The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-22
ST. PAUL SCHOOL BOARD WANTS
MORE THAN TWO AND ONE
HALF MILLS.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED TO
Make 1T AN ELECTIVE
BOARD
MARKED CHANGES IN SALARIES.
Senator POttgieser Wants Judoas,
Stfpends Reduced-Other Officials
Trying to Get an Increase.

The Ramsey county delegation will
hoId one OF its most important meet
lngs thus far in the legislative
session at the Windsor hotel this after
noon at 4:30 o'clock. The chief SUBJ
jcct to come before them. although
the discussion will incidentally refer
TO general matters Of local interest,
Will be the request Of the school board
Tor the abolition of the limit of as
sessment for school purposes. AT pres
emit the tax limit of 2.5 mills for school
purposes is hardly sufficient to paw the
salaries of the teachers. let alone the
otner expenses of maintaining the civ
schools. When the assessed valuation of
the city was 1923, 900, 900, it was suf-
nclent, but when the reappraisal Of
property cut that valuation down to
SS5 10000, it made a difference Of near
~ $4,000 in the amount available
Tor school purposes, and has serious
~ handicapped the work of the board.
The members of that body will be
present to confer with the delegation
today to see if some measure cannot
DC devised to relieve the tension under
Wh1ch the st. Paul schools are placed
py the changed conditions.
Another bill which is in the hands Of
one member Of the Ramsey delegation.
and which, after being amended to ac-
cord With the views of at least a Dor
ton OF the delegation, will probably be
introduced in the house of representa-
tlves, is a measure to place the board
Of public works on an elective basis
In order IN
ton provision of the constitution. the
Dali Will provide that in all cities hav-
ing boards having population of more
than 100000 and less than $50, 900, which
have boards of public works, these
boards shall be elected by the people.
instead of being selected in other man
nerS, In order to secure uniformity. OF
course, as there is only enc city in
the state which comes within the cIas-
s1fcauon, the plea to secure uniformity
IS something of a joke, but the bill is
being seriously advocated for the merit
of some Of it's other provisions. 1t
provides that beginning with the
spring election Of 1898, the members Of
the board shall be elected for a term
Of four years, except that at the first
election two of them shall be chosen for
term of two years. Then thereafter
two will be elected each election The
members of the board at the time Of
the passage of the bill shall expire by
limitation at the time that the other
officers elected at the same election
take their places.
Still another bill which will be in
troduced in a few days, if the advocates
of the bill can secure it's introduction
under favorable auspices, provides that
the salary Of the city clerk, city engi-
neer and city attorney shall each be
$4,000 a year. This bill will also make
these offices elective by direct vote OF
the people, instead of by the council
as is the case at present. The same
ruse to avoid the special legislation
enactment will be a part Of this bill.
In a different motive is the bill which
was introduced yesterday by Senator
Pottgieser, to reduce the salaries of the
judges of the Ramsey county district
court from $4,000 year to $500 a year.
Senator Theden has appointed Frank
J. Mead clerk of the committee to in
vestigate the department stores. It
is likely that the committee will get
together some time today.
The senate committee on judiciary
has made Wednesday noon next a
time of hearing arguments in the
Griffin Webster contest over a place on
the state board of pharmacy.
Assistant Attorney General EdgertCn
holds that it mas not; that submission
of q list of names 20 the governor by
the pharmacists simply amounts to a
recommen datio,. that he shall appoint
one Of the number, and nothing more;
that it cannot bind him in any way,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
statute plainly states that he shall APP
point one Of the five named by the
pharmacists. Mr.. Edgerton, and a
good many other attorneys, hold that
this, or any other law delegating the
appointive power to a private corpOr-
alton, is unconstitutional. 1t was on
the strength Of these opinions that
the governor appointed Mr.. Griffin,
whose qualifications for membership on