The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-25
AN ATROCIoIIs ACT.

The conclusion of the committee of
the common council having under con-
sideration the assignment of money
for school purposes for the next year
is simply atrocious. It outrages every
principle of common sense, Of business
dealing and of public policy. It is
blow at the vital point of our school
system, and an insult to the people
of st. Paul. That it is all that could be
expected of such a council as we are
cursed with does not alter the practi-
cal Importance of the injury that is
about to be DONE for purposes as petty
and selfish as could be imagined The
committee decided that it would not
transfer one dollar of the SAL 900 al
lotted to the purchase of school sites
and the erection of new buildings to tbs
maintenance fund. Instead of that, it
recommended a cut of nearly SIS, 900
from the amount allowed for school pur-
poses, after the board of school in
spectors had made every reduction
WHICH,, III lutli' was posi-
BILE. If the money were not to be had
if the revenue produced by the school
tax were insufficient to meet the de-
mands of the board, there would be no
complaint. 1t would be unfortunate,
but we should have to make the best
Of it. But the fact is that, with the
economies which the board has put
into effect, there is money enough to
get along for year with the Sal, 900
in question. The expenditure of that
sum at this time in real estate dickers
and deals, and in the putting I'D OF
school buildings for which there is
no money to purchase furniture and n,
money to hire teachers, deserves the
most vigorous denunciation that can
be directed against it. We tell these
men now that the people of st. Paul
will not forget or forgive them if they
adhere to this indefensible policy.
The reason for it is not far to seek
1t is not the need of the community
for more school accommoda tions that
moved the council committee to such
action. They did not consider that
point at all. Their decision was reached
by a log-rolling process, exactly as
corrupt jobs are lobbied through con-
gress. The schools are to be still fur
Their crippled, and Sal 900 of the money
belonging to them is to be diverted
to another object, solely in order to
advance the political interests of sit
ting members of the common council
1t is not the G lobe that makes this
charge, it is the councilmen them
selves. During their delibera tons it
appeared that each member was anx-
ious, regardless of the public aspect of
the question, to placate the people of
his ward by securing a. part of the
plumber. The people who have lots to
sell and the people MhosWants to see
a new school building go up in their
immediate vicinity, the people who ex.
pect to get good jobs out of contracts,
and all those who, from interested
motives, flock about whenever an ex-
penditure like this is contemplated, are
those to whose pleasure the council is
ready to yield. They would sacrifice
anything of the public interest if they
believed it would strengthen their po-
litical pull. 1t was a Republican who
asked, at this last meeting, of another
Republican, if his demand for a new
building in his ward did not mean
that, unless the building were erected.
that ward would go Democratic nexr
spring"
Hopeless as it Seemed to be from
the beginning to get an idea through
the head of any member of this council
it does seem to us that they ought to
be able to understand that they are
digging their political graves. Do they
suppose that the people of st. Paul,
who have manifested their intense in
terest in their schools, will approve
this policy, or elect OF re-elect to any
Office in their gift man who has
helped to take SAL 900 from the scanty
and insufficient school fund to distrib-
ute, in times like these, for political
purposes among the different wards?
Will those whose salaries suffer, will