ch, relief was sought.

Mr. Lyons's method of reply was a surprise to Selma. She had looked for
a fervid vindication of the principle of the people's choice, and an
eloquent, sarcastic setting forth of the evils of the exclusive and
aristocratic spirit. He began by complimenting the members of the
committee on their ability to deal intelligently with the important
question before them, and then proceeded to refer to the sincere but
mistaken zeal of the advocates of the bill, whom he described as people
animated by conscientious motives, but unduly distrustful of the
capacity of the American people. His manner suggested a desire to be at
peace with all the world and was agreeably conciliatory, as though he
deprecated the existence of friction. He said that he would not do the
members of the committee the injustice to suppose that they could
seriously favor the passage of a bill which would deprive the
intelligent average voter of one of his dearest privileges; but that he
desired to put himself on record as thinking it a fortunate
circumstance, on the whole, that the well-intentioned promoters of the
bill had brought this matter to the attention of the legislature, and
had an opportunity to express their views. He believed that the hearing
would be productive of benefit to both parties, in that on the one hand
it would tend to make the voters more careful as to whom they selected
for the important duties of the school board, and on the other
would--he, as a lover of democratic institutions, hoped--serve to
convince the friends of the bill that they had exaggerated the evils of
the situation, and that they were engaged in a false and hopeless
undertaking in seeking to confine by hard and fast lines the spontaneous
yearnings of the American people to control the education of their
children. "We say to these critics," he continued, "some of whom are
enrolled under the solemn name of reformers, that we welcome their zeal
and offer co-operation in a resolute purpose to exercise unswerving
vigilance in the selection of candidates for the high office of
guardians of our public schools. So far as they will join hands with us
in keeping undefiled the traditions of our forefathers, to that extent
we are heartily in accord with them, but when they seek to override
those traditions and to fasten upon this community a method which is
based on a lack of confidence in democratic theories, then I--and
gentlemen, I feel sure that you--ar