The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-15
THE SCHOOL BOARDS SUPPRESSED
.... LETTER.

The G b e gives it's readers this
morning copy of the letter sent by the
school board to the mayor, accompany
ing the budget for the coming year to
be submitted to the common council.
Inns letter has a very lively in
terest, growing largely out of the
fact that it has been so carefully con-
cealed from the public, and access to
it was refused by Mayor Doran and
all others concerned. Were it not for
this the yelled language in which it is
so carefully couched might have been
held to apply to some members of the
chamber of commerce or other private
citizens, who dipped their fingers into
school finances with more zeal than
knowledge. The circumstances of the
case make it appear that the mayor,
at least, understands the criticism of
the board to apply, as it does and
ought to, to some gentlemen ensconced
IN office in the city hall The board
says truly that a large part of it's diff
hculties is due to the circulation of
statements and statistics concerning
the school fund, which are, ''to use
very mild term, misleading"
This seems to fit to a nicely the So
called information given out from time
to time by the city comptroller There
has never been at any time in the past
greater stumbling block in the way
of the board of School inspectors in this
city than the inability or the unwilling
ness, we care not which it may be
called, of Mr.. McCardy to tell it's mem
bers just where they stood. A great
department like this, which is bound
by the charter, under heavy penalties,
to live within its means, and which
has to disburse not far from half a
million dollars annually, is hampered
beyond expression when it does not
know what portion of it's available re-
sources have been expended at any
given time, or how much aggregat tie
revenue it has to depend upon in the
future.
The public is familiar with the at
titude of the comptroller when applied
to for information concerning the
school finances, and all who have been
engaged in trying to help the schools
out of their difficulties are aware that
this bumptious parsonage has contrib
tod
That his official associates are pain
fully aware Of the fact, and that they
are also in dread of the effect of it
upon public opinion, appears from the
trouble taken to hide the school board's
frank letter from the peoples eye.
There is absolutely nothing else in it
that requires concealment. It is a
plain and fair statement of school
finances, coupled with intelligent rec
concentrations, that will meet with the
approval of every public-spirited citi-
zen, as to what the council should do
in the present emergency, and what
policy should be followed until ade-
quate revenues can be provided under
new charter for our schools.
AS usual, it is our sagacious and gift
ed mayor who has put his foot in it
by pigeon-holing this public document.
He has, in effect, printed upon it the
acknowledgment that it is a serious
reflection upon our present city officials;
and, in view of his own brilliant ut
terances on the school question, he
probably feels that shot which strikes
the comptroller gives the mayor also
an uncomfortable buffet. The refusal
to give out this letter is a declaration
of its purport and a confession of its
reflection much more powerful and eX-
plicit than any comment that we might
make.