New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-06

Gal SESSION or LEOTlSl~A ! NE ~
srRAIGHTEN THINGS OFT,
Another n1udGle over teachers
,.,- anna -ently is TO be the imrneoa'e eiiee' VI
- s,vninc Of the Davis School Dill pS governor
Roosevelt Controller Coler has returned TO me
-. r,,7,,cstion some payrolls for April, de-
..a. h. cannot audit and pay the sala-
t. since the new law has taken from the
r-..a,ce DEPARTMENT all financial control of the
s.t,,-s,,g of school funds The Controller said
yesterday that the payros for April did not
oct jrto his hands until after the new law mad
gone into effect and the disbursng Of school
FUNDS was then taken out Of his control 1t is
possible that special session Of the Legislature
viii have to De called TO amend the Davis law
before the teachers can receive their pay
In returning payroIis Controller Coler yester-
dav sent 10 Joseph J. Little, president of the
Board Of Education. the following letter:
Dear Sir. Referring your letter OF the 4th
inst beg 10 state that after having read care
fully certified copy OF the Davis law Just received
J have come 10 the conclusion that cannot law
behalf o. the Department Of Education except as
! may be called upon TO meet acquisitions Of the
Board Of Education for such moneys may be
Z therefore return ~ once the payrolls and
schedules for n, Borough OF Brooklyn, so there
he same by the Board Of Education
In connection with this matter | call your at
tentiou 10 the inaccuracy and carelessness dis
played by the officials Of the audit bureau Of the
Boara Of Eapc5io9 Il m 81 and forward
ing 81 paLroiiS ana, by way OF Illustration refer
rhe Borough Of Brooklyn for the month of April
and which has been certified to the Controller by
me auditor for payment for amount $500 90 in
BIRD s COLER Controller.
Il don't know how the teachers are to get
their money" the Controller said yesterday
but I do know that am prevented by the new
law from giving it TO them. 1t is none OF the
business Of the Finance Department how the
salaries are 20 be paid to the teachers under
The Davis law. If the law does not provide
minutely for the method OF paying the salaries
that is the fault Of the trainers Of the law and
~ the people who passed il. What the law does
say plainly is that the Finance Department has
nothing TO do wiki the payment Of the salaries
Several members Of the Board Of Education
are much disturbed by the problems present
ed by the Davis Law that they talk of resgning
President Little said yesterday that he did not
see the way out Of the trouble. He was quoted
as saying regarding the situation:
There are some features q the bill tn the
courts will have 20 construe. The bill is cumsy
gritten that II IL hard 10 tell what II means. We
places mon rs We viii 6rsf snneaI 70 he Cor
porsticn Counsel and il We get d favorable opinion
VIII carry fight further l expect that the
N peeuaT POSITION The IaW forces upon US the
necessity Of organizing Il bureau and does not
provide d Of money for the work We will
pay janitors and clerks, but there Is no
money for that work. We cannot take money
from the special fund TO pay them. because the
charter forbtds II. We cannot pay them from
the general fund. because there is no provision
The Board Of Estimate the Municipal Assembly
cannot vote the money. The only way We can
get that I II for the Governor 10 call a
special session Of the Legislature
The whole trouble could have been averted II
the Governor had accepted the suggestion made
by the Manhattan Borough Board before the bill
was signed The Board suggested that as the Gov
ernor going to approve the Dill he send an
emergency message TO the Legislature recommend
ing the elimination OF The chief Objectionable feat
ure and leaving the disbursement Of FUNDS IL the
hands OF The Controller We going TO consult
counsel and II cannot Yet have the money
left in TIE Controllers hands, A month would De
e conservative estimate OF the time required 70
organize a new bureau. even If We had the money.
L the Controller viii not pay the rolls can see
no way prevent hold UP OF pay
A delegation from the Board Of Education
probably viii wait upon Controller Coler to-
morrow and Try 10 make arrangements whereby
financial control of the disbursing of school
funds shall remain with the Finance Depart
r7ent. II such arrangements cannot be made
under the new law. the Board Of Education may
appeal 10 the Governor TO call special session
OF the Legislature TO amend the law