Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-31
BOND ISSUE is
TO BE BASIS OF
MANDATE SUIT
(Continued From Page one.)

| 81 would be given only If approved by
an cutsld. advisory committee of no legal
! standing made up Of representatives of
bodies dictated by the State board. The
resolution sets up the doctrine of home
rule and demanded that the State tax
board give an unqualified answer with
| in seven day. either approving or refus-
! ing to approve the bond issue. If this
is not done, Frederick E. Matson. attor-
/ ney for the school board, is directed to
file mandamus proceedings to compel the
tax board to decide the question, which
has now been before it for several months.
RESOLUTION PASSED
BY TO VOTE.
The vote on the resolution found
Clarence e. Crippin, who introduced and
read the resolution Mrs. Tutewiler, and
Mr.. Gadd voting in the affirmative,
while Charles L. Barry and w. ID. Al
nson voted against it.
Mr.. Barry opposed the resolution IN
reservedly, while Mr.. Allicon opposed it
on the ground that 1T wound accomplish
nothing and might result in legal
tangles that would tie up the building
program indefinitely.
1T IS not going to get us anywhere, :"
he said, TO fight the State board or to
Ivy to bluff it. It is unwise of us to
make such harsh criticisms of State
board members. 1t would be better for
US to be reasonable and to cooperate
with them. If we get in a law suit it
may tie up everything"
Mr.. -a..y took special exception 30
that part of the resolution which pro-
vided 1t should be published in thu,
Bulletin" the official monthly publica
ton OF the board. He contended 1t wss
Z Nj -s,t Ian M
less all matters pertaining to the queI-
ton at issue be published also.
Mr. Crlppins resolution came as a
climax to an evening Of sensations. First
Of all Mr.. Gadd read a report covering
Investigations made by L. A Snider of
the firm of Snider & RotE, engineers for
the board, into buildings at Muncie,
Evansville, Mohawk and Center Town
ship, Marion County. At the public
hearings before the State tax board on
the bond issue these buildings frequent
~ were mentioned as examples OF eco
nomic school building constructions and
tax board members drew comparisons
between them and the buildings erected
in Indianapolis TO show that building
operations here were conducted on a
reckless and extravagant scale.
FINDS TAX BOARD
MEMBERS MISTAKEN.
The report went into each building in
detail and purported to show either the
buildings were not fire proof were poor
ly constructed when compared to speci-
hc2tions used In Indianapolis, could not
comply with the local building code, or
That the figures given by certain tax
commissioners as to costs were not borne
put by the facts.
For fuefopac
hawk where W. A. Hough, tax commits
sioner, said brick was being delivered on
the JOB for $ll a thousand. It was found
according to the report, that the brick
used was not first quality, but was Gull
brick and was costing Sl4 a thousand not
delivered on the ground
In some respects this report was only
a little less scathing against the State
tax board than Mr.. Crippin's resolution.
The report was ordered put on record
by vote of - !, Mr.. Barry voting
against It. Mrs. Tutewller praised the
report highly and It was here that she
made the charge that the State board
either had falsihed facts or was grossly
ignorant Of them.
Mr.. Barry made a defense Of tho mo-
tiyes OF the tax commissioners and In
troduced a resolution pledglng the school
board TO comply with the suggestions
Of the tax board in It's letter Of Aug.
10 and agree to the appointment of an
advisory committee to be composed Of
representatives Of the Taxpayers League
OF Indiana, the Chamber Of Commerce
the Board Of Trade and the engineers Of
the State board of accounts and State
board Of tax commissioners. This was
lost by a vote Of three to two, Mr.. Al
lison and Mr.. Barry being the only mem
bers Of the board to support 1t.
Mr.. Allison in speaking for the reso-
luton, frankly said he believed the tax
commissioners were misinformed, but in
sisted their motives were good. and he
believed a policy Il moderation and CO.
operation would result better than one
Of open antagonism.
THE tax board members may have
been mistaken" he said, land II so they
owe this board an apology, but I do not
believe they made statements with the
IL tention Of wronging any one or mis-
representing facts. None Of us Is iufal-
lible. We are not expert business men
and | know we have q lot to learn.
think 1t will save us unjust criticism
TO form this advisory committee, and
to show an INCLINATION to cooperate with
these State boards.
CRIPPIN PRESENTS
THE RESOLUTION
The resolution presented by Mr.. Grip
pin Is as follows:
Whereas. The school public Of Indian
apolts finds itself confronted by very
unusual and serious situation It is face
| to face with an obviously concerted effort
| by commissions In the Statehouse to
I take over completely the school affairs Of
/ the city, Notwithstanding the fact that
all the duties, responsibilities and pow
ers for conducting the public schools have
| by statute for years been vested in a
| nonpartisan school board elected by the
people, and who serve without pay For
| the last few months the State board Of
accounts has persistently raised aues
tons and made objections 20 forms of
specifications and methods Of transact
| ing business by the school LOard which
have been used for many years with the
sanction of the school board attorney,
and with the fun knowledge of the board
OF accounts, and without previous objec-
ton. Almost weekly the accounts board
raises questions as to matters about
which no objection was ever before made,
and IN many instances as to matters over
which the statute does not appear to
give that board any jurisdiction. The
State board of tax commissioners has
openly shown Its attitude in the recent
| hearings and In its refusal to approve
or disapprove the Lond issue for the
construction Of school buildings unless
! the school board surenders to their con-
tlnued domination; and,
wv hereas, long before this board had
been organized as now constituted, the
board of school commissioners then rom