When Seattle’s School Warrants Went Begging at 90 Cents
A judge’s ruling on school money left teachers and directors unpaid, school warrants unsellable, and King County officials refusing to honor the court.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The decision of Judge Langley regarding the application of school money to purposes for which it was intended has caused a stir not only in this city but all over the state. To make it worse, the unsettled condition of affairs arising out of the decision has caused the price of the last issue of warrants to drop to 90 cents on the dollar, with no buyers at that. It is a known fact that County Treasurer Mitten has refused to pay cash on warrants, thus practically refusing to acknowledge the decision of Judge Langley. This action brings the matter down to the point where the school directors cannot get money for their services at present from the school district, and if they desire to sell, people will purchase only at a large discount.
Owing to the unsettled condition of the district, School Director Colkett is anxious to have the matter appealed at once and thus have the vexed question settled before the legislature comes, so that if the needed legislation is to be had, it can be brought up. Director MacDougall is of the same mind and expressed himself in those terms. At a special meeting of the board this afternoon, Mr. Colkett said he desired the public to understand that he was in favor of settling the matter at once, and in order to remove the uncertainty conveyed by the last decision, he moved to reconsider. The motion prevailed, and had it not been for respect for Mr. King, a resolution would have been adopted instructing Attorney White to appeal to the supreme court immediately. The meeting will be held next Monday afternoon at 4 o’clock to settle the matter.
The following letter received yesterday by Attorney W. H. White from Attorney A. J. Pownor, of Olympia, gives an idea of the stir the matter is creating: “Olympia, Wash., Feb. 5, 1895. Judge Langley’s tax decision has caused a stir here. If I can be of any service in conducting an appeal I will gladly assist you. If Judge Langley’s opinion is correct with its consequences, the sooner the people know it the better. The matter must be determined before the legislature acts without an appeal.”
“The unsettled condition of affairs … has caused the price of the last issue of warrants to drop to 90 cents on the dollar, with no buyers at that.”
School funding lawsuits still decide whether teachers are paid on time and whether districts can borrow against promised dollars. In 1895 the fight was over who controlled school money and whether a county officer could simply refuse a court ruling.
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