The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-03-04
-, rur prop1F-Here is specl

;. F.c7s FOR THE PEopLE-Here is sPecl
men Of the mode in which the democracy
Louisiana manage things: There was }es'e'
dav an interesting discussion IN the mouse
>. representatives. on a bill to abolish the Stat
REGISTERS Office al Baton Rouge, and TO esaao
Gsb. instead, some four or five offices at diner
ent points in the State. The grounds upo'
which the measure is advocated are that LII
office at Baton Rouge, is inconvenlentiy si1ua
ted to those sections in which lie by lar th'
largest part of the lands to be entered; Int
consequent heavy expense 10 DC iiss''
short Of 100000 per annum--entalled uPo'
the citizens in getting to and from the otilce
and the enormous fees charged by the register
at Baton Rouge The purpose OF the blllis Z
remedy these several evils by establishing OF
! fees at central points in the swamp land dis
tricts, and BY lessening the charges for enter
ing lands.
/ The bill is advocated by some of the bes
| talent in the body. One Of the clearest and
ablest speeches | have heard during the SEES
sion was made by Mr. Semmes, of Orleans, in
support of the bill.
Hst, to return to the land office bill. It is
stated to be a fact-and | have 1t from oppo-
nents oftbe measure as we'll as from its friends
that the pay of the swamp land register is at
present equal to, if not greater than the ag-
gregate of Ihe salaries of the governor secre-
tary of state, auditor and treasurer 1t D va
rousIv estimated at from $50, 900 to $50, 900
per annum! The present register admits that
he might, during the past year, have made
$4,000. If he might have done SO in a law
full manner, on what account can we suppose
he did not? The more general opinion is, that
Mr. Harralson has pocketed, during the past
year he has held the office, not less than this
round sum OF $40, ooo-an opinion, by the
way, that is based upon facts.-S5O0, 900 has
come into the treasury from the sales of swamp
lands within the past twelve months. The fees
for entering, receiving patents, DC, range from
S6 to SIS for every forty acres, according to
the extent of the bodies entered. From these
facts you can arrive at your own conclusion.
The upshot of the matter is, that the profits
Of the office are enormous. There is no office,
with the State or general govern
nent excepting, possibly, that Of consul at Liv-
,rpoo, or collector of customs at New York,
he revenues of which are so large.
Is it good policy, on the part of the govern
nent of Louisiana, to maintain an Office with
uch immense emoluments? The government
vas formed by the people and for them 1t IS
he people from whose pockets are taken the I
ums which run up to so large an aggregate;
ften, indeed very commonly, from the pockets
f those who are poorly able to pay such ex-
rbitant fees.
There is much feeling here on this subject.
he friends OF the measure are largely in the
lajority in the house; but its opponents are
Give, sbrewd and resolute. The bill will be
efeated, predict Last session bill, having
Ie same object in view, was passed by con-
derable majority in the house, but was lost
'st sight of. | mean-in the senate. Hence
did not become law.
Now, these facts are all known to the repre-
,ntatives Of tie people interested in this mat
r, and to large portion of the people them
lives. And they are becoming particularly F.:
shy on the subject. If the measure should
it, as its predecessors have done, feel au-
orlsed in saying, that the retention of the Of {
;e at Baton Rouge, with its present enormous t
offs, will, in north, north western and even
estern Louisiana, be forced into the next can {
Ss as a question of Slate policy, to which ]
rty politics will be of secondary considera- C
N. Delta.
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