New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-14
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY a. 1872

McMillen) has taken this opportunity to
vert his spleen upon the Superintendent OF
Public Education. The Superintendent has
no more to do with this matter than the gen
tleman himself has.
Mr.. McMillen-Well, have something to
do with it.
Mr.. Pinchback-He has no more to dc
with it than you have.
Mr.. McMillen-Well, have great deal
to do with it.
Mr.. Pinchback-All he lacks in his report
are the tabular statements, which should
have been sent to him by the district super
intendents. am not the champion of Mr.
Conway. do not care how much the gen
tleman (Mr. McMillen) abuses him. He is
vilifed on all sides anyhow. There is not a
Democrat in the General Assembly or III
the State that ever failed. when an oppor
tunity presented itself, to give him all he
deserves in the way of contumely. If they
did not censure him so much, | do not be
lieVe | would think SO well OF him; for
when hear the Democrats abusing man
l always infer that he is u staunch Repub
lican.
Mr.. Blackman-Do you consider Senator
McMillen a Democrat!
Mr.. Pincbback-I am beginning to think
he is going on that side. l also know that
! there are many on our side who entertain
| hard feelings against Mr.. Conway, but
| an not aware of the reason. This measure
emanates from some member OF the school
board of this city-the President, | pre-,
! sume-and not from the Stale Superin-
| tendent. 1t was sent to the House of Rep
resentatives, which body acted upon it and
| sent it to the Senate for concurrence. Ii
the Senate does not pass it to-day. / hope
it will indefinitely postpone it.
Mr.. McMilen-Why?
Mr. Observation-Disclosures it will do no
good if it is not passed to-day. We do not
want it all unless you give it to us imme-
diately.
Mr. MeMllen-Whf not!
Mr. Pinchback-B Because it will be of 10
use if You do not act npcn 1t now.
,.a Mr. IS, syp ,ls5 Ire you going to col
Mr.. Pinchback-Not until next year, |
suppose; but, ii | understand the matter
correctly when this tax is made valid and
cullectable by the Legislature, funds can
easily be raised. 1t will improve the credit
of the school board and the city of New
Orleans to such an extent that the funds
will be easily procurable.
Mr.. McMillen-Am | correctly informed
that the Senator Mr.. Pinchback) is a mem
Der of the school board of the city of New
Orleans!
Mr.. Pinchback-Yes, sir.
Mr. McMillen-Wil the Senator state
what the public schools of this city cost
during the year 1871
Mr. Plnchback-I have answered that
question once before. but if the gentleman
desires me TO dVso l will answer 1t again.
do not know. | would rather that ques-
ton had been asked by a Senator on the
other side, for then | could have explained
the cause of my ignorance with better
grace At the time that it was my duty to
acanaint myself with these facts and fig
ures | was SO busy protecting the Senator
from Carroll (Mr. McMllen) aud myself in
the Senate Chamber that | could not find
time to learn them.
Mr. Millen-The Senator from Carroll
has never asked for protection at the hands
Of the gentleman (Mr. Pinchback) nor any
body else.
MIR. Pinchbach-I do not know about that.
Mr.. McMillen-Well. know about it.
Mr. Pinchback-As | said before. DO not
care whether you pass this bill at all if you
do not pass it to-day. If Senators think
there is something hidden in the bill, they
had better have it printed, and laid upon
the table until they can find where that
something is. | cannot see anything in it
except the amendment of the law passed
the last wear The proviso is the very
essence of the bill. and there is really moth
ing else in it. 1t simply provides that the
limitation of the taxation of the city to two
per cent shall not be construed in such a
way as to prevent the collection of the
school tax. Is the Senate willing that the
city of New Orleans shall levy the Nchool
tax! That lis the question. and the only
question. before US.
Mr.. McMilen-Let us express our consent
in regular way.
Mr.. Campbell-I have Just one word to
say to the Senator from Carroll (Mr. Millen)
and to the. Senate on this question. This
bill, as | understand it. simply recites the
fact that, owing to a conflict which exists
between one section Of the revenue law and
one section of the school law. the city of
New Orleans is unable to levy and collect a
tax for the purpose of paying the expenses
of its public schools, and keeping them
open. The authorities say to the Senate.
" in view of the conflict between these two
laws. do what is necessary and just in the
premises The Senator answers: Il can
not do this simple act of justice for you. l
can not allow YOU to do what is necessary
for the maintenance of your public schools
until Mr.. 'Parson Conway or Mr.. Somebody
Else gives Inc full tabular statement of ev
erything he has done in reference to the
schools" | say that proposition is not as
logical and consistent as those OF the Sen
atOr generally are nor Is it characterized
with the candor and sincerity that he usu-
ally manifests. The fact stares us in the
face that the children of the city can not go
to school because the schoolhouses
are not furnished with coal. We
90 to the City Council, and ask
"Why do you not remedy this ditiiculty."
And they answer: You legislators, in your
ignorance or incapacity, or carelessness,
have said one thing in one law and quite
different thing in another law, and the re
suit is that we can not levy this tax. just
remedy the conflict between these two laws
and We will then be able to open our schools
and keep them OPEN
Mr.. McMillen-As the gentleman seems
to be addressing his remarks to me, | would
like to ask him whether lie is !. member of
the school board of this city!
Mr. Campbell am not.
Mr.. McMllen-Do you know what the
public schools of the city cost for the year
1871!
Mr.. CAMPBELL can not state exactly the
amount but | have seen the statement.
Mr.. McMillen-Eow many thousand dol
lars was it? What deficiency was there in
the treasury of the school board for the
year 1871 What are the necessities of the
school board for the year 1872! If we were to
pass this bill, would it in any manner affect
the deficit of 1917 Would it be a retro
active laws Ii it can only be made appli-
cable to the maintenance of the public
schools 1Or the year lo|-, would IL noJ pe
wise action on the part of the Senators
from the city of New Orleans, as well as we
to embrace in the general
school law that we propose to pass such
clauses as will provide for the schools dur
ing this year!
Mr.. Campbell-The Senator has taxed
the capacity of my limited brain by the
length and number of his questions. With
regard to what has been expended on the
public schools during the past year. am not
to speak, nor do think it has
anything to do with this question. Whether
the Senator (Mr. McMilIen) can be con