New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-08
The CITY SCHOOL FUND.


the names OF certain persons alleged 20
have instigated the proceedings for the
injunctions forbidding the misappropria-
ton Of the school fund.- We confess ouI
inability to understand what legitimate
use can be made Of them or any Of them
if found. Is il an act Of treason OF con-
spiracy. OF bad faith on the part Of a
citizen, possibly credito, Of the school
fund, 10 insist in the manner prescribed
by law, that money raised for school pur.
poses exclusively shall be applied to no
other object. We know nothing Of any
such instigation, Of course; but would
think none the worse Of any person who
may have thought it to be his duty TO
sound the alarm in case the school fund
was threatened. The information we have
received shows that the president Of the
School Board saw in the papers thai an
effort was about to be made to have all
the money paid in for taxes by the insur.
ance companies set apar. for the payment
Of the Firemen's Charitable Association.
So far as the one-fourth Of one per cent
set apart by law FOX the schools is con-
cerned, such diversion would be illegal
and injurious to the educational interests.
President Dibble at once applied 10 the
attorney OF the board, Mr.. Shaw. and
after consultation instructed him to take
the proper steps to ask for restraining
order, which was done. Judge Dibble
was bound by his oath Of Office to do this
much. He would have been secreant to
his duty and amenable to censure if he
had done less.
If a legal wrong has been committed all
parties aggrieved have an appropriate
remedy. They can 60 into court and ask
to have the injunction set aside if they
think they will be likely to succeed. So
far as the equities are concerned it would
be quite as proper for the City Council to
set apart all the money received for taxes
from any particular class Of people to pay
the teachers as to give it all to the fire.
men. The original proposition was clear.
ly illegal, besides being of doubtful pro-
priety fox other weighty reasons. 1t has
nothing but bad precedents to sanction it.
There have been numerous instances in
the history Of this State wherein the edu-
cational fund has been borrowed" under
one preteuse OK another, and rarely ever
returned. The practice is bad one. and
ought to be stopped. The creditors of the
school fund have vested rights, and we are
glad that the officers Of the School Board
are determined to protect them. As for the
names Of the gentlemen who are alleged
to have expressed approval Of the injunc-
ton proceedings by which few dollars
were saved to the poor school teachers.
we can not see that they can be Of any
to anybody, though. perhaps.
gentlemen who hold such correct opinions
will not object to stand up for them every
where. 1t looks to US as though there is
the least possible hint of ''spotting" in
this business. Perhaps we are mistaken.
We hope we are. But if the fremen want
to know whom they have to thank for not
their pay. let them take good
look at the list Of delinquent taxpayers.
There they will find the financial enemies
Of our gallant boys ten or twelve thou
sand strong. We can ind single names
in that list any one Of which stands debtor
for greater sum than has been saved to
the school fund by the injunction COM
planned Of. Let the boys look after the
people who refuse to pay them. but leave
The fund set apart for the education Of |
their children alone.