The People Completed Action Begun In Caucus

  The school contest of Monday was not so much a contest for or against individuals as one for and against policies of handling the affairs of the public schools of the city. Rarely, if ever, have men or women been named for positions on the board of education who were personally unfit for these responsible positions. But the progress of the schools depends much upon the views held by the members of the board relative to the authority to be exercised by the superintendent in purely educational affairs and their relation to the public.

  There is no question but that the thing which caused the people to upset the old regime and elect an entirely new ticket was the belief that the old board was strongly wedded to the close corporation idea as illustrated in its action of censuring one of its members for making public a matter which the people had a right to know and the knowledge of which probably saved a teacher highly respected and beloved by a generation of his pupils and their parents. The people too are opposed to the plan of making numerous committees supreme in the handling of the business of the board. The people very evidently believe these committees should get their authority from the board and should not be permitted to hire teachers or discharge them without higher authority. There is too much opportunity in such a system for working into the schools personal friends of members of the committee without reference to their teaching ability and without reference to the judgment of the superintendent. The same thing applies in the changing and selecting of new textbooks.

  The people have pronounced for the fullest publicity in all school matters and this too in spite of the most earnest effort on the part of some of the hold over members to re-elect one of the old members who had been turned down by the people at the caucus. In fact so far as discernable the holdover members were strenuous in their opposition to the ticket running on a publicity platform. Well, they know the thought of the people now on that issue and it is to be hoped they will aid the new members in carrying out the platform on which they were elected and in expunging from the records the obnoxious resolution of censure which was instrumental in causing some of their number to fall by the wayside.

  The suggestion of Richard Olney for the democratic nomination for president is one wholly appropriate and fitting. Mr. Olney will measure up from any point of view to the stature of presidential timber. He was attorney general and secretary of state in the Cleveland cabinet and filled both positions with great ability. He would be an entirely safe man in the presidential office and would command the confidence of the stable and conservative people of the nation. Possibly he might not be acceptable to the more extreme element which dictated the platforms of the last two campaigns. However there probably would be little chance of electing him. At the present time President Roosevelt could probably carry the country against any democrat who could be nominated and unless there be a decided change in public opinion within the next few months, the calling and re-election of the president seems practically assured.

  It is said that the sultan pays a thousand dollars a day, or night rather, for the few trusty men who guard his person. This is a big price to pay for the miserable office which he holds. But rulers who rule as he does cannot expect to be safe for a moment.

  What has become of that Toledo and Ann Arbor electric railway while Ann Arbor has been discussing public school matters? Oh, we remember! It was reported that it would go to Ypsilanti as Ann Arbor did not want it.