The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-05-09
STATUS OF SCHOOL FUND
CERTIFICATES OF DEBT.

lnc '1ttit tnHt MS eNctliencN
found remaining to be said by him
in amplificetion of the "auditor's
report" upon the management of
the public school fund for the last
10 years starts oil with this remark
"The form OF investment OF the
school fund was changed under the
several acts to which he (thc
auditory has referred, from the
bond form of Indebtedness to the
certificate form of Indebtedness.
Both forms OF Indebtedness are in
contemplation of the constitution
bond forms of liability, and the
question naturally arises why the
state should have exchanged from
the one form to the other"
This statement, II true, however
little II may adc TO the "auditor's
report" L. all-suilicicnt for the
question Mt issue. II Il Is true, as
alleged, that both forms of in
dcbtedncss are in contemplation of
the constitution bond forms OF
obligation" then II follows as n
matter OF course, that In that same
contemplation Of the constitution
there was no change Of the invest
mcnt OF the assets OF the school
fund, aud all inquiry as to the con-
stitutionality of such transaction
IL more than idle II is absurd.
A BEAUTIFUL CONTRADICTION.
But we are also informed by the
sentence proceeding the one that
contains this assertion that not
withstanding this identity of the
two forms there actually was n
change. II Is this peculiarity of
the "littlc" that his cxccllcncy
found to add to the report of the
auditor-that there was and there
was not u change at one and the
same time OF the assets of the
school fund-that makes II neces-
sary for us to look further into this
subject.
Nor can we be deferred from this
by the fact that no political party
has ever mentioned the subject In
a convention, dccming II as we do,
not merely the privilege, but the
solemn duty OF every citizen, how
ever humble he may be, to keep
himself informed In regard to
public affairs, and also to add his
mite to the information of the
public to the extent of his ability.
Besides, while his cXccllcncy
seems to claim the calling Of pub
lie attention to public Affairs as the
exclusive prerogative OF party con-
ventions, he ought to remember
that the discussion OF this subject
grew out OF the claim by the party
that nominated him, in solemn
convention assembled, that they
had reduced the debt OF the state
"untll only s2,637, 900 remained to
be paid" II was this statement,
presented to the public with all
the solemnity which his excellency
seems to require, that was called
In question by the editor of the
State Republican, in speech at
Gallatin, Mo-, Dockery's own town
during the last campaign. lie
showed, or attempted to show, that
this claim was not true, and could
not be true, according to the evi-
dence of the public documents In
the hands of the people, furnished
by the very party itself, unless
they intended to repudiate their
obligations to the public school
fund of the state. Gov. Dockery
will remember that neither he nor
his party claimed at the time "that
certificate and bond were In con-
timplation of the constuiion bond
forms OF obligation" for II they
or he had SO claimed, what would
have become Of their other claim,
"that only S2,837,O remains to
be paid" when, in truth and fact,
the sum would have amounted to
S7,034, ,294.S3?