The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-17

amount OF rom $20OOO 10 80 OOO nave Oeen Levied
and collected. And for all this large sum, amount
ing. and debt, 70 5000 900 in six years.
the parish mas received neither roads nor schools,
nor Ievee repairs. nor public buildings. Before
the war the taxes never exceeded 81 900 a year.
In the report OF the STATE superintendent OF
Public instruction the management or school
afairs in Plaquemlne parish Is thus mentoned:-
controlling portion OF the School board could
not resist the temptation TO use their position US
a means OF political Advancement, and a large
portion OF the school funds was expended for pri-
waite and partisan purposes. Furnished with am
pie funds RON the State treasury, winch were
literally increased by local taxau0n, tue money
mas been squandered or expended wltl , n easa
ana papers pertaining 10 the once OF the Ireasur-
er was denied me from time to time upon lrlyo.
lcus pretexts, aud, finally peremptorlly ana
nsultinglY refused. Obstacles OF every pos
sl0le character were thrown In my way
TO prevent me from obtaining renaDle
information, the Treasurer even attempting my
Imprisonment on the charge OF larceny.
The result of somewhat protractea In-
yestigatton can be summed up IN lew
words. The accounts, as they appear In the re-
markabe document before alluded 20, are, IN
many cases, tals1ed by being ''raised;n fictitious
claims are allowed and paid TO fictitious persoa-
ages; unworthy, incompetent ana dsslpateu
10 perform political services of questionable
honesty and the public money expended 10 Tue
last cent, leaving heavy load o. debt.
Knowing as 40 the details CT this most disgrace
full matter. / charge the then treasurer oil tho
Board with embezzlement aided and abetted BY
was member OF the Board. ana am prepared To
establish this before any competent tribunal.
Now, the Treasurer OF the school Board here
denounced was also at the same time Stare Sena-
tor and member OF the Police Jury (Supervisor.
Mahony, VINO was President OF tue School Board,
was at the same time member of the Assembly
and Police Juror.
SCHOOLS PRosTrTUTED TO POLITICAL PURPOSES
nnd that In a great many parishes the men,
bers OF the Legislature are members and officers
or the school Board. As the latter ONCE is not
salarled was dull enough not to see the object
OF the Senator's and Representatives In holding It,
until an intelligent colored man. republican and
an ONCE -noder, explained TO me that in this way
the public schools are maze political engines
throughout the State. The Senators or Repre-
sentatlves appoint the school teachers, and select
men VINO are their own political adherents, and
who, living among the coored people, help TO
keep them IN office. in this parisn,n said the
man to me- I'VE nave great many
more colored schools than white; but
il is fact that most Of the teachers are ignorant
men or lazy or. sometimes, drunkards. They are
appointed by our Senator aud Representatives,.
ana their work is not TO teach school, bat TO talk
up the man who appoints them. II teacher were
the smartest man in the township and he went
against the man who appointed him ne would be
turned out but this Is not all. over here there Is
a colored school, and another one close to II.
There Is no need for two so near together; but
neither or them Is worth anything for they were
both set up Tor politics, and the teachers are
only politicians ana the schools are hardly ever
open.n
Tie colored man who told me this is a repubn-
can and an office holder. / shall not mention the
name or the parish ia which he lives, because
don't want 10 get him into trouble; but MS testi-
mony was confirmed to me by many other men OF
both colors.
STEALING SCHOOL FUNDS.
The school report to which l have referred,
gives melancholy picture OF the Louisiana school
system. or 2,334 children, between six and
tWenty-one, only 57,433 were enrolled In the pub.
lie schools; and as my eye runs over the pages
Ind that one parish the Treasurer OF the School
Board has used the funds for his private purposes
ana paid tile teachers in scrip to the amount OF
$3Oyo: in another $4,000 was spent, and the
schools were openaess than year-tnis In
country parish. Ia two parishes the school
treasurers mad absconded with quite large
amount or money belonging 70 the school fund"
In another .tne money appropriated 10 establish
schools was invested in private business and
speculation In yet another 'all the forms
OF law which should govern school AFFAIRS
have been totally ignored ana dlsregarded.n In
the parish OF ST. Martin me Treasurer OF the school
fund was discovered to be deiaulter to the
amount OF ST. 700. Ia St. James the school Board
had prudently burned their records when they left
the ONCE, and ]. ". Hunsaker, president OF the
Board. alter giving bail OF 5000 10 answer 70 the
charge OF fraud, left the State.
osTRAcIsM, so-cALLED.
DO YOU wonder IN the lace Of such things as
these that according 70 the admission Of Marshal
Packard himself only 5000 white men voted the
republican ticket ls74g That Is 70 say, the once
holders and their relatives. Is II matter for sur
Prise tnat but for the fear or the federal power
the people would sweep away this state govern
ment in an hour-that In fact. these rulers would
disappear Of themselves n they did not
know tnat they have the federal gov
ernment behind themy DO you wonder
that enterprise languIshes ana property is
yalueless when men see air election defeated
by fraudulent Returning Board, and the Presi-
cent or the United states appointing TO federal
once the chief onicer or that Boaru-the engineer
or the fraud. which was denounced a. such oy two
committees OF Congress?
Its not contempt which the people here feel for
their rulers, but fear The man VINO takes part In
the state government even II he should be honest
himself, gives us influence 70 public plunderers,
ana ne must expect property owners 70 be shy or
nim DID honest men associate with the Tam
many thieves IN New YORK or, II they did, were
they not. in the public opinion, stained By the con-
tacts "Do you see that man ~ said citizen in
an interior parish me; me is our parish Judge;
ne is a. ignorant OF law as a horse. During the
last election heard him openly, and 10 his face,
charged with theft. Not only that, but at a public
political meeting where he was speaking, in his
presence. ne was accused Or taking a bride OF
$40 while be was Prosecuting Attorney. ana the
man who accused him was the man who
raid him the money. In spite Of this
the colored people were persuaded 70 elect him
Judge. Every decent coiored man in the parish
win tell Jou that e was an unnt nominations; but
he got on the ticket. and the whole Bar OF the
parish firmly believes that ne sells justice. He
SAYS ne IL ostracised; bat can you expect me TO
invite him 20 my house lie could not to-day get
invited to the house or any respectable colored
man in the parisn.n
"Can you expect Us to ike people under whose