The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-06-25
One Would Be To Test At.
torney Generals Ruling
Other To Put 1t Through As
County Proposition

Two plans were suggested by City
Solicitor H. w. Koons at the recessed
meeting of council Wednesday even.
ing as means of obtaining the s1O,.
600 necessary for the purchase of
site for the armory. These plans
came after report unfavorable to
the project Of purchasing armory
bonds by the sinking fund trustees
with the money in the cemetery per-
petual care fund.
The first plan was to test Attorney
General Turner's ruling that a city
could not issue bonds for such a pro.
ject as an armory. This would be
done by an action in mandamus and
would go directly to the supreme
court, 1t was suggested by the solic-
itor that City Auditor Parker could
refuse to advertise for bids on the
armory bonds, after council had pass
ed the necessary legislation and that
he could then be mandamused. Mr..
Rooms mentioned that this mode of
procedure had been mentioned to the
attorney general Tuesday and that
the latter was rather skeptical as to
its efficacy.
Mr.. KoDns stated that he believed
chances we're very slim of the su-
preme court overruling the attorney
general, but that there was a posi-
bility, bafe enough, it is true, but a
possibility at that, that such might
be done. If the citizens committee
in the matter of the armory were will
ing to furnish two constitutional law
yers to confer with him, the solicitor
went on, and that this conference
should result in the conviction that
there was a fighting chance of max
ing good with the proposition in the
supreme court, the city would do well
to spend the money necessary for the
furtherance of test suit In such an
event and such a case, the solicitor
stated, the attorney general would set
up no opposition, but would willingly
and gladly promote fair decision.
The second plan suggested by the
solicitor was to wait until the time
was ripe and put the proposition
through by means of the county, as
the latter can expend it's funds for
memorial building. In view of the
doubt as to the possibilities of the
first plan, this suggestion met with
some favor, although the majority of
the councilmen seemed to think that
the best mode of procedure would be
popular subscription. The decision
will rest with the citizens commit
tee.
The following is the complete re-
port of the committee to which was
referred the matter of the sinking
fund trustees taking the armory
bonds:
Mt. Vernon, o., June 23, 1915.
To the Honorable City Council of Mt.
Vernon, Ohio.
Gentlemen:
Your special committee, appointed
for the purpose of investigating the ar
mOry question, beg to submit the fol-
lowing report:
In view of the fact that very large
majority of the citizens of the town
have apparently been in avorof donat-
ing to the state of Ohio a site for an
armory and because your committee
has been unable to reach conclusion
which is satisfactory, either to the citi-
zens interested or to the council, we
consider it proper to set forth our re-
port fully.
At the outset of the proposed dona-
tion, it was the attitude OF almost the
entire council and all the other city
officers to give every assistance possi-
BILE to further the project. Nor can we
at this time find any change of heart.