Daily globe., 1878-01-29
OUR TEXT BOOKS.

OUR TEXT BOOKS.
VOICE OF THE PUBLIC BEING
HEARD.
Colnmunication-How the Law Will
Work with the School District Clerks
Mr.. Burt Defended, but Quackenbol
Styled the Boss Quack.
Mr.. Ransaley's Letter Sharply Aas,cered
Editor of the Daily GLOBE:
The communication of David Ramaley
"Clerk of School District No. II, Ramsey
county, as he styles himself, in your Mon
day morning issue, on the Merrill textbook
question, is refreshing, to say the least.
The opinion of any disinterested person
upon SO important question, is entitled to
respect, but we say to Mr.. Ramaley that it is
positively asserted by those who ought to
know-and the fact, as we are informed, is
not denied by Mr.. Ramaley-that he is per-
sonally and pecuniarily interested with D. D.
Merrill in his contract under this textbook
act. This discloses the animus of the arti-
Gle, and SO colos the opinions of the writer
as to render them worthless.
Now, as to the reasoning of the article
for admit that if Mr.. Merrill, or any of his
partners, offer sound reasons for the contin-
uance and extension of this scheme, no SEN
sible man will reject such reasons merely be-
cause they emanated from an interested
source.
First-Then Mr.. Ramaley explains the
basis upon which he made the list of books
required of the clerk. He got from the
teacher the number of all the scholars in the
school, and then increased the order in the
lower grades 25 per cent.
With what childlike innocence Mr.. Mer-
rill's partner then announces his gratifca-
ton that he guessed right the first time, the
increase of schools turning out to be Just 25
per cent.
This fairly illustrates one of the most
forcible objections to the bill and its pro-
posed amendments namely: that the num-
ber of books which must be paid for by the
State is neft wholly to the guess of the school
district clerks. They are to s'estimate .
the number of books required. No basis
is laid down in the law for
this estimate. It is a purely discretionary
act on the part of the clerks, which no court
can question, and no law in existence control.
If a clerk may estimate as did Mr.. Rama
ley, that the increase will be 25 per cent, what
is to hinder him from estimating SO or 100
in full and at once for any book SO estimated
without any regard to the number or amount
exactly sold or used. It will be plainly seen
at the mercy of school district clerks through.
out the State.
This brings us to Mr.. Ramaley's second
point, namely:
That school district clerks are generally
chosen from the most responsible men il
the district, and it must be presumed thai
they will act faithfully and honestly, without
any bonds or other security.
have no desire to traduce the character
of school district clerks, as body. pre-
sumo they will average as high in point O
honesty and intelligence as other officials O.
like grade.
But every business man knows that such
an argument as Mr.. Ramaley's on this point
is utterly fallacious. Human nature is the
same the world over, and IN view of thi
fact, the body polite in all it's branches, re
quires security, in the shape of official bonds
from all who handle public funds.
Is there any peculiar virtue inherent il
school district clerks, that does not exist il
the treasurers of such districts, or il
county treasurers, or in the large number o
other officers who perform official duties, in
volving the receipt and expenditure of public
moneys, and from every one of whom bon,
is exacted?
More than this, these 5000 clerks are moi
only required to give no bonds, but tn
amount of money to be paid by the Stat
to Merrill and his partners, is left wholly t.
the discretion of these clerks, thus by tn
very terms of the act advising them tina
there is no way in which they can be hel,
accountable.
Mr.. Ramaley says that the amount o
money these clerks would handle could no
average over $1,000 per year in each district
that is they would estimate" that amour
in books. Well, according to Ramaley ther
are three thousand clerks; this would max,
100000. Now suppose they should folloy
Ramaley's plan-and he will excuse us fo
not commencing them to better example
and increase their estimates 25 per cent. il
anticipation of an increase in enrolment o
scholars; here would be an item of $7,5Ot
saddled on to the State by process of Who'll
the part of the district clerl
Again, Mr.. Ramaley says that the directo
and treasurer of the district, would see tina
the clerk performed his duty in the premise
faithfully.
| It is true that the general school Law
makes the director, treasurer and clerk,
board of trustees, with power to control th
business and especially the financial affair
of the municipal corporation, known as tn
school district. But this Merrill act, 81
pressly excludes the director and treasure
from any voice in the execution of this Law
and empowers the clerk to- use his own ur
aided and individual judgment as to th
amount of the debt he will impose upon th
district, for school books, without let 9
hinderance on the part of the trustees of hi
district or any other earthly power.
Is it wise thus to place the treasury {
every school district in the State at the un
trammeled mercy of its clerk?
The whole scheme is pernicious one i
principle, and fraught with danger to th
State in practise. Itopens wide the gate
for the most glaring frauds, and takes esp.
cial pains to remove all accountability frol
the officials executing it, except only SO f;
as the interest of the contractor Merrill al
concerned, to run counter to his interest
is made &C riminal offence,
! The interests of the State Treasury an
the security of the school fund, are le
without defence or safeguard.
TAX PAYER
A Correspondent Defends the Superi,
tendeat of Public Instruction.