San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-04-07
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.

an attempt u JlStltN the late admintStra-
ton. nrlwithSl anLiuE tie damaging facts
so panty set forth by Mayor Paschal.
To one portion of Judge C~allaghan's
article the attention Of the people l. pS-
gee ally called. The permanent school
fund Of Sit. son is made TO disappear, iu
a manner that must excite the aStOniSh-
mrnt of every well informed citizen.
Judge Callaghan tells the public that
there no longer exists any such fund:
that by Il little hocuS pOcuS game played
between the late auditor and the city at
Iornry, this permanent school fund was
wiped off the city's books entirely.
This permanent school fuUd was the
remnant that appeared TO the credit of
the permanent school fund arising from
the sale of the large aud magnificent
grant made the city under the old Span
lSh regime for the establishment Of pub
lie schools. This property constituted all
the land in the city limits not
otherwise granted, 1t was ntnalIy
adiudged 20 the city after a leng-
thy litigation, aid in 1872, the
city government divi ed il into city lots
and sold most of ii upon tftv years credit
bearing interest. The interest was to be
applied to the available school fund:
muStof the property fell into the hands of
spectators. On this property today
stands the largest portion of our city.
The properly was sold at almost moth
ing. Many OF our wealthy citizens w
their wealth to this transaction.
A pubic school was opened and run for
a couple Of years before the war; the war
coming on everything went TO wreck.
Purchasers had the privilege of paying
up the principal at any time; the city
realized from these payments in good
| money and confederate shinplaSterS, a
sum V~ariOuSly estimated at from 100000
to 100000, and used the money for general
purposes.
During Mr.. Thielepape'S adminiStra-
| ton, tn" chairman of the school board,
| (ShOrt Stops had the schOOl fund looked
up. and the then able city clerk, Martin
Campbell. made up a correct statement of
the school fund, and an exhibit OF the
| property still belonging To thatfund. THIS
| was credited to the permanent school
| fund. The schools We're again opened,
| under favorable auspices. and tlOuriShrd,
Ou the revenue derived from this fund.
| due from the city and from the state, un-
| til the Glruud administration, when the
school houses were ClOStd.
Mayor French again revived the public
| schools and il was during that admins
ration that an ordinance was passed
| establishing the permanent school fund.
| and prOvid ng that the city pay interest
| upon this fund, which interest was appli d
| 70 the support Of the schools, and which
enabled the city to establish its present
| splendid system of schools.
The growing wants of the city has com
| PEELED the people at different times to
vote bonds to build school houses and to
/ vote to a themselves TO aid in the sup
| port of the schools. The school money
received from the state; the revenue de
| rived from the school tax, and the inte-
/ res, upon the permanent chOOl fund con-
| Stituied the available school fund for the
support of The schools.
Now, 1t happened that during Ev
| Mayor Callaghan's administration that
| this permanent school fund drops like IA
| nickel, in the slot.
And in order to wipe it out. the auditor
| and the city attorney do the little job.
| The auditor writes a letter to the city at.
| tOrney suggesting that he finds that
| from 1873 up to 1889 the school fund was
| credited at the end Of each fiscal year
with f per cent interest on SllO,SOO.' Ana
| that in his opinion this entire sum might
be wiped out by charging against the
/ plUIlC SNbbOi lulu III dIllOllJ cA pCIbCu
Oy the city for public schools.
X
This nefariouS suggestion was backed
by an opinion from the city attorney, and
the auditor forthwith wiped ont the per-
manent school fund.
The city had no right to eXpend the
permanent fund, as it held the same i'm
trust for the schools, and to charge up
nvnf,,t thf, f,,,I ar,ntrts nv1nnIad for
the schools, was simply and O~utrageOuSlv
wrong. And Mayor PaSchal does well to
restore this credit to the public schools.
The administration of this school fund
trust by the city has been marked at diff
ferent periods by the most prOfigate and
dishonest proceedings. 1t has been res
cued from destruction twice since the
war, and now the people having again
placed in Office an administration favor
able to public education, this fund will be
reinStated and our schools receive the
benefit.
The $1,000 should be issued in the
shape of a bond or bonds. with interest
cOupOneS attached and not left wrapped
uU in the shape of an ordinance that
SIN iIck leg lawyer can cJnStrue to
mean anything that it suits for the time
being.
Our schools are the pride and glory Of
our city aud 10 compass their tuIi use
fulness every dollar due them should be
guarded against the reckless and extraV-
agant handling of administrations such
as have cursed our city in the past.
z
We are glad Judge Callaghan has eX-
pIaiued how the permanent school fund
was spirited away; we know now where
to find it.
In the Courts.
In Judge NOOnan'S court the trial OF
H.. uiloy charUpd with arson is in