The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-28
"ROASTED" HIM BROWN
Township Trustees Say Some Tart
Things About Green Smith.
acknowledgements Anxiety to Get His
Percentage Out of the Return of the
School Funds Discussed.

Inc township trustees state ASSOcla-
ton began its regular annual meeting in
Room 80 of the Statehouse. yesterday MORN
ing, with ]. E. Coskey, of Greensburg, in
the chair. The morning session was de-
voted to the discussion of the Dog Tax
Law" Construction and Repairing OF
Ditches," and the Payment of per cent
by Townships for the Sale of Schoolbooks.
John Tingle, of Richmond, thought the dog
tax law was entirely too complicated to be
very efficient. There are a half dozen on
the subject" he said, land it is difficult TO
distinguish which ones are operative. The
registration law is the best if the others
were only repealed. Without a registration
it is impossible to collect the tax on all
dogs. AZ the law stands now the trustee
who looks after the dogs closely and col
lects all the taxes is doing the work to
make up the deficiency of some other tris-
tee who neglects his duty and allows the
dogs to go untaxed."
MR. GOLD AND THE DOG TAX.
Trustee S. n. Gold, of Indianapolis, main-
tanned that the registration law not
now in force, as it was repealed by the
general tax law. He said he had been
turning all the money collected by him for
the dog fund into the township tuition
fund and that the courts would have TO
pass on the question before he would pay
over any part of the taxes of 1891 and 1892
TO the city of Indianapolis, which, under
the old law, the city was entitled to. On
account of the different interpretations of
the law, some trustees were paying over
their dog fund TO the county treasurerS,
while others. were retaining it. The gen
eral opinion seemed 10 be that the truteeS
should decide upon construction OF the
law, near was possible to conStrue
it without a court decision, and then all
stand together in a uniform action on the
payment of the dog fund to the counties.
general discussion, bringing out quite
variety of opinions as to the proper manner
and time for cleaning and constructing
them. Some speakers thought the law was
at fault in not placing the bitches under
the control of the counties, while others
thought that this duty should not be taken
from the trustees, but that they should ar
range their work among themselves so as
to get the best results, by such townships
as had the ditch flowing through
them, uniting in keeping * in repair.
The paper of l.. II. Daniels, of Frank
Tow Town Sh ps for the Sale OF schooibooks,
heartily Endorsed by all those present
This feature of the law, he said, is the
one that has made 1t an obnoxious law by
creating the worst monopoly in the State.
The last Legislature made 1t possible Tor
the trustees to place the books in the book
stores as a matter of convenience 10 the
people. This per cent is paid out OF the
special revenue, thus diverting that money
from its real purpose, which do not think
is legal / would advise that we all agree
to refuse to pay this commission and allow
the matter to go into the courts for a de,
cision." S. n. Gold remarked that he did
not see the justice of law which required
him TO furnish the books and then pay for
the privilege of doing so.
At the afternoon session w. T. Bowers
talked on the Employment Of Teachers
and Grading Of Salaries" He did not APP
prove of the plan of allowing patrons to Sc
iect teachers on account of their selection
hpin biased personal interest
or friendship He submitted plan for the
grading of salaries according to the grade
the applicant received on examination Tor
license.
troduced, and, in a short paper, urged the
trustees to take some St-s,S toN---4 ~
teaching of patriotism in the schools. She
advocated the incorporation OF a salute to
the stars and stripes in the morning ex-
ercises. on motion of Mr.. Tingif t'e p1per
was adopted the sentiment of the con-
vention.
ROASTING GREEN SMITH.
DIR. E. l.. Brown next discussed the 'Dis-
position of Unexpended School Funds on
Hand July l." He compared the State of
Indiana to an old man who had several hun
dred sons, each of whom also had a large
family of children. in some cases as many
as several thousand. The old man was
wealthy, and told the boys that he wanted
to see that their children were we'll edu-
Gated as he would each year furnish n
certain amount of money for the education
of each child. Some OF the boys desired
ton than the money furnished by the old
man would give them, so each year they
some of them desiring to erect buildings
that were substantial in which to have
their schools, saved each year a part of the
money they had appropriated for educa-
tlonal purposes. intending when a suffi-
cient amount had been saved to erect a
good building. But one summer the old
a
them that he wanted what money they had
left over from the previous winters
money you, gave US" they protested:
What we have left is our own savings"
THAT don't make any difference. l want Ii
any way" the old man said
Here some one in the audience spoke out
and said, II have about 5000 of that kind
You had better keep still about it or
Green Smith will get on to it and want his
u per cent?" replied the chairman.
John McClelland, who is now testing this
law in the courts, then read the opinion OF
his attorney, upon which he based his
hope of winning the suit While the opinion
OF the attorney is directly contrary to the
decision of Judge Brown in the matter the
the Supreme Court will hold the law to be
unconstitutional. Superintendent Worries
was quoted by Mr.. McClelland as saying
that the amount involved was over half
million dollars, which, at 1913 per cent.
commission. would add the neat sum of
| over $4,000 to the income of Attorney
general Smith.
Mr.. Wheeler, Of Noblesvlle: 'In my
| township we have a 10-cent special school
levy. Green Smith gets the 10-cent levy"
DIR. Brown: 1--WE made a special Scent
| levy, which we have been accommodating
for the purpose of erecting some
buildings. But now Green Smith says,
| Give 1t to me; need Il per cent. commits
| sion out of it, "
William Schliecher, Of Warren township,
| this county, said that ne had accumulated
| 500 for new building, and now Green
| Smith wants IL per cent. commission out of
| IT, and would not object TO having the bal
| ance OF it turned over to the State school
fund.
Mr.. NJ. Matthews then read a paper on
Heating and Ventilating Schoolhouses:
| at considerable length: He was followed
by A a. Brown on Township Institutes;
| Their Uses and Abuses" and S. p. Yenne
| with paper on the Use and Efficiency OF
| School Directors" The convention then
| adjourned till o'clock this morning.
| TO-Day's Programme.
Morning session. a CONSTRUCTION
| of Law on Appointing Supervisors" Tay-
| Tor Reagin How to Successfully Conduct
Work through Supervisors James j.
Eggy; How to get Best Results from