The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-31
MUNICIPAL MATTERS.
THE POLICE AND THE TEACHER a.
Reasons why They Are Not IA Rexu-
larIy by the City AuthO,. flies.

larIy by the City AuthOr. fties.
The question Of the pay Of 10 police and the
school teachers being Continuous cause Of
complaint yesterday We again sought Col.
Denis, the Administrator of Finance for q
statement of the condition of the city affairs
in connection with these two branches OF the
government.
Regarding the public schools, Col. Denis
says 1t should be remembered by the teachers
that, although they were nominaIly paid forty
per cent more than at present for q long per-
iod Of years during radical administration
their salaries were never paid as fully as they
are at present. Even In 1874 the pay OF the
teachers stopped on the 9Oth of September; In
1875 on the 18th Of August; in 1876 on the 18th
September, leaving in one case three months
unpaid, and In two other cases three months
and half.
Although during the period last referred to
the city government was in the hands of tho
people tho School Board was under Radical
control and operating under radical State
laws which made large appropriations Tor
school purposes The State did not get into
the hands Of the people until April, 1877 Dur
Ing January, February and March preceding,
tho Radical School Board, presided over by
Dibble had, however, already spent $l25,00O,
and when the new board took charge Of the
school affairs, ii found itself encountered with
this enormous debt, with according to tho
school act of 1870 only S225,o00 to
remainder OF the year. Notwithstanding the
great difficulty under which they had to labor,
the school Board had managed to pay it's
teachers UP to the first Of December 1877.
The present board has limited it's average ex-
pendtures to $4,000 q month, which for three
months would have been $4,000, or d saving
OF $4,000 for the same period as compared
with the Radical administration. with which
the entire expenses Of the schools would have
been paid for 1877 leaving even surplus to
repair the school-houses, etc.
AS 1T is, therefore, only one month OF 1877
remains unpaid, and this year under tho new
order Of thiHgs the teachers will be paid for
every month of service rendered by them
ton.
THE POLICE
Regarding the pay of tho police, occur
FENCES different In their origin but similar In
their results have occurred The sum appro-
priated for the expenses Of the police for 1877
per annum. During the political status quo
covering January, February, March and
April, 1877, not only was the entire .appropria-
tion for those months disbursed, but nearly
force which the exigencies Of the times re-
qured, and numbering lover 1900 men. The
total disbursed during those four months
was, therefore, ut least 900, leaving only
eight months OF the year. or deficit of fully
$4,000.
The act OF the Legislature OF 1877, however,
provides for the appropriation Of $325,00O for
police purposes. This budget WAS acceded to
by the municipal authorities under the Inn
preston that with government in which the
people would have confidence. the taxes would
be paid more punctual y. Such has been the
case IN u great measure, says Col. Denis, but
not sufficiently to cover the needed extra
nHI tn pypapIpI
in the status quo period, over and above the
monthly appropriation, makes $4,000, or ex-
actly three months OF the expenses OF the
police.
We inquired of Col Denis whether su'-
ticient amount Of the taxes Of 1877 would not
be collected soon to pay the s25, 900 alluded to.
He answered that every day some payments
were being made, and that It depended entire
ly how this was kept up to determine when
the amount could be collected to pay tho po-
lice another month Of their salaries.
Well, we again asked, how about the two
last months of the year, November and De-
cember; will there be enough taxes Of 1877
collected soon to pay them Certainly not,
he replied.
For an early settlement Of the claims OF our
police we must depend entirely on the refund
Ing by the State of the $4,000 dsbursed by
the city over and above the monthly appro-
pration for January, February, March and
equitable and just. But for the occurrences
Of that eventful period the city would not have
had to employ the extraordinary force | have
mentioned and the extra force, IL should also
be remembered, was not empl Eyed for the
purpose OF maintaining peace and order In
New Orleans, but in securing the final success
of the Nichols government.
~ nder the circumstances, added Col.
Denis, Il think it will appear very plain TO
city is in arrears in this matter of the pay OF
the police"