The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-26

The economy in rates of compensation is
not the only saving made by the act to which
! have referred. The cost under it OF en-, en-,
to the odious system which it replaced. BY
it's provisions simple and uniform system Of
forfeiture for delinquency has been created,
and the term OF redemption extended for six
months to two years. Some complaint has
been made at the retention Of tax collectors
and the failure to vest the collection of taxes
in the sheriffs At the time this revenue act
was passed it would have been suicidal so to
do. Many. Of the sheriffs were adherents of
stitutional officers, were not susceptible
of removal by the executive. The Presi-
dent of the United States was reported
to have said that the payment of taxes would
indicate the government supported by the
people, and promptness of organization was,
therefore, as 1t were, crucial test. Under
such circumstances, to have turned over the
collection OF the revenues in many of the
larger parishes to opponents Of the legal gov
least extremely dangerous. Abstractly, how
ever, the propriety Of making the sheriffs the
collectors is, at least, debatable. AS regards
economy, the commission now paid tax col
lectors being lower than those allowed the
could be gained by the change. AS regards
efficiency, the impossibility~ of removing
sheriffs, and thus placing them in
measure beyond the control of the Auditor,
tain. Before the war it is said, although
time for examination as to the correctness OF
the assertion has not been mine, that defal-
cations on the part Of the sheriffs were very
frequent, whilst at the present time not a
single collector appointed by the existing
government has failed to settle completely, as
the law requires. A gentleman who ably rep
resents his constituents upon this floor, but a
few days ago informed me that an officer now
connected with the Auditors office, and who
for hoe fa liar with 70
OF the State government in that department.
said that it was the first time in the history
of this State that such absolute promptness
of settlement had taken place.
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
The whole system of public education has
been revised and re-enacted, and new ma
chinery created, which saves in salaries and
expenses Of officers appointed to supervise its
operation $4,000 per annum over 1875.
In 1875 the appropriation for the salary
of the Superintendent of Public Ed
Secretary Observation-Disclosures. 5000
Contingent expenses ........... 1000
Division superintendent. .......... %, 100
superintendent travelling expenses. e. 1000
$780, 100
In 1877 the appropriations were as follows ::
Superintendent salary ............... $4,000
Secretary ..-...-....-....... AO0o
$1,000
Showing saving over 1875 of. ....... s29,1oo
The new law, whilst just to all classes of
people, has only been complained of because
Of the control over local boards given the cen
trail authority. The reasons Of public necessi
ty existing in the case of tax collectors ex-
plains the provisions Of the school law in this
particular, more especially when the robbery
Of the school fund of the State in the past, as
reported by the committee appointed to in
vestigate this department., is considered, the
committee stating that the funds diverted or
unaccounted for amount to $2,127,000.
PRINTING.
No greater reform was needed than in the
printing laws OF the State. The rates allowed
for public printing were extortionate, and a
monopoly not only of the State, but Of the
parochial, municipal, judicial and public
printing of ali kinds existed. All this has
been cured. The State printing rates have
been largely reduced and fixed at just maxi
mum prices. The municipal and parochial
printing are directed to be adjudicated to the
lowest bidder, and the judicial and other
printing has been RENTED to the control of
the parties in interest, secured against extor
ton by limit upon the maximum price The
saving accomplished can be best seen by the
following figures. The disbursements for
printing were: