public IN
struction to fill out the term of the
late W. n. Sheats. And The Tri-
DuhS SNSSSSCa VIldI III view VI CnlS
weakness in the Bryan primary law,
there is but one course-putting the
nomination into the power of the
state democratic executive commit,
tee as the only acknowledged spokes-
man for the democratic party in this
state.
The Tribune points out that The
election laws provide for emergencies
caused by nominees refusing to serve
or removing from the county or state,
and thinks that in case like the one
in hand, the same procedure would be
legal and fair.
! Without any study of the question,
The Metropolis is not ready to say
that it agrees with The Tribune in
this solution Of the question, nut The
Tribune's editorial, together with
number of happenings that have af-
fected educational work in Florida,
brings up subject that appears to
The Metropolis of vastly more con-
Germ to the citizens Of Florida than
the mere settling Of the technical
questions involved
We are speaking OF politics. in
the schools, of the idiocy of naming
the supposed-to-be head-educator of
the state on the basis of his political
affiliation or pull.
Some of the most corrupt school
men in the state have been shrewd
politicians, and have been chosen to
guide work more sacred than that of
the churches, themselves because
' they could pull the votes and buy
> sopport with promises of shared
graft.
= Instead of the democratic state
committee, or any other political
organization, making nomination of
a man to head the school system of
. Florida, men and women desiring
l. that position should be required to
submit to an examination and search
ing investigation. His or her integ-
rity should be beyond reproach, edu-
cational qualifications of the best,
: experience in actual school work ex-
= tensive. And there should be no
Strings" by which such an execu
tive would keep in office or as hang
ers-on persons who are not educa-
; tionally, morally and progressively
fit
The Metropolis realizes that this is
talk far ahead of the times. The best
politician will get the state superin-
tendent job this fall, and will build up
an educational" machine to make
the job solid for the next election.
But, as we said in the beginning,
this is a good subject to keep before
the people. Some day the state su
perintendent will be chosen for eff
cheney, for high-grade educational
ability, for the outstanding example
and leadership he can give.
To make the selection Of the sue
cessor to W. N. Sheats a matter of
democrat or republican" or of any
other partisanship, is a pitiable COM
mentary upon the attitude of the peo-
pie of Florida toward their schools
and the things for which the schools
should stand.-Miami Metropolis.