The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-02
CHARTER IS BEGUN
FIRST SECTION OF THE DOCUMENT
READ AND APPROVED BY
THE COMMISSION.
INCREASED SCHOOL TAX LEVY
AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION THE
COMMISSIONERS DECLARE
1T NECESSARY.
BISHOP wHIpPLE IN THE PULPIT
Venerable PreIate Oficintes at Serv-
ices at st. Mnrk's-Minneap-
ellis Matters.

The city charter commission dropped
charter making for little While last
night and sat in judgment upon the &C
tions of the board of education. AT It's
meeting prior to that held last night,
the commission voted to invite the at
tendance at it's next meeting of repre-
sentatiVes of the board of education,
that they may advise with them in re-
gard to the proposition to increase the
maximum tax levy for school purposes
from four to five mills. In response TO
this invitation Directors Peavey Pratt
and Gjertsen and Secretary Marchbank
were present at the meeting.
Upon motion of Commissioner Pills
bury the commission expressed a will
ingness to hear from the representa-
tives of the board Of education. Di-
rector Peavey thanked the commission
for it's courtesy. He believed that it
was in the minds of the commission
ers, when they had asked the members
of the school board to be present, that
they had full power TO fix the tax levy
for school purposes. He read letter
from City Attorney Healey, who eX-
pressed ii as His opinion that the new
city charter could not provide for mat
ltIS pertaining 10 TIE Dt'dI u VI 6duNo-
ton, as the management Of the schools
had no connection with the city gov
eminent.
This fact, however, Mr.. Peavey said,
did not prevent him from giving the
commission some idea of the finances
of the board. The school expenses this
year would be between $725,O00 and
$3.50, 600. The income to provide for
these expenses, if the board were ac-
corded the four mill tax, would be
about $685., eco. The question for the
board TO determine was how it could
pay the $730,C0j with the $3.50 900. Prior
to the session of the last legislature the
board could borrow the full amount
of money to be derived from the tax
levy. This year, however, it can Dor
row but half on account of the law
passed a. the last legislature which
makes part of the taxes payable in
June and part in November A law
enacted in 1878 provides that the board
can borrow such sum only as can be
repaid by July l. This leaves the board
in a position it has never before ex-
perienced.
This" said Mr.. Peavey. will make
a difference of 100000, which we will
have to provide for or close the schools
and wait until November We have
recently asked the city council to is
sue the remaining $100 coo of the 5000
600 bond issue authorized by the peO-
pie at the last election. This amount
we will either have to use toward
maintaining the schools we have at
present or close them. Do the citi-
Zers of Minneapolis want this money
put into school buildings and have
all the schools closed, or do they want
the schools they have already to re-
main open? For one, if it becomes
necessary to use part of this 100000
and it will, | will vote to use for cur
rent expenses, in order to keep the
schools OPEN
Commissioner Pillsbury believed with
MIR. Peavey. He thought the schools
should remain open, and he thought
the great majority of the citizens of
Minneapolis would wish it so.
Commissioner Cohen, however, was
of a different mind He thought that
it would be a very unWise act to Use
the funds voted by the people s0r
building purposes for anything else
Such a move would hurt the city more
than the closing of the schools and he
was surprised that such a man as Mr.
Peavey would sanction such action.
This particular trust should be car
ried out" said Mr.. Cohen. at is a
money impressed with distinct trust
that cannot be violated. The city coun-
ell should not let this money go out
of it's hands. if it is intended for any
other purpose than that for which the
people voted it."
After the matter Lad been discussed
from all standpoints, Commissioner
DaVenpOrtS motion raising the tax
levy for school purposes from four mills
to five mills, was taken under discus
sion. The commission was not quite
sure that it had jurisdiction in the
matter, but as the motion was simply
an expression of the sentiment Of the
board it was adopted.
On motion of Commissioner Atwater
it was decided to go ahead with the
work of drawing up the chapters of
the charter relating to the school
boards, and other boards created by
special acts of the Legislature.
On motion of Commissioner DaVen-
pert, section one of the charter was
read and approved.
Chapter two was referred to the
drafting committee and made a special
order of business at next Mondays
meeting.
Upon motion of Commissioner Childs
the meetings of the board will hereaft-
er be called at 7:3O instead of as here
tofore
The committee on resolutions for the
new charter for the city of Mime
apolis, held a conference last evening
at the office of the committees chair
man, S. T. Johnson, in which promi-
nent city officials offered suggestions
as to the necessities of the cfty's re-
quirements in the construction of the
new charter. The general sentiment Of
the meeting was enthusiastic in pro-
claiming that the new charter would
contain no compromises to meet COR
rupt factions of the adherents of the
old charter They stood firm to the
principle of constructing a pure and as
perfect charter as possible that would
be irresistible to the voters of the city.