St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1883-07-21

| For the first time IN many years,
SO far rs therecordS show, payment
was made the other day into the
State Treasury by the lessees OF the
Peniten larry. The sum was not
! large, but there was evidently some
difficulty about it, as it cost the
State more than twenty-six per
cent. in commissions to effect the
little TRANSACTION. For instance,
the Treasurer, in his seml-annual
report, includes in his receipts this
item: Payment of rent due by the
lessees of the Louisiana State Peni-
Tertiary, $l1,e2s 81. The fras-
mentary character Of the payment
attracted attention. Such items
usually &C in round numbers.
Upon turning to the Auditors con-
temporaneous report, we find The
following: Payment of notes due
by lessees of Louisiana State Pehi-
Tertiary, collected $4,000; COM
mission, $417l Is; total to credit
OF the general fund, S11,S2 81, =
which corresponds with the Treas
urer's report. 1t seems to Us these
rent notes could be collected with
out costing the State anything. 1t
is certain that S4l7l IS is an ex-
cessive charge or commission for
collecting SO small sum as sixteen
thousand dollars from one party,
and he III current relations with
the State. A note deposited IN the
Fiscal Agency Bank Tor collection
would, In ordinary transactions,
have been sufficient to bring the
money. The public require little
explanation of this matter Who
collected the amount of the notes:
and where is the law that author
ICES twenty-siN per cent. commits
sion for the sersice?--Cify ITEM.
The law authorizing the charging
of 26 per cent. for collecting money
for the State, is not laid down i'll
the cude of practice. 1t is an I'M
written law, more honored IL the
observance than in the breach, and
is perfectly familiar to and always
rigidly enforced by those gentle
men whose privilege and oppor-
tunity it is to handle the public
funds. 1t is sort of o financial
Lynch law. and ought to be sup
pressed.
That excellent monthly, the Jour
nal of Education, in its last issue,
says that it has looked IN vain in
the Sentinel for spicy article on
education.
Well, now that the schools are
closed and there is 10 money in the
State Treasury; now that the days
are hot and long and soporifc, we
will PROFOUND problem for the
Journal to work out during the deg
days.
When the School Board of New
Orleans drew 20 cents per head for
all educable children in that city,
through an error in the Office of the
Treasurer of State, ard refused to
return it, SO that an equal distribu-
ton might be made 10 ali the
School Boards in the State, accord
ing to law.
How was that for justice?
When the State Superintendent
wished, after new accumulation of
funds, to distribute among the Par
ish School Boards the same pro
rata that the city Board had al
ready drawn, and the city Board
stepped in with an injunction and
prevented this just distribution.
How was that for honesty and
fair dealing?
When the city School Board
keeps $4,000 of the school fund
locked up in the Treasury, and pre-
vents the money from being used
to settle debts due teachers for SER
wees rendered, in order that tina;
Board may gobble up $4,000 to
$4,000 more than justly belongs
to it.
How does that tally with the loud
professions of honesty ana justice
made by the Democratic leaders