Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-30

take NJ and Mr.. Douglas said that in
many Instances should portables be in
stalled It would entirely eliminate play
ground space.
DOCGLAS Is
GIVEN REBUKE.
Within the exception Of two call downs
administered to Mr.. Douglas by william
HOugh. a member of the tax board. the
morning hearing passed off without any
fireworks. Ths first rebuff encountered
by the business director Of the schools
took place before the meeting had been
under way five minutes. Fred a. Sims,
formerly a member of the tax board,
who with Frederick E. Shortemeier, sec
rotary Of the Republican State central
committee. represented the remonstra-
tors, asked in 4 very courteous manner If
the representatives Of the school board
would agree 20 admit certain figures.
Frederick E. Matson, attorney for the
school board, started to speak, but Mr.
Douglas broke in with
NO, because they are not true"
Mr.. Hough remsinded Mr.. Douglas in
no uncertain manner that he was not
asked any opinions as to the figures. but
merely as to whether or not he would
agree to them. Later HOugh objected TO
the argumentative manner in which Mr.
Douglas, while testifying, answered some
Of the questions
AS was expected. the attack Of the re-
monstratOrs was concentrated heavily on
the relations existing between the board
OF school commissioners, the firm of
Snider & Rotz. engineers for the board.
and l. A. Snider. a member Of the firm.
who as an individual is employed as
building advisor, and one Of the FIRST acts
Of attorneys for the demonstrators was
1 to introduce these contracts in evidence.
Mr.. Matson while not Directing to their
admission suggested that the tax board
was not judicial body and these con
tracts, whose legality was attacked by
the demonstrators were not a proper sub
ject Of inquiry at the hearing.
However. John ]. Brown. chairman of
the board, ruled that they were admissa o.
bic. The opinion Of L. S. Lesh. attor-
ney general Of Indiana, holding the con-
tracts Illegal also was admitted
SCHOOLS GET
THIRD OF TAXES.
The case for the Taxpayers League
was opened by Mr.. Schortemeier. He
pointed out that the hearing was one of
vital Importance, as third of all
taxes collected in Indianapolis go to the
support Of the public schools.
THE Taxpayers League is heartily in
favor of the public school system" MI
SchOrtemeier said. Its members approve
the increased salaries granted the teach
ers last year, but it does not approve
waste or extrava gauce in the management
OF school affairs. There Is today a mar
gin Of only $8S5.000 remaining to the
board before the limit of bonded indebt-
edness is reached. IF this was a public
concern there would be talk of a receiv-
ership. And the situation is likely to
become worse than at present. We all
know that tax values are shrinking, and
1t is not impossible that the board %
school commissioners may find 1t has ex-
ceeded' the limit of bonded indebte iness
without having spent a cent when the
next tax duplicates have been totaled up.
Now is not the time for extensive con
strUction work. Investigation shows that
building costs have dropped only 10 to
II per cent in the last year and tn II
prices will fall much lower within the
next year"
SOS. 900 FOR
EXPERT ADVICE.
Turning his attention TO the Snider &
ROtz contracts, he continued "a state
ment obtained from the State hoard of
accounts in May showed that Snider as
building advisor had credits due him as
building advisor for more than S27, 900.
and his firm as engineers had credits of
more than $4,000 or a grand total of
S1O5.J1S.79. This does not include work
ordered in the past four months and
should the proposed bond issue be ap-
proved it will mean about SIS. 900 more
for them. 1t time to call a halt on
this. ! am not questioning the integrity
of the building advisor. but I do insist
! hnN H. etc
Mr.. Schortemeier then advocated the
purchase of a sufficient number of porta-
bles to put every child in school on full
tine basis 1T is better to have all the
children in school all the time than to
have part Of the children in school part
of the time in elaborate buildings" he
said
Thomas H. Spaan then read a prepared
statement insisting that the Taxpayers
League was doing the children OF the
city a real service by objecting to the
bond issue. THE difference between ths
league and the controlling faction of the
school board" Mr.. Span said, lis that
the school board apparently regards brick
and mortar. elaborate plumbing and
fancy ventilators as the main basis of
education.
when the present controlling faction
Of the school board came into power
about two years ago. the bonded indebt-
edness 81 the school city was little over