Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1908 — TRYING TO USE THE SCHOOLS [ARTICLE]

TRYING TO USE THE SCHOOLS

The Brazen Act of Btate Superintendent Cotton. Fasett A. Cotton, who Is finishing hls second term as state superintendent of public Instruction, and who haß been all the time the consistent and persistent friend of the school book trust, has further shown his unfitness for the office he holds by trying to make the public schools an adjunct of the Republican party. The Democratic party stands for local option by townships and wards; the Republican party for local option by counties. The people were preparing to express themselves upon the question at the election. Hanly called his special session of the legislature and asked it to take the matter out of the people’s hands and decide the question in favor of the Republicans. Then Cotton got into the game. In hls official capacity he sent a letter to all of the school superintendents and asked them to get the 17,000 public school teachers to get into politics on the Republican side. Here is Cotton’s letter:

“To County and City Superintendents: “Gentlemen —As you know, the Indiana state legislature has convened In extraordinary session to enact certain much-needed laws. The one most vital important measure, and which overshadows everything else, is that concerning county local option. This question closely concerns public schools and public morals, and is, therefore, much higher than mere partisanship. It Is fining that the superintendents and teachers in the public schools throughout the state take some concerted action to show their Interest in thiß proposed measure. lam asking all of the county and city superintendents of the state to circulate petitions among their teachers, addressed to Senator Mattingly and Representative Babcock of the legislature, urging the enactment of this bill. Your earnest and speedy co-operation in this matter may help to enact into law- this very Important measure. Please act at once; the petitions must be in early 'this week if they accomplish the desired result.” This Is the most brazen attempt that has ever been made, so far as is now recalled, to use the public schools for partisan purposes. Cotton Is none too good to do such a thing on his own initiative, but he may have acted in this instance under the instructions of Governor Hanly. A man who will take pay from v the public school fund, as Hanly did, for making an address to school children, would not hesitate to use the public schools for a partisan purpose.

Is it not time that the people should get rid of men of this class and fill the public offices with men who have a decent conception of their duties?