The Donaldsonville chief., 1879-09-20
THE STATE TREASURER.

THE STATE lTREAsURER.
There is quantity of buncomD.
and very little sense in the outcry /:
few papers are making over the &C
tion Of the Constitutional Convention
in retaining the present State Treas
urer in Office four years from mex
April. Major Burke was elected Treas
urer last November by majority o
over 40, 600 votes, and hence he holds
the position in pursuance Of the viii
Of the people. He was chosen osten.
sibly for the term of four years, at {
salary of $4,000 per annum. Three
months after he had taken possession
of the Office, the Constitutional Con.
vention assembled and reduced his
salary to $1,000 per annum, to date
from January next. AS partial re-
compense for this vigorous applica.
ton Of the pruning knife Of retrench-
ment and reform, the Convention ex.
tended Mr.. Bulke's term of office if
teen months. Financially, the account
stands thus: g..
Reduction Of $4,000 per annu,u in
the Treasurer,s salary for term
Of three years, 5000
Donated to the Treasurer, fifteen
months Of official existence at
$4,000 per annu1n, $500
Balance OIL the wrong side of Mr..
Burke's ledger, ------------.---. .$b,5oI
The papers which characterize the
prolongation Of Major Burke's term
as piece of favoritism and injustice,
appear to think it would have been
perfectly equitable, not only to cut
down the salary three fifths, but to
lop three years from the term Of ser
vice. IF there is any thing consistent
or fair in such a position, We fail to
discern it.
The complaint Of the dissatisfied
journals appears to rest solely upon
the ground that the retention of the
present Treasurer in office was the
result Of compromise between that
official and Lieut.. Gov. Wilt, wherein
the former gentleman agreed to forego
his alleged gubernatorial aspirations
in favor of the latter, in considera-
ton Of being allowed to remain in
office as Treasurer until the general
State election Of 1884. There is no
charge of incompetency or miscon-
duct preferred against Major Burke,
nor could such a charge be sustained.
He is known to be careful, efficient
and honest officer, and in the several
prominent positions Of public trust
which he has occr pied during the
past eight years, his course has been
such as to leave no stain upon his
character. As party man, he is an
invaluable worker and has rendered
the Democracy of this State service
that deserves better return than the
exhibition of petty malice and oppo-
sition made towards him by the few
newspapers to which we have referred.
As we have said, but one complaint
has been made against Major Burke
that of the reported compromise
with Mr. Wilt; only one gun has
been leveled at his devoted official
head, and he has spiked this by pro-
posing, through the New Orleans
Democrat, to resign the position of
State Treasurer if the Democratic
Conservative State Convention to
meet in Baton Rouge next month de-
clares it to be the sense Of the party
that there should De an election for
Treasurer in December.
It may be suggested that this mat
ter is "none Of the CHIEFS ft,neral,"
to employ slang phrase, and SO far
as the political aspect of the affair is
concerned the suggestion is appro-
pirate; but we admire fairness in all
things and claim the right to expose
bigotry and injustice wherever dis
played. 1t is entirely consistent with
the uniform attitude Of the CHIEF to
recognize the merits of a faithful
officer, irrespective Of bis political
and to resent an unfair
assault upon him from whatever
source it may emanate. 1t is in this
spirit that we criticise the course of
the editors who have engaged in an
attack upon State Treasurer Burke
which is inspired either by thought
|essness or wanton disregard Of all
eqlity and fair dealing.
Speaking of recent reunion of the
Orleans Artillery, upon the occasion
Of the christening Of Battery A as the
Wilt Guards, the New Orleans Petit
Journal says:
Parmi les notabilit6 pr6sentes on re-
narqnait lie Heut.-goav. Wilt, le general
". ,. Behan, le major Augustin, THon.
Nalochee, secretaire particulier du gou-
rerneur, lc colonel Geo. W. Dupr6, l.. E.
Bentley, Esq, editeur dun des journaux
lie campagne les plus estimes, le Don
CHIEF, PHon. Juge Milten-
berger, le capt. Selles, des Francs Tireurs;
e DR.. de Raussat Cant. Pallaa. lles