The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-03

case will be in all likelihood be taken
up. Tt assurdelv will if the local ju
dietary go contrary to Judge Benefits
opinion.
THEY WANT REFORM.
Mr.. Burns clients are prompted in
their contemplated action by n desire
to effect what they believe will be a
wholesale wholesome reform. They fig
ure that the present board is expensive
in two ways. First, because it virtu-
ally legislates for twenty-oua different
districts. and second, because it is COM
posed of a class of men who are COM
paratively incapable for the reason
that they are selected from q limited
choice.
AS to the first reason, it IS pointed
out that great deal of money is un-
necessarily expended by each member
in order that he may be considered by
his constituents to be just as good as
his fellow. For instance, during the
past year there was an omnibus build
ing measure passel, by which appro.
priatiOns We're made for 4 number of
new schools, a -ouple of which at least
were necessary only to line up this
member or that for the buildings which
the projectors of the measure desired
in their wards. 1t was a case Of eff
you get q new building in your ward,
I must get one in mine" This, as is
readily apparent. there is a strong pos
siblity of unwise expenditures Mr.
Burns himself made the statement in
talking along this line that up in his
ward, the Thirteenth, $25, 900 was vast
g,1 In, naf, I'll 4
adequate building, which would serve
every purpose for years to come.
AS to the contention that a better
class of men will be attracted to a
board of six elected at large, little
need be said, they argue, for it stands
to reason that men who could not now
be coaXed to go through a ward pri-
mary and ward election to become the
Twenty y-first-part of a none too high
ly esteemed organization, would gladly
and evrn anXiously offer themselves
to serve with men of their own calibre
in this responsible and important Of
flee.
WAY THEY ARGUE.
Putting it in another way, it is to be
expected that a better average in the
matter of calibre is to be expected in
six men selected from the city at large
than from twenty-one men chosen one
from each ward. And better than all
a board selected at large and owing
allegience to no particular ward or To-
cality, will do away with the present
pestferous system of ward rather than
city legislation.
The other two contemplated reforms
resolve themselves merely into the in
forcement of existing laws. These laws,
of course, are disputed but those who
champion them have little ground to
stand on. In the matter of making
the school tax levy on the city assess
ment it is shown almost concluslvely
that it is special legislation.
The constitution says that legisla-
tion of any class must be general
throughout the state, yet under the
present application of the law we have
right in this county a fragrant violation
of the constitution-Scranto using its
municipal assessment and Dunmore, an
adjoining municipality, using the coun-
ty assessment.
Judge Mcpherson, in dealing with
the question of a city controllers tur-
isdiction over school board finances,
rules that such a provision is illegal,
for the reason that being a city Of
ficer he can not be legislated for as a
school district officer, and that no act
of the legislature can provide both for
a city and a school district.
One of the principal changes that
would result from the inauguration of
board Of six would be the creation
of a new office, that of treasurer of
grhnn1 p rha
a percentage on collections and dis
bursements, the figure to be fixed by
the school board. The secretary of the
school board would also have to be a
member thereof, but provision is madr
for the employment of a clerk, which
Is discretionary with the board.
Mr.. Burns IS now at work on the pa
pers in the case, and they are liable
To hn I-.l IL.