The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-04-21
THE AUDITOR AND THE LATE
SPEAKER.

Hon, Allen Jumel, the Auditor OF the State,
has felt 1t necessary, In justice to himself, to
publish q card relative to the claim he made
against the Board of Liquidation for COM
pensation as secretary Of that body. In an
other column we print his card, and to 1t
we invite public attention. The claim OF
Mr.. Jumel seems to US entirely just The
duties of secretary Of the Board OF Lfquida-
ton are imposed upon him by statute retro
spective in it's operation, and they are onerous
and laborious. The Attorney General ex-
presses the opinion that the Auditor, as secre-
tary Of the Board of Liquidation, Is entitled to
extra compensation. The fiscal agent OF the
State. a representative banker and business
man. the Secretary of State and the Lieuten-
ant Governor take the position that the claim
OF the Auditor is just and equitable, and should
be paid The statement Of Hon. W. A. Strong,
Secretary of State In the board on the nine
teenth instant, shows, beyond question, that
the Committee on Appropriations believed that
the Auditor as secret Try Of the board was
justly entitled to compensation, and consider
ed that he should be paid out Of the contin-
gent fund of the board. Hon. Louis
Bush, late Speaker Of the late House
OF Representatives, however, has
taken Issue with the Auditor on this
question. Mr. Bush in this issue, has as
sumed the role OF an unadulterated reformer,
and vigorously appeals to the people to
sustain him as such in the protest he made In
the Board OF Liquidation against the claim of
the Auditor for $4,000 compensation for extra,
laborious and vexatlous services.
We are at loss to see how the people Of
this State are to be seriously harmed by this
claim of hard worked and conscientious Off
Ger for honest service rendered to the State.
The great cause OF retrenchment and reform
is to be subserved, not by denying honest
hardworking and faithful servants Of the peo-
ple Just compensation for their labors, even
when the claim amounts TO the enormous
sum OF $4,000, but by a constitutional cor
rective which will sweep out Of existence mil
lions of useless expenses, and which Mr..
Bush, with the solid Republican delegation In
the House, persistently opposed.
But granting that we are to save the State
by tho system OF economy Mr.. Bush seems
disposed to inaugurate by attacking the Au-
ditor for his claim for $4,000 for hard and vex-
atious extra work, what is the late Speakers
record in this policy? Mr.. Bushs protest
in the Board of Liquidation against
the modest claim OF Auditor Jumel is
co,.ched in strong and vigorous language.
Tho public press and the populace for whom
that protest was written will be apt to ap-
plaud its patriotic devotion to the pecuniary
interest Of people impoverished by misrule
and overburdened by taxation, and to de-
nounce the insatiate greed Of an over worked
official who has made claim for compensa-
tion, backed by the opinion Of the Attorney
General and nearly the whole Board of Liqui-
dation. We know how these little things
work; we know how apt the public are to con-
denim claim for public money and applaud
the emptiest and most demagogical opposi-
tion to 1t.
But before the people can denounce the
Auditor for making his claim upon the Board
OF Liquidation for compensation for his extra
labors and responsible duties, upon the pro-
test Of the late Speaker of the House, let them
understand fully and clearly the attitude Of
the latter official relative to extra compensa-
ton. Under the statute the Speaker OF the
House OF Representatives is a member Of the
Board of Liquidation, the Printing Board and
the Board of Canvassers. The statutes no.
where stipulate that the Speaker OF the House
shall receive any extra compensation as a
member of these several boards; and indeed
he should receive none. His duties as men,
Der OF these are accompanied by no clerical
labor; he Is only required in his capacity Of
member of them to advise, suggest and vote;
his duties in all OF them are simply supervis-
ory. We can see no ground upon which the
Speaker Of the House can justly claim COM
pensatlon for his services either as member
OF the Printing Board, the Board of Canvass
ers, or the Board OF Liquidation.
But the ex-Speaker, who has so vigorously
assailed Auditor Jumel for making claim
for real and onerous extra services, and who
Is rallying to his back number OF large and
insignificant papers to abuse Mr.. Jumel, was
the first man to make q claim for compen-
sation even for his honorary duties on the
several boards Of which he is under the law a
member.
We produce the evidence. On the seven
teenth OF February Hon. Louis Bush, Speaker
Of the House Of Representatives, closed his
report as Speaker to the House Committee
on Contingent Expenses, In the following
words:
"During the recess have been engaged, as
q member of the Board Of Liquidation, as
member of the Board OF Canyassers, and q
member of the Printing Board, for at least
two months, and respectfully submit to the
consideration OF the House whether. therefor
I am entitled to any compensation, and ask
that 1t be fixed at such rates as may bt
deemed just and proper.
''LoUIs BUSH,
speaker Of the House Of Representatives.
"New Orleans, Feb. II, 1878"
Acting on this request OF the Speaker Q
the House for extra compensation for merel!
honorary duty. Hon. John Young, OF Clai
borne, on the twenty-sixth Of February intro
duoed resolution to allow the Speaker ad
ditional compensation as member OF tn
Board of Canvassers, Board Of Liquidation
and Printing Board. On the twenty-seventl
OF February the resolution came up and wa
defeated by a vote Of fifty-six in the negativ