The Saint Paul globe., 1902-05-04

full advantages Of the free public school
system recognized by public authority
The present Democratic administra-
ton recognized those needs and demands,
and the school budget. which made pro-
vision among other school improvements.
for an extension to the Cleveland school,
was duly adopted The necessary money
was appropriated for the purpose and ar
rangements were made by the purchasing
committee for the carrying on Of the
work on the estimate made by the board
Of school inspectors
When the time came for the utilization
Of the moneys designed for this purpose
it was found by the school board that
they were not there. The specific sum of
$107, $50 was assigned to the construction
Of new buildings and additions by the
council Mr.. Griggs, the Republican first
assistant city attorney, declared, in his
opinion, that the moneys set aside for the
school accommodation fund were required
by law to be devoted exclusively to the
purpose of purchasing the necessary sites
and erecting the necessary new buildings
and additions
McCardy Diverted Funds.
We are told that the comptroller d.
verted S765G0 of the moneys thus intend
ed for school buildings to the mainten-
ance of the schools, depicting that fund
and leaving it impossible to go on with
the necessary work on the Cleveland
school,
Now, in trying to locate the response
bility for this state of things, Mr.. Griggs
tries his level best to make out a case
which will shift the burden off the shoul-
ders of Comptroller McCardy He ex-
pressly declares that it is against the
requirements Of the charter for the city
comptroller to make the diversion; but he
pleads that if this Illegal act were not
done by the comptroller the schools would
have to be closed up.
That claim. is nonsense. The moneys
should have been forthcoming If through
miscalculation as Mr. Griggs assures
the public was the case, Auditor join
son was not able to realize-t1e necessary
sums from the tax levy, the comptroller
was not thereby divested Of his obligation
to observe the requirements Of the cL%r-
ter, just the same. But he didn't observe
them. 1t didn't suit him to do so: and
pressly assigned for building purposes
and handed them over to the mainten-
ance account
Now, in the resolution Of the council
approved Feb. Z, 1901. it is recited that
the school board had asked for moneys
for new buildings in the First. Fifth,
Eighth and Tenth wards, and that the
council had fixed the amount to be de-
voted to the purchase of new sites and
the erection of new buildings In those
wards at $107, go, adding further that the
condition Of the school fund ''is such
that the public interests requiring the
purchase of suitable location or sites and
the erection thereon of new school build
fngs, may and should be proceed
ed with and accomplished without fur
ther delay
Council Ordered schools.
In accordance with this recited state of
facts the council in that resolution, which
was offered by the chairman Of the Re
man Warner, ordered as follows:
THAT the mayor and the president of the
board of school inspectors, of said city
be, and they are hereby authorized di-
rected and ordered to proceed to obtain
suitable sites for school buildings in the
First, Second, Fifth, Eighth and Tenth
erect suitable buildings thereon without
unnecessary delay. in accordance with
plans and estimates to be provided by