St. Landry democrat., 1883-06-23
PUBLIC OFFICE FOR PRIVATE
PROFIT.
Alexandria Democrat.

IhUElls
Alexandria Democrat.
The paragraph quoted below, taken
from an article in the Times Democrat
of June I'd, commenting On the resigna-
ton of the Register of the State Land
office, in view OF the statement Of facts
it con tains is most remarkable:
"When the Register received money
for entries and turned it over to bro
ker who applied McEnery scrip, it was
his duty to have notified the purchaser
OF that fact; instead Of doing so it ap-
pears that he diUided the difference be-
i,ceen the market ualue of the scrip and
cash betpeen himself and the broker
The explanation of the Register that
he received the money not as Register
but as a private individual because the
law makes the Treasurer the receiver of
public money, and that the purchaser of
land must have been aware of that fact,
and meant in sending him the money,
to constitute him as his agent, is not
only mot satisfactory" as the Times
Democrat puts it, but is too utterly
foolish and trivial to merit any atten-
ton at all. IL he was the agent of the
parties his duty clearly was to buy
the scrip at its market value and to give
the purchaser, his principal, the bene-
fit of the discount. This he did not do,
but divided the difference with the bro
ker for his own profit. Clearly he
was public officer and his duty was to
turn into the treasury the currency re-
ceiyed by him. n.
He has resigned at the request Of the
Governor, who so far from having any
doubts of his right to resign much less
to request it. His duty is to suspend
him until the Legislature meets-if he
cannot remove him and let there be an
investigation and if it is found that he
has been guilty of the practices which
he does not deny, but seeks to justify, |
he should either be impeached or adj
dressed out of Office.
We are sorry to have to chronicle the /
fall of man who stood so high and |
still more sorry for the scandal and dis
grace which the State must bear on his
account. The matter should not be per-
mitted to rest upon the accuracy of /
newspaper charges, nor until there has
been right and faithful investigation
will the people Of thisIState be satisfied
that the Register Of the Land Office is the
only guilty party. IF there are others
concerned with him the people want to
know who they are and all about it.
1t may be that we have here an IL
lustration of the methods by which it
seems to have been possible for other
pablo officers on small salaries and no
private resources, to revel in wealth
and spend annually sums that quadru-
pie the amount of their salaries. IF I
anything done by public officer ex-
cept what the law says he shall do is
done by him as and individual, it may
be that other officers have been diyid-
ing commissions with brokers.
The people are tired Of public scan
dals and of those who cause them and
demand a clean sweep next time of all
such men. They demand a return to
the practices of the past and the Sc
lection of men who will look upon pub
lie office as trust to be discharged with
zeal, honesty and fidelity, and not for
private profit. They will have new
deal all around and the day Of reckon
ing has come for those who view office
Is a reward for party service to be used
without regard to the public interest or
ARE for the public sentiment.
-sixths'of England's trade with !
india. Japan, Ceylon, the Straits and a
lie PHILIPPINES is now carried on
trough the Snez Canal. The trade of :
hose countries aggregates $545, 0O0, 900, ,
nd $3.50, 900 of it passes throughl
he canal; and to this must be added
'60,000,O0O of the $275, 1000, 900 represent
ng British trade with Australasia. The
rand total of British trade with al!
he countries lying beyond the Isthmusl
icing $3.50, 100000, the aggregate OF the
anal traffic is $500, 100000 or nearly
wo-thirds OF the whole.