The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-31
PROVIDE FOR THE TEACHERS.

we observe with regret that the Committee
on Ways and Means Of the House has re-
ported unfavorably upon the bill for the
relief Of that most deserving class Of public
serv ants, our school teachers, which was
presented by Mr.. Lancaster. The following
ID the text OF the bill:
senlblv d tie State Of Louisiana That the, Al.
ditur issue warrants to the various school
boards Of and In this State for amaunts hereto.
which yst remains unpaid and not warranted
for or certified 10 such way az to be receivable
for tazes p,ouidea that the am ,o 4, herein
after the 1rst day Of January. 1874. and before
the first day IT Janunry 1879. n. u.,. "a
warrants herein authorized TO be issued SHAH
be receivable for payment. Of taxes or In OK
change for bonds. 10 provided for warrants ID
'miscelIaneeus ordinances OF the constitution.
sEu. 5. BE IL further enacted. ETC.,. That said
warrants may bs issued for whole amounts or
Hsu, 4 be Il further enacted, etc.. That all laws
or parts OF laws In conflict herewith be and
the same are hereby repealed.
We can conceive Of no possible objection to
Legislation which simply contemplatos en- act
OF justice to the school teachers Of this city
and State. which, though tardy, will be OF In
finite benefit to them. Certainly there can
be adduced no good reason why the debts due
by the State to the school teachers should be
the only ones left without any provision for
their payment. and there can be advanced
very many reasons why these debts should
be regarded as specially sacred and binding.
AS the case now stands, however, the school
teachers will not receive single dollar Of
the money for which they rendered valuable
services long ago, and OF which they have
been deprived for years without good cause.
unless warrants are issued for the amounts
due on account Of back years, and the war
rants are made receivable for taxes or III nded
In article OF the miscellaneous ordinances
Of the new constitution. 1t IL provided that
"all moneys received In the treasury for all
taxes and licenses due the State prior to the
first day Of January, 1879, except such as are
otherwise provided for by this ordinance.
shall be set aside to pay the interest on said
five dollar bonds, and to provide sinking
fund to redeem the same"
This absolutely shuts out tho school teach
ers. whose certificates are not mentioned In
the act as fundable, and who could therefore
receive none Of the money received into the
treasury.
We know that 1t was the intention Of the
trainers Of the article "for the relief OF de-
llnquent taxp ayers" to embrace every KIND
of legal outstanding floating debt, and hence
1t would seem to be competent for the Legis-
lature to make provision for the Issuance Of
the warrants due the school teachers. and
also Tor the funding Of those warrants In the
five dollar bonds. II this cannot be done,
however. II ID clearly competent for them to
pass an act making those warrants receiv-
able for all past due licenses and taxes,
We earnestly ask the Legislature to do this
act Of simple justice to class Of meritorious
but badly used workers-to the noble women
who, upon meagre and insufficient salaries,
gave their time and service to the State In
the instruction Of the young. They do not
ask for aims or for any extra appropriation,
but only for the money which they have al
ready earned, and we cannot believe that to
renuest 80 lust and reasonable our Legislators
vill turn a deaf ear.