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Show IN DEFENSE OF THE BOARD. In order that all shades of opinion may bo represented, we print on another an-other page a communication in support sup-port of the school board of this city by an alumnus of tho high school. It. is evident, however, that this defense will not go very far. First of all, tho board of education in its investigation of Mr. Bridwell was not entitled to outer any verdict whatever, nor. even tho verdict, "not proven," in fho face of what in fact was proved, and because it did not complete com-plete the case. Tho evidence taken, howover. was sufficient to destroy all presumption of innocenco with respect to Mr. Bridwell. Offenses charged against him woro clearly proven, and were undisputed; in fact, were admitted. ad-mitted. No posnihle presumption of innocenco in-nocenco could follow. The evident reason rea-son why tho board did not pursue the investigation wns that it was leading direct to some of its own members, aud thoso members were influential enough to stop tho investigation. Thero is no presumption of innocenco that is possible pos-sible for them; and. as stated, neither aro they competent to render any verdict ver-dict .whatever in tho caso. Tho resolution reso-lution clearing Bridwell was a. clear whitewash, in defiance of evidence produced pro-duced and admissions made. And all implications and sequences following the erroneous idea that tho presumption of innocenco should attach, must necessarily neces-sarily fall to tho ground. With respect to the parade of school children in favor of the I)onds, that parado being practically compulsory, this being a training fpr tho duty of citizenship, it is a pretty hard caso to admit any such plea. It is quite true that- this compulsory political training has prevailed to a lamentable extent in Utah, but most of us, we hope, aro trying to get away from that sort of thing altogether. Tho idea of using tho pupils of the schools for the purposo of a campaign like this, such uso of pupils being practically compulsory compul-sory upon them, is utterly roprchensible in our judgment ; and doubtless the parent taxpayer who may bo opposed to entrusting this present sohool board with this money, seeing tho board to bo incompctont and corrupt, will hardly relish tho idea of his children being dragged into nn inconsideralo and uncomprehending un-comprehending support of the proposition proposi-tion to which that parent may bo abso-lutcly abso-lutcly opposed. It is certainly an uu-fnrtunato uu-fnrtunato thing that tho school board should undertake to uso the schools for this propaganda, and if persisted in we beliovc that it will have an effect exactly ex-actly contrar3 to that intended by tho board. |