Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1857-10-17

The excess Of expenditures
In 1850, were........ ............. ls $40 10
In 1855, exclusive Of proceeds Of insns,
were. -.,..-...,-..... 4i,s7t SO
Ia 1924, ...,...---..','...-..... W os3 ~
II 1895, we're ill,oez -
Whilst the excess ofreceipts over eypen-
dIturss i'll the Years 1850, 1852 aud
1855, OIL, amounted to slo4,so7 10.
The looms made aud money diverted
from School fund amount, since 1916,
to tie sum of s. ,05o 600; of which
few hundred thousand dollars only have
been paid, and showing, as previously
stated, exclusive Of the bonds issued to
railroad companies, an Increase of the
State debt proper Of over si,7oo,ooo.
If this is not extravaganza the word
| has no meaning. The ood of al! these
expenditures is invisible. The evil is
apparent 10 the naked eye, and no mic
roscope is needed to detect it. The
Courier has signalized it. 1t is found
in an exhausted Treasury in the perver-
sion of the School fuuds-iu the squan-
dering Of the Swamp Land funds to tbs
enrichment Of speculators and corrupt
agents Of the State, their allies in the
dishonesty Of ,She,Js, assessors and Tar
Collectors IN Il vord, IN this corruption
Of evsry branch Of our machinery of
! government. aud, in the language OF
the Courier, it needs IA good ouerhau
iny.' THIS will only be done if the op--
position to the Democratic party should
succeed at the November election. The
necessity Of having honest men and men
q brains no asses IN .soas' s&tns-s
apparent to the most supsrdei obssry~
er; and it is TO be hoped that the good
people Of the State will receive the ad-
vice Of the Courier, and evince their ap-
probation Of it by sending Representa-.
.ises to the coming Legislature to care
for their interests and give good over
hauling TO the machinery Of govern
ment.
The reports Of the Treasury and Of
other departments do not exhibit ali the
abuses ,ha, exist and demand reform-
The salaries and fees of our State officers
are enormous, and should be much re.
duced. The people Of the State, with
one voice, complain of the excessive tax
alton. Tbsindirect taxation is enormous.
The fees of the Register of the Land
Office gave this officer s22, 900 in nine
months. This is at the rate of $4,000
per annun. The Treasurer i. believed
by those who are we'll informed to re-
ceiyo $4,000 to $4,000 year the
Auditor of Public Accounts, $4,000 to
$4,000 year, and others in proportion.
lhe Governor OF Louisiana receives &c.
900 year salary. THIS is so per cent,
more than is received by the Governor
of any other State in the Union.
Does the Treasury Of Louisiana
does the condition Of her eople-admt
of the payment Of these e1trayagant
salaries and fees2 Are the people bet
ter sersedl 1t is notorious that the
duties of the high functonaries Of Loul-
ssna are performed by deputies and
clerks competent in many cases
than their super'ors, and for inadequate
salaries pa,d out Of contingent funds
provided by the State. This is we'll
known to US all. The deputies and
clerks Of the gentlemen who receive
| these high salaries and fees perform the
duties, whilst ther are running over tho
State making political speeches. The
truth is, our high offices Of State are too
| lucrative. Salaries and fees should be-
commensurated With the services render
ed and the capacity of those who ill the
offices. Judging by the standard Of
capacity, many would bs found now &C.
cupying office, and receiving salaries and
ices above their deserts, and the duties
OF which Offices would be better perform
ed by their clerks, AMI who would gladly
do SO for 1.-THE Of what their employers
receive.
Thirty thousand dollars year to
petty land officer Of Louisiana, and the
expenses Of his Office paid !! -receiv-
ng $4,000 a year more than the Pres,'
dent Of the United States, and four or
| five times more a wear than the members
| Of lis cabinet..!. If these are not ex-
travagances, what does the editor Of the
Louisiana Democra: understand by the
word esAayagancs
Not content with emptying the Treas
ury under the forms Of law and the con
st,tution, the Auditor ofihe State admits,
IN bis aDuuaI reports, that he authorizes
payments without the authority OF law
aud in violation Of the constitution.
Our Governors borrow money and con-
tract debts on the part OF the State and
unauthorized by law, and our Legis-
i !a,ures, in imitation Of a Porl;omSnt Of
Paris, hnmbly pass laws tc pay these