Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-12-11
SCHOOL APPOKTIONMEN TRuIn,r


SCHOOL APPOKTIONMENT TRurItIr
A communication has reached Tg
TRIBUNE from j. S. Davidson, wrt>s-
with view of explaining his action in
the school question. In the commur
cation the gentleman uses terms and
makes statements that justify ua in d.
clining to publish it, AS to the merit,
Of his contention, that the city euperir
tendent OF schools and certain teachs,s
are ineligible under the law, we hays
nothing to say; that is matter Of fac,
that can be easily determined by props,
authority. We are, however, ready +,
agree that the school board or it, Off.
GERS or any other official should be goy.
erned in their conduct by due regnl
to the statutes. They were made to ba
observed, not ignored. So much fer tbs
general principle at issue; but there +.
one phase the controversy has aeeumei
to which we take positive exception. 4
CcAt AoA tuio oDJcCLlOu Cdu Do FURNISHED
by Il sentence in tho communigatior
Of Mr.. Davidson. 1t is as follows. -
was unsuccessful in getting the board 70
renounce the policy of employing VI.
qualified teachers, and hence my action
in enjoining the school fund"
The facts are that Mr.. Davidson filed
with the county superintendent writ
ten statement containing certain serwu.
allegations, unsupported except by hi.
signature, and added: 81 hereby prot It
against any apportionment being mad:
for the aforesaid district, and will ho.1
you and your bondsmen responRibie i9-
any apportionment you may make Ii:
aforesaid district For reasons Of hi,
own the county superintendent &C,
nounceB that he will heed this threat
which he, as we'll ag Mr.. Davidson, 60,
siders an injunction, and will refusu +.
maze the apportionment. This eeeu,
to be far. fetched and unwarrantab'.
conclusion. When did al indiylI.s
protest arise to the dignity Of All
have all the force and tfeN
of an injunction, or by what right DOE:
Mr.. Davidson usurp the function Of :
Judge and the county superinteIjal.
obey his mandates? The courts a..
open and if any citizen had p-ope.
grievance, upon presentation Of it lu ...
form and supported by oath he .1l-
have obtained the relief sought. To Us.
it seems that any other method is il.ees
and absurd. II the method adopteJ s
Mr. Davidson and accepted by 'r-
county superintendent be correct az,
citizen who has a grievance, real Or H.,
aginary, against another can cause n.r..
annoyance and expense. IL the yIs'~
had bill against the county, proper
audited, and for which a warrant b..
been drawn, his enemy could stop pa
ment by filing protest with the CJyL,?
treasurer, accom- panied with tL,a4,
that if the warrant be hoGTe
the treasurer and his bond VOL.
be held responsible. Should 'l.
treasurer heed the protest the a,-
would be compelled to employ lHwy ger
go into court to maintain his right al-
the man who had caused the tr .tt
would stand by and laugh, for he wo4..
not be out one penny. This is "a log a
parallel and we are firm in the ur..s
that the protest Of Mr.. Davidson Aa-
standing and that no attention shoudn
paid to it, He has his remedy H. Il
. courts; let him seek it there. In No.
instances the use OF injunction b. u
courts is questionable; lodge that art
= trary power in the hands of every clt1e
and it will become intolerablc. We tA,u
, the county superintendent had botu
-. recede from the position he haa t.Ee
and make the apportionmeut, unIes .
ia legally estOpped.