St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-09-13
Dual once Holders
City Item.

T6CTOrs WHO were appointed Oy CnG GlCy
Council on Tuesday night we find that
five additions have been made to the
number of those already holding two or
more offices Of trust or profit. The 169ti
article OF the constitution seems to
command as little respect from the city
fathers Gncluding the Mayor as it has
the State. The object of such viola
tiOns of the fundamental law can be
attributable only to one impulse-the
concentration of as much power of pat
r0nage in the hands of a few politicians
as possible, which extends the violation
b0 the very spirit as we'll as letter of
the law.
The list Of double baFreled office
holders which has just been created by
the Council includes.one tax-collectOr !;
0aC chief clerk (and often acting Com
missioner of Public Works.; one super
intendent Of streets in the same de-
paYtment under the control Of the same
Boss as the chief cleYlts one bond clerk
i'll one of the Recorders courts, and one
jnpy commissioner. phis is a pretty
bad showing-five ont of twelve of the
app8intees owing their time and SER
vices TO the public IN other capacities
Such ele tiOns are logically IL accord
ance with Il condition Of facts which do
not exist. They imply that the Council
found it difficult to secure the services
OF competent citizens on the School
Board who are non 0tkee-holderS or,
that the gentlemen who have thrust
themselves toward were immeasurably
better fitted to take care of the educa-
tiOn OF the children of this city and con-
troll the patronage of the school fund
which will amount this year to about
quarter of a million doliars-than any
other persons at the command of the
Council The first of these differences
has nos a fact to stand upon. There
are plenty Of really irst-class men-
2entleneu OF education and means
which would permit them to afford the
tinle-wh0 would have accepted an ap-
pOintment. though they would not s0li-
cit one Many of them put too blind a
confidence, perhaps, in the patriotism
and good sense of the Council, each ho.
ping that some pains would. be taken to
administer the trust repOseC in them by
the people in such manner 10 would be
iii accordance with the stock promises
OF reform which we're so loudly rife in
the late canvass. We leave the other
nferenec--tha6 tho 0aicialA who were
appointed suIpass all other. citizens in
the higher qualificatiOns-t0 the judg-
ment OF the public. reserying our own.
for the present.
The legal effect of comforting these
positions of trust upon officials will be,
of course to vacate their old positions,
though such we believe is not the in
tent Nor will there be any voluntary
REIMBURSEMENT, nor giving ap at all so
long as the people consent TO see their
laws trampled under foot. So long as
taxpayers promptly come up with their
dues, or fail to file in bar OF suits the
disqualification of the tax collector, so
long may he enjoy the emoluments of
his Office OF trust and the political in
fuence that comes naturally from his
office of trust. A suiE to recover on a
forfeited bond may be defeated upon
technical plea that there was no duly
qualified bond clerk in the T ecorder's
court where the bond was exacted and
given. The greatest confusion may
also arise in the Criminal Court when
some lynx-eyed lawyer exeepts to the
whole panel OF jurors because one of
the jury commissioners has diyested
himself Of his Office of pHofit to accept
one of trust. We do not apprehend
much trouble in the dopaGtIntntO of pub
lie works in consequence OF the sclec-
Glpu ri GNo VI Ibo pliIlCIpLtf 0AACAILlS w u0
school directors, since the public has
long ago ceased to look for anything
but excuses for shortcomings in that
department. But we submit that it
looks like very improper cumulatiOn
of favors to the department. that al
ready absolutely controls the disburse-
ment OF $307 800 q year, considerable
portion of the patronage that pertains
to S250,000 more. 1t is this very prac-
tice of doubling up political influence
that Article 159 of tho constitution SO
emphatically yet so. yainly protests
against.
The Supreme Court has already had
occasion to pass upon this practice OF
| comforting two offices upon one individ-
| ual, and those persons who are inter-
ested would do we'll to take look a.
the reasons and study the temper Of tbs
court. According to 0Rr understandings
any of the five officials above named
can be removed fronl his office of profit
and trust at the infance OF sny one
whose interests may jbe.atfected by slssy
pretended official TT op his deDe cab,
/ sequent to takIngkhe oath of office q:
School Director. lE'he Golncil, and es
! pecially the Mayo should have consid
3ere1 this difficult and SO exercised
their trust that no a shadow OF aoub
of perfect legAit ronld be thrown
upon their actio9. As they have disre
gaF2ed the laY2 hdkeyer, they must no
be disappainted il Sherious complication
shall aTis8 in ths tlare, when the peo
pie win hold ttsGsefves responsible TO
their nosligyFco or it may hs senethin
worse.
/. Brattleboro, Vermont, is a manufae
turing town. 1t went Democratic ole,
ton day. The workiRgmen did M
IlnHinnlr emhraca the Marty that M.