The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-05-01
The Tax COLLECTORS.


The Crescent is funny paper y the Delta
is funnier. 1t has pluck, too, as well as fun. No
statement is too incredible-no assertion too mon
strous to he used whenever the exigencies of dis
putation render them necessary When caught in
writing what is not true, it never takes back like
Barnaby's raven, its motto is" never say die "
Its repeated accusations against the Tax Collectors
have been made without the slightest foundation
in law TACT 1t has frequently asserted that their
salaries exceeded $4,000 each, and that the
Council was acting in wilful disregard of the law
which limited the salaries to $4,000.
We published the law yesterday by which it is
clear that two modes of payment are contemplated
viz: Commits sons, and stated salaries. We
again publish the section:
The statute of 1850, section ten, reads thus !:
That shall not be lawful for said Councils grant
missions for collections, at rate exceeding two and halt
doas for the salary of any office; to allow any extra
1 bonus to any person or by
any Municipality, over and above the regular salary
The Delta objects to the semcolons instead OF
commas. The punctuation was the work OF the
compositor but the Delta itself has omitted semi
colon where the text has one, and we inserted two
But this is small game. The sentence conveys the
same idea, whether the parts are separated by
comma or a semicoon. The Delta's exchequer of
wit must be low, when it pays out such small coin.
The reasons why Collectors should be paid COM
missions, instead of regular salaries, is evident
By paying them in proportion to the amount
collected, they have an incentive to rapid and
effective collection. The rate is wisely limited,
but the amount of compensation is regulated by
the amount of collection. If they received salary,
which in law means can annual allowance" indie
G.l.- IL -
contingent on their payments into the Treasury,
we should have always dishonored Municipality.
There are other officers, however, whose duties are
a regular routine and their compensation may well
be fixed by law
Hence the statute prohibits the commissions
exceeding two and half per cent, salaries
exceeding $1,000 A salary, in the popular accep-
taton, is fixed sum. Many persons prefer small
amount in the form of a salary, than a large sum,
depending on fees, and to some extent uncertain.
One great principle in the construction of a sta
tute, is to adopt that which gives force to every
word and clause. That proposed by the Delta,
renders unnecessary the clause which relates to
commissions. That is rendered nugatory by the
following clause, which regulates salaries. Our
construction gives force to both-is founded in the
essential difference in the terms themselves. Web
ser SAYS " COmmissOn-the allowance made TO
factor or commission merchant, for transacling
business, which is certain rate per cent for the
goods bought or sod.''
Saary-The rec6mpense or consideration sti-
pulated to be paid to person for services-usually
fixed sum to be paid by the year. When wages
are stipulated by the month, week or day, we do
not call the compensation salary, but pay or
wages"
1t also reaches the mischief intended to be cor
tpt and at thp ipa tha
tive to exertion on the part of the officers
But when we cite the report of the Retrench-
ment Committee, to be found in the official pro.
ceedings published in todays Crescent, and show
that the Collectors actually receive only S24OO
each, the Delta answers that they have no bust
ness to employ clerks. The Committee, who have
scrutinized the subject, approve of this employ.
ment. Do any of the Deta's readers believe that
the two officers collect S65OOOO, make out the
bills, give receipts, open and close the accounts
and make returns, without any assistance
The committee do report abuses, and propose
reform; but not in the Tax Collectors department
The fatal leak, they say, is in the Surveyors de-
partment Let the Delta turn its attention to the
subject Half of the ingenuity it has expended in
the scrutiny Of the Collectors, may enable our as
tute friend to point out the mode by which this
| irresponsible department can be placed unde
guard and check.
Perhaps in its zeal to detect and correct abuses
it may explain how it was that on the recent cleo
ton day, some three hundred laborers, during wor
hours, marched to the polls with shovels on the
shoulders, and democratic tickets pinned on thei
hats. Did the voting form part of the service
required, in making the levee !? We learn how
ever, that only very small number were lega
voters
Our own sources of information are extremely
limited. We only have access to the of1icia
| records. Our neighbor, however, possesses the
power of Asmodeus, and knows the secret history
of the Municipality, and thoroughly understand,
the actual value of all Offices We apply to him t,
lend his valuable services to the committee, t.
bring his experience into the public service, ant
assist them in the arduous task of methodizng
| department, which expends more of the publ
money than all the others put together.