Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-12-04
par1sk Affairs.
HAYNES VILE. Ia, Dec. 2, l6


d. B. Hayes, E.q.-Desr Sir Please 81. |
how q few more words sbout parish affairs,
financ-s, objections to late parish policy, &c.
LIST. Some objections. ! give the last
first. We are told that parties invest their
money in Parish Bonds, and thus divert II
from needy persons who night borrow from
them and pay their debts. This Is equiv
alcnt to saying that il the "scrip policy
had been continued the credit of the par
ish would have been too low to Justify an
investment. The policy suggested would
rffrctually destroy the credit Of those same
needy individuals. No one would trust
parties whose paper WAS not worth half it's
face value, that being the highest estimate
Of parish scrip before resolving TO bond
the debt.
| Another objection is, that We cannot use
parish scrip in the payment Of taxes; that
the parish will not take it's own paper.
This last objection does look little pians-
lille, but perhaps the 81 nation is not fully
understood. The parish in issuing scrip
promises to pay on demand 81 much money,
/ and simply acts in bad faith when il ~
fuses To pay in current money of par value
when presented. II may be said that the
parish may renew its obligations, promises
to pay, Sc, adding 100 per cent. in lieu Of
cash payments, aud thereby b. enabled {"
accept parish scrip in payment of parish
taxes. This fine arrangement wonld sim
ply doubl. the debt, but pay 10 part of it.
The courts have decided in every instance
| known to me that the holder, Of parish
scrip are snttlcd to full payment in current
money, &C. B., or specie If yon pleasr);
Judgments are rendered accordingly, and
collections ordered directly frum the pro-
pie for the required sums. There is one
prime Thought that should enter into all
our theories, that no debt obligation to
pay in current money! is paid until the
contract is complied with. Issuing scrip
did not pay the parish debt, but augmented
it All hundred fold for several years prio:
To bonding the same. The parish Is the
| iHt htpt ~ hu' p''pit y
debt. The people pay the debt in current
money, if paid at all and there is no uvad-
ing the payment. Prolongiug the payment
and doubling the debt annually will not
give relief, but multiply obligation. and
finally involve in hopeless bankruptcy. A
parish can no more pay its debts by l-su-
ing scrip than can an indi, dual 10y exc
cutting his note or promise TO pay. sup
pose tue whole people subject to taxes
make accounts with their merchants in
their individual capacity, and at maturity
promising double the amount for the ill.,
, diligence, and cite the parish rs an exam
3 PIE of the wisdom of this sort Of business;
and to make it more palpahle, let them re-
new their obligations annually. dunbling
, in "arithmctical progression" Till the year
of 1929, aud refer to the parish policy OF
issuing scrip till the same period for til,
J.. justice Of their propositions, would the
. mere ants s-e themselves exactly safe nm
=. less they could get judgments and seize
:. the crop, and other things Heating wildl.
, aruund' We scarcely think that custom
y. ers wonld have the tcmrrity to make sucl
propositions. or cite the parish ~ an exam
=, pie that they might safely initiate. w
think the cases are parallel. Ii the pari>l
, may issue its paper and never Redeem II
. ~ may individuals to the fifth century q
a American Independence. Could creditor
10 stand the strainf
Now, would modestly suggest that
any nf your intelligent readers can see III
b. wisdom or sonnd policy Of issuing scri
a, annually for double the amount require
-, III cash aud perhaps be compelled To- r.
i, deem in currency t. |, or possibly of sue
II, i,sur before the expiration of each year,
r. would be- n real pleasure To me Ia have Ill
IN sulntion. Ii discarding the scrip policy
n aud getting on u "cloh basis are unws
4. measures and unsnnud in policy, some
IA our clear headed citizens can see II, AMI
,f is their duty Ia point II out.
A. Respectfully, W. S. COPELAND
" Associatr-Justice W. Il. ASan, of til
Supreme Court, died in Shreveport ON la-