Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-21
TIE SCHOOL. BIsIN ENS.

The SCHOOL BIslSE SS.
The question of voting the school
bonds a. the election called for Deem
Der - has now reached a point at which
the public are called upon to take sides
and to vote as their intelligence aud
IDEAS o. sound public policy suggest.
From their inception to the present time
tie school bonds and the high school
building have presented an unfortunate
middle, If not worse. Acquitting the
present board of all responsibility for
the error in the issue Of the bonds
and granting that IN it's anxiety to build
the school house it has made only mis-
takes, the fact remains that the mistakes
have been OF such a nature as to call
seriously in question. the capacity Of the
majority OF the board to supervise a
work OF such magnitude. In the first
place the contract was let upon a bid
made a year previous TO the award and
based upoh d payment to the successful
bidder in bonds instead of cash. In the
SCSoL-N pl1NC tLC EPCSilSuliOLS - OpCA
to al manner Of criticisms, for in a gen
eral clause they pave the way for changes
and extras that should not be allowed in
a building of that magnitude, for the
people are entitled to know Just what the
cost will be. In the third place, the archi-
tect stated in a meeting Of the board
that a change in the work from the plans
had been made by the contractor. and
while the change was not so good as the
original plan, the work would answer the
purposes. In the fourth place, estimates
have beer allowed that were not con-
templatrd by the terms of the contract.
In the fifth place a committee of compe-
tent mechanics have examined the work
thus far done and have reported that it
ls not by any means up to requirement,
In the sixth place, the architect
over bis own slgnaturs declares that in
the matter of the foundation the board
ignored his advice and in so doing en-
tai ed a cost to the property holders of
over 5000. What excuse has the board
to offer il reply to this arrangement by
their own officer? An item of 5000
wasted in one extra alone is surely not a
good recommendation for the board, and
especially when its own architect says
it was incurred in spite Of his official
opposition.
In the face of this the board appeals
to the public for a vote OF confidence and
asks that they be intrusted with the
expenditure of $4,000 to erect the high
school building and make other school
improvements in the district. That is
the question with which the voters are
confronted. 1t is conceded that a major
ity of the board we're elected by the So
called labor vote OF Great Falls, but if
the report OF the Trades and Labor
council counts for anything the sponsors
Of the gentlemen have become tired of
their bargain. Figured down to its
proper basis the workingmen in every
community are the taxpayers; those Of
Great Falls are no exception to the rule.
While they are willing to elevate their
fellow-workmen to positions of trust and
honof they exact from them a strict
account of their stewardship. The cloak
of the worklngman was made to dignif,
the wearer, not to cover incompetency
1t is a badge Of distinction, not an in
signia of the demagogue. This is thu
true light in which the report of thu
Trades and Labor Council putsi it. But i
appears that the labor representative
on the board are not satisfied will
the criticism of those who CAV
them power and have called upol