The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-16
WHAT THEaaCHAMBER OF COM
MERGE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
HAS TO SAY
ABOUT INCREASED TAX LEVY.
FAVOR SUCH AMENDMENT OF THE
LAWS AS WILL ALLOW RAILS
ING THREE MILLS.
MIR. MDoNALD,s RAILROAD BILL,
.'-- ave- e
Authorizing Companies to Exercise
the Right of Eminent Domain,
Marked With DisapprOvn1.

The regular meeting of the chamber
of commerce. which was held yesterday
in the rooms Of the chamber, was large
ly attended by both members and Wis
1torS, among the latter being Mayor
Doran, Comptroller McCardy and Prof
Curtis r-~
Capt. Castle, of the committee on
nominations, submitted the names of
the following gentlemen as directors
of the chamber, and they were elected:
Luther s. Gushing, J. j. McCardy Wal
ter F. Meyers and Prof. V. G. Curtis.
The committee on public schools re-
ported the following
The special order of the day was to
be a discussion on the advisability of
building docks for the storage of hard
coal but the matter was laid on the
table for one week.
W. H. Lightner, chairman of the leg
isiatiye committee. reported on the
bill, which has been introduced by Hon.
E. E. Mcdonald, to amend chapter 80
Of the General Laws of 1879. The report
was as follows and was adopted:
Your committee on legislation have had be-
fore them for consideration a communication
from Hon. E. E. Mcdonald relative to the
50 of the Genegal Laws of 1879, entitled:
An act to authorize railroad companies
to exercise the right. of eminent domain in
certain cases i'll this state"
With the present Information before your
committee il is unanimously of opinion that
the proposed act should not be passed.
l. II the bill9 becomes an act 1t VIII
repeal and take the place of the above men
toned law Of 1879, Which has now been in
force some eighteen years, and which we be-
leve to be OF vital Importance not only to
railroad companies bat to the community.
,. AS understand the proposed law,
it contemplates giving any railroad company
the right to cross and use the property OF an
other railroad corporation independent of any
determination by. the court that the public
interests require II, It seems to us that when
railroad corporations seek to condemn prop
erty either of other railroad companies or oil
private individuals; it should be a question
to be determined: by the court and not by the
railroad corporation as to whether public in
terests demand or require the condemnation.
3. The proposed law seeks to give to
one railroad corporation the right to appro-
PIRATE and use the property of another cor
poration without paying for it, but merely
upon paying per cent on the cash cost.
1t seems to your committee that such a law
would be held unconstitutional and would
work injustice for the reasons that the cost
is made the basis of the compensation regard
less of the value of the property, and because
1t allows one corporation to the property
of another without paying for it, merely re-
curing it to pay what may be considered a
rental value. For these reasons your COM
mittee recommends that your chamber inform
Mr.. Mcdonald that it dsapproves Of the pro-
posed bill.
The special committee on schools re-
ported favoring1 such amendment of
the laws as. Worldd permit the city to
levy annually a tax not exceeding three
mills per :dollar of valuation for the
support Of the SCHOOLS, and no" exceed
ing 6ne-eighth Of one milf additional for
building purposes. In the report the
committee says that the schools are
not entitled to more than their fair
share of the total revenue that people
can pay -
In 1896 these numbered 1853, and their
average pay was $613 each In 1892 the
grade teachers received an average of
$500 each In the year 1892 the kinder
gartenS did not exist, but in the year
1886, 81 teachers were. employed in them.
The average salaries paid to 416 teach
ers in 1896 were not below those paid
the corresponding class in 1892. The
remainder of the force has always
drawn much higher salaries, and in
these the averages have fallen since the
year 1892 about 10 or Is per cent. OF
these hight priced teachers, thirty-two
experimenting principals of ward
schools AVERAGED $1,2S6 each.
Twelve teaching principals av-
eraged 1854 each; two super
visors averaged 81, 800 each; nine
special teachers averaged $1,025 each;
forty-nine high School teachers aver
aged $1,113 each
In view Of the fact that the present
cost of the maintenance Of the schools
is $45S, 900 per year, the committee
thought that a rate of taxation amount
ing to $375, 900 per year would be ample
to meet all proper and wise expendi-
ture when added to the average $4,000
received from the state. The total
would be $4,000. =
Capt Castle was~nOt sure that even
the half mill increase was necessary.
He had lived here thirty years and
had seven children educated in the
public schools. He found that his opin-
ion was Of little consequence compared
with the opinion Of some old bachelors
who get on the school board
Mr. McCaydg, in the course of his
remarks, said the trouble is
primarily an overdose Of the
peculiar management by the in
dividual who lately drew the pay as
superintendent of our schools, by the
board of education in not caring for
the public funds in the most economical
manner; and in permitting favoritism
in the departments at the expense of
the city treasury. Also in attempting
to run a little political SideShOW in Or
der to bring disCredit on the present
administration. There are some men
on the board in whom l have unlimited
confidence, and whose Judgment in
public matters l would gladly follow"
But votes count and these men are in
the minority.
Under the management of the late
superintendent the roll of teachers has
been gradually increased until there
are now on the rolls at least forty
teachers more than is necessary for
the average daily attendance in the
schools. Expensive branches of higher
ornamental studies forced in at the ex-
pense of the common school course.
More money is paid for Greek and
Latin in our high schools than for Eng
lish and algebra and it is seriously
questioned whether the average pupil
can translate a sentence in Latin into
good English after going through the
course. No one bad thought for a mo-
ment of abandoning the high school.
but the city did not need three.
Mr. McCardy sentered into a calcula-
ton showing that the flags could have
been bought at the stores at a rate
much less than The COST of the teacher.
He proceeded:
THE kindergarten system, as prac-
ticed at present}qs very expensive and
ought to be TtaiBad. It cost S25, soc
for kindergarten teachers ir 1896, and
yet there are some children in that
grade who, after years attendance
don't know the alphabet and can't
count twenty A member of the board
~. - - .1-. =