The daily gazette., 1882-09-06
AN ASININE- CHARGE.
THE SCHOOL BOARD MONEY
SPENT BY COUNCIL.
ENDORSED BY REPUBLICANS.
Opinions of Ex-CouncIimen Rodney and
Pickles on the Much MOoted Question
Did Cuuncilmen Known

The financial serial sensation of the
morning organ, almost equal in stu
pidity to the long drawn-out small
pox hoax which made the paper
celebrated before it changed hands, instead
of creating "surprise. and indignation +"
among the public, is causing big laugh at
the expense of that paper. Members OF the
old Councils majority of them, at least
state that the charge that the Council did
not know that the money was being drawn
upon for city expenses is false, and that
there was general understanding that
such was being done.
The statement of ex-Councilman c @sar
A. Rodney, which the morning organ pub
fishes, while 1t suppresses other statements
against the theory of Interpretations,
which it has formed, shows this. Mr.
Rodney in a Netcs interview says that the
money was lying idle; 1t was not the prop
erty of the School Board. There was no
misapprehension of it at all. He thought
hat everybody understood it was to come
out of the appropriations for this year. He
was rarely consulted about what was being
done by the Finance Committee; the Demo
cratic majority ran matters to suit them
selves. He thought that provision was
made to refund the money out of this years
taxes, to increase the taxes in fact suifi-
tiently to pay the amounts His impression
was that every member of Council knew
about it.
Ex-Councilman II. F. Pickles, who has
h I'd much experience in Council, was inter
viewed to-day by a GAZETTE reporter
When asked his opinion upon the matter,
he said: "There is nothing wrong in the
action of the City Council in the matter
you speak of, and no blame or censure can
be made. 1t was perfectly proper that the
IA Il
the Board of Education, it having been
placed to the credit Of the city, should be
used by the Council for improvements.
know of such a thing having been frequently
done.
"How was thatW
"Weli, In Council for many years 1t was
customary to have the city and school taxes
deposited together. The Board of Educa-
tion was paid its money every month
whenever it needed it. No trouble was
experienced, and the thing was common
fund. Such was the way the affairs were
conducted when Edward Bellah was chair
man of the Finance Committee. Later II
was changed. The case in view at this timt
| is parallel with the way things were con
Quoted then. The sum of $50, 900 was raised
for the schools This was deposited to the
credit of the Mayor and Council, and o
this amount only $40, 900 was needed at thai
time. Now the money was to be paid tc
the Board when it was needed, but the
500, 900 was not needed at that time, and
was needed for city purposes. The city hat
a perfect right to use the money at thu
time, and the understanding seems TO b
that when the money is needed it shall b
paid. If the school board needs the none
now let it be taken from the city's balanc
| in bank"
The members of Council generally, AM
ven those who are making themselves
laughing stock by saying they 'did no
know" admit there is nothing yer
wrong in the action of spending the money