New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-15

lavs.d Ne PEOPLE to- 1pssusde people in
| other countries to entrust either their
capital or,tbsmRlta a1apne us.k. ~
4 THE FINANCIAL wAR RENEWED. q,
# Auditor Clinton is engaged in the es.
ecution Of . great plan, rs be conceives,
I by which he hopes To- save to the State q
few thousand dollars. But, unfortunately,
the details by means Of which his new
/ policy is to be carried up to the point Of
success have not been very clearly defined
by law. And - Mr.. Treasurer Dubuclet
does no: share in Mr.. .CGnton's sanguine
hopes. there is necessarily an antagonism
between two State officers coordinate in
! authority, in some things, and the assent
Of both Of whom is necessary to make q
legal payment either into or out Of the
State treasury. The Treasurer met with
legal 1epulse in the first skirmish, and
was for . number Of days disposed to
cease any furtbsso qsition to- the Au.
| dtor. To use his own language, he was
very much obliged to Mr.. Clinton TO, re-
ieving him from the onerous duties Of bis
ohdce, which, SO far as the administration
of the general fund is concerned, the Au-
ditor had. imposed upon himself, in add.
ton TO the very complicated and trying
duties which pertain to his own Office.
| Unfortunately for the hopeful view Of
this case taken by the State Auditor, it
does not anywhere sppea, that Mr. Du-
buclet has failed to discharge bis official
duties and bring up his work to as COM
plete condition Of finish as the Auditor
can show for his own side Of the house.
The delinquent list recently published in
the Official journal discloses the fact that
there are about fifteen thousand people in
this city alone who have been suffered,
thus far, to evnde the tax collector, The
publication Of the List has been delayed,
for some reason unknown 10 us, but doubt.
less sufficient to those whose duty it was
to make it out and present it to the State
Printer for publication A: any rate. we
hope We shall not have il said that the
clerks at the Auditors office did not have
time, because it will suggest the ILL.,
nAtured expression that it would be we'll
to first employ bis force at home before
Offering his services 70 the Treasurer.
But as we are not the apologist Of either
Of these officers, we are not called
upon 70 suggest excuses for them.
Our province is rather TO explain 70
the people, if we can, why there is not as
much vigos displayed in collecting taxes
al there IN excess Of official anxiety over
the twenty odd thousand dollars lin pro.
cess Of going into the treasury and why |
with really liberal Levy and an unpfece.
dentedly heavy collection of back taxes,
the credit Of the State is lower now than |
it has ever before been, and Why the pay.
ments out Of the general fund are so
excessively light and provokingiy SPAS.
modic. We confess that these are "ques-
tions to be asked" but are unable to
answer them. It would appear upon q
reasonably careful examination that the
peoples representatives. have made very
ample provision to meet the expenses Of
the government, but that there has been
not only failure to collect the current
tax, but an unaccountable delay between
the time when the tax collectors receive
the money and that wherein they present
themselves to Nh. Dubuclet for his receipt.
The process Of going into the treasury
is avery SLOW one.
But on or near the twelfth instant, about
twenty thousand dollars was supposed to
be on it's way to the dry and depleted
strong box, Of the State, and We had
special auction to settle who should get
this sum OF any Part Of it. As on the
previous occasion, Mr.. Dubuclet refuses
to act without the stimulating assistance
Of , mandamus from the Superior Court.
BE sets up as plea. that certain parties,
alleging they had funds in their posses.
sion which belonged to the State, pre-.
sented themselves at the treasury, and
wished to pay it in, on condition that Mr..
Dubucles would first do something else.
Before intrusting this legal custodian, I
his bonded officer, with the possession Of
twenty-five thousand dollars they re-
1uired him to make out, sign and deliver
} treasury check fof sum sufficient to
redeem certain warrants which the bearer
If the States cash held in bis other hand. ,
Is there was no money in bank to the
'redit Of the general fund, MI. Dubuclet
'ould not comply with this extraordinary ;;
lemand, and the messenger went away
'arrying with him the twenty-five thou.
and dollars Of the States funds. The
aexs step will be, Of course. an applica. 6
ion for q mandamus. The court will be
'sked "to compel the Treasurer to make ,
certain distribution of money not yet ,
eceived by him" The Supreme Court G
q the case of Hillman vs. Dubuclet, dis
inctly declare this can not be done, and ,
DID,. ,..
Until he has received the money and re-. .
used to make the application thereof as re-
uired by law, there is NO failure of DUTY. 1 c
Ind it is only the failure Of . ministerial !
luty that justi6es the issuance of the writ
t ,nandamus. "a An. II. Ia
The Treasurer relies upon the principles
aid down in the above cited case to justify
i'm in refusing to cash general fund war
ants when there is no money to their
re1if or tn make ont his cherk in nov