Evening journal., 1922-03-25
HANDY SAYS
SCHOOL LAW
IS GOOD ONE
fcontInued rrom Flrst Paee.l


the State.
The charge you make Is absolute !
~ without basis in fact. / refuse 20 (
believe that you make such a charge
knowing it TO be untrue; I prefer 70
think that, since your duties are In
large part outside the State OF Della
ware. you have been unable to ac-
curately follow the trend OF school
legislation in Delaware, and that
you are, therefore. basing your con-
illusions upon faulty or incomplete
Information. I am taking the liberty
OF reviewing the history OF school
legislation in this State from 1919,
feeling that, when you understand.
YOU will wish TO retract the slanderI
against our State to which you have
given utterance. I feel I may be al
lowed to do this without being con-
sidered presumptuous since I voted
for the school code OF 1919, served
as chairman of the commission OF
which Mr.. DUPONT was a member
which rewrote the code in 1920 and
was ranking member OF the joint
committee OF which Senator Alice
was Chairman which was RESPONSE
bic for the legislation which in 1921
repealed the code and enacted the
present school laws.
"The so-calied code was offered TO
the 1919 General Assembly very late
in the session. We lacked the time
10 thoroughly consider the measure.
All sorts Of pressure was brought 10
hear to pass the bill. the plea being
that delay would be inexcusable.
think that most OF us realized that
the bill had two bad faults; the
measure was thoroughly undemo-
cratic and absolutely dishonest in its
TAX provisions. My memory is that
we amended the measure something
ike one hundred times before its
passage. We thought we had
brought Il down where the people
could reach it n they wished. We
did not attempt TO remedy the tax
provisions as we realized we had not
the time The bill would not have
passed, however, had we not been
assured that the provisions would be
put into effect very gradually so that
taxes would not be greatly increased
before the next session OF the Gen
eral Assembly. The idea being that
at the next session Il would be pos
sble TO secure legislation which
would place the tax burden as near
" as possible where IL belonged.
'This pledge was not kept; on the
contrary. the most indefensible ef-
forts were made TO so compromise
the situation and to so involve the
various districts in financial obliga-
tons that the General Assembly
would be unable to unscramble the
eggs when next it had the oppor-
funity. The short special session OF
1920 came along. an honest effort
was made at this session to give back
20 the people some OF the power we
had usurped. You see the people of
Delaware are inclined to believe that
they are quite capable OF running
their own affairs without dictation
from seif-appointed guardians OF
their children's welfare some OF
ms are foolish enough to agree with
them. We did improve matters In
this respect and succeeded IN lower
ing taxes on real property. You re-
member, Of course. that prior 10 that
time the s100. 100000 Of wealth in
rural Delaware represented by real
property. was bearing almost all
the tax burden; this was but a small
part OF the wealth OF the state. but
so far as my memory serves me I
do not recall that our volunteer
critics and advisers shed one tear or
spoke one word in condemnation Of
this condition. We had not the
time 20 attempt to do more than al
leviste conditions al the 1920 ses-
sion.
''The session OF 1921 had come
along with the small property own
ers OF the State. almost In actua
revolution. and. sir. your opinion or
any other mans opinion to the con-
trary, I say that they were largely
justified in their attitude. II Is true
that some few did play the dema
gogue in order 10 further their 20.
lifical ambitions but It is also true
that most OF the opposition was
honorable. II Is also true that for
each demagogic critic there was
boot-licking advocate. The grea
! mass OF Delawareans belonged e
neither class; they demanded tw,
things chance TO run their own az
fairs and an honest distribution o
The tax burden. They were not an,
they are not opposed TO proper edu
cation Of our children. Moreover
the school laws now in operation ar
working we'll they have rougi
places to be smoothed and they ar
not as responsive TO the will OF IN
people as personally would lik
but they function. which is NOR
than the over praised code ever dl
and they VIII he improved upon q
wisdom indicates
we do not feel at an that "
have gone backward. on the cor
uary In establishing the theory ths
education is the business OF IN
State as a whole and not the bus
ness OF the counties or the vario,
districts, we are ahead OF any sta.
Ia the Union.
We have been able TO distribu
the tax burden in a very much fai
er way We have been able, in lar,
part. TO give TO Deiawareans n
right 10 regulate their own schoo
and this power will be extended
the future. We are not ashamed
the course we have pursued. and y
are offering no apologies for Il. Y
believe that men OF the callber
James II. Hughes. OF Dover. on
time Democratic candidate for Go
ernor; Robert G. Houston, prom
nent citizen Of Georgetown and De
uty Attorney General; DR.. r. 7
Cooper. educator among the educs