The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-05-08

salaries alone, tue act of 1877 RENTED
the control of the repairs of the levees
to the Police Juries and directed the
expenditure of that portion of the
levee tax which had not been anticipa-
ted by the Board or Engineers. How
has this been dOnef They have built,
as their report shows, fairly distribu-
ted, l,030,00n cubic yards for Two
Hundred and F0rty-two Thousand.
Five Hundred Dollars, m average of
less than 22a emit per yard, which
would have cost the State under the
Levee Company act Five Hundred aud
Fifteen Thousand Dollars, a saving on
the work done last year of Two HIM
dred and Seventy two Thousand, Five
Hundred Dollars.
/ have neglected to mention the re-
organization of the board by the act of
1873. The experiment which it makes
will, 1 trust, prove the solution of the
hitherto insolnble problem of %levees.
while it relieves. in a lar.e measure,
the hill ParisIles and city of New Or
leans from the burden of the three
mill tag, it groups The allurial Parishes
into distrtets having II common interest
and a commons protection, and imposes
upon the Whole State a tax ut only ono
mill IA its contribution for benefits
received.
REFORMS IL THE PARISHES.
Having thus stated generally the
legislation devised fur the relief of the
State, what, sir, has been done for the
ParishesS Their local governments
have been entirely I~eorganized. Al
nitional Police Jurors have been APP
pointed So as TO give representation to
ell classes in every Parish. Who, sir,
can calculate the benefit whic', has
resulted from this legislatlonf In ev-
cry Parish, where extravaganza aud
sp0iiati0n had existed, nav economy
and order reign. Not only has this
provision been made for tie present,
but the mode and manner Of election
has been defined for the future. Not
content with the creation of good local
governments, any possible abuse Of
power BY these local governments has
been j~ealously guarded for the future
first, by limiting the rate Of taxation |;
second, by limiting absolutely their
appropriations to their revenue; third,
by forbidding the creation of debt, the
issue of evidence of debt 10 any man
ner, and by the repeal of the law
known as the Judgment tax law. In
their administration, by Prohibiting
tax collectors and other State officers
from filing parochial offices, by c"m-
polling the Parish Judges to keep their
offices at the Parish seat, by allowing
Police Juries to regulate the sale of in
toxicating liquors ON Sunday, to ar
range for the levy of taxation for erin
inal proceedings in such IL manner as
to secure the lowest rate of expense
possible; by regulating fees to coro-
ners, of Justices of the peace, as well
as witnesses and sherifs, at least SO
per cent below former rates, and by
giving them the power to regulate the
price to be paid for keeping prisoners.
Nor is this all. By the printing, by
the school, by the election and regis
e'on laws greater efficiency has been
secured and large savings have been
accomplished for the Parishes in aidi-
ton to the savings already referred to
by nae as obtained for the Stale by
these laws. hold in nv hand an es-
innate Of the economy effected by all
These various measures which, although
made IN the absence of other data, has
eeen submitted to many gentlemen IN.
emately acquainted with the workings
ct the Parish government, who declare
" TO be an nnder rather than an over
estimate. What does it show7
Regulating costs aud fees
10 criminal cases before
Justices of the peace and
Parish and District courts
saving per Parish, aver.
age per annum, 81 Par.
ishes, at $4,000. sIl40OO 90
Regulating fees for keeping
prisoners Estimated av-
erage per annu at $500
per Parish,...........,. $4,000 90
printing for Parishes-esti-
mated for the whole -. 10000 90
Estimated saving by reg
istration and election
laws...:....-.......... 100000 90
Cofoner in country Par
lsies - 5000 per Parish
per NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 11.40O 90
Estimated saving to Par
lshes on collection of
tofehue. S5 0M0 M
Estimated saving in ;udi.
cial printing and other
advertisements. 10000 90