The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1884-03-15
oPELoUsAs PARISH OF ST. LANDRY, La. 15 1884.

About the only reason we ever heard
given in defense Of the passage of the
law taking away from the people the
right to elect the members ef the paro
chial legislatures the police jury-and
giving it to the governor, was that it
was necessary to protect the taxpayers
in the Republican parishes. In this
parish the same ones were appointed
that had been previously elected, and
there has been no hardship. We pub
lish All item wherein it is stated that
there has been such "reckless" and
extravagant expenditure of parochial
funds by the judicial authorities, as to
render it impossible to devote anything
to public improvements, in Iberia par
ish. Now, the treasurer elected by the
police jury is the custodian of the paro-
chial funds, and the police jury makes
all the appropriations, and the police
jury is appointed by the Governor ;
the judicial authorities, therefore can
not squander the public funds without
the consent of the police jury. The
plea, therefore, that an appointive po-
lice jury was necessary to protect the
taxpayers is-a mere subterfuge, for here
is a case in point where an elected po-
lice jury could have dene no worse than
the appointed one. We draw this con-
clusion from the statements made by
Democratic and Republican commit
tees, as published in the New Iberia
Sugar Bowl. The police jury may have
done it's whole duty in the case, but
how the judicial authorities could
squander the funds without their con-
sent, is more than We can understand.
Appropriations made for internal i'm
provemeats should not be diverted for
/ judicial expenses. st. Landry Demo
crat.
Now, will the st. Landry Democrat
! tell its readers what the police jury has
| to do with judicial bills except to pay
them
When corrupt judge extends ses-
sion of court from day to day at an ex-
pense of fifty or hundred dollars
per day, what has the police jury te
do about it
When a rotten District Attorney
goes before Grand Jury and finds a
long list of bills against persons o
which no proof of any account can be
brought and the judge occupies days ir
trying them at q heavy expense, wha
has the police jury to do but have feet
4 aud costs of jurors, ETC., paid ?
When a worthless judge fails to hole
court and try criminals, and let thei
cases be continued from term to term
whilst the board bills to feed them il
Jail continue from ten to fifteen dollar
per day for months, what has the polic4
jury to say about it
# Does the st. Landry Democra
not know that nearly all the judicia
and court expenses are fixed By a high
er power than they possess, and tina
no matter what costs rotten cO1r
may make, they must be paid, and tina
tile same corrupt court that creates th
costs can compel the police jury to pa.
them, ii they refuse
The fact is, that a rotten, corrupt ju
dietary can bankrupt any parish in tw
years, or, at least, prevent the polio
jury from doing anything but collec
taxes to Iiquidate the expenses it ferce
upon the people.
And then, will the st. Landry Demo
crat state whether the article clippe
!, above is not d fair specimen of til
charges made against the present at
ministration by few disaffecte
growlers who can find nothing sui
, stantiaI to find fault with n Tilib'
. danx Sentinel
The Republican State Conventit
has nominated the following ticket:
Governor John A. Stevenson,
Iberyille.
Lieutenant Governor-W. NJ. Blu
we'll, Of Orleans.
|; !; Attorney General John II. Stone,
= = East Feliciana.
! Secretary of State F. w. Liggin
Of st. Mary.
Superintendent OF Public EducatIon
b. f. Flanders, ofOrleans.
Treasurer A. Duperrier, of Iberia.
: AuI;fnr nIanf1ias MaV0 of ST La