The Opelousas courier., 1886-03-27
4OUsAs, PARISH OF ST LANDRY, La, MARCH 27, 1886.



one of the leading members Of the pres
ent Board Of Police, who inquired what
we had discovered by orr inspection OF
the books of the town treasurer the day
before. We replied that we had learned
very little; that we had found the
| books in such condition that it would
! have required considerable time and
labor to find even the amount of re-
ceipts and expenditures, as none OF the
columns of figures, even those of 1884,
had been footed up, and the treasur'
er had told ns that he had received a
considerable sum nf money since any
I eptry had been made on his books !;
/ that he had informed us, however, that
| he would have his books in proper
shape in day or two and would pub
Ilish n statement showing the receipts
! and expenditures of the town during
/ the period of his ineumbency-a space
| of two years. We here took occasion
to say to our interlocutor that the main
reason why we opposed the reelection
of the cold Board' was that the people
were keptin complete ignorance as to
the financial affairs of the corporation !;
! that the present Board had been in
Office nearly two years and had never
| published solitary statement showing
! the receipts and disbursements of the
town during that time. He frankly ad.
/ mittel that such was the fact aud that
| this objection was weighty one; but
he claimed that the Board was not re-
sponsble for this dereliction of duty
! that it had appointed officers who were
4 a. Al, ND 10
j burstment Of the towns funds; that
those officers were paid a salary for
performing their duties, aud that it was
their duty to publish such statements.
We begged to differ with him. We
/ told him that we thought it was the
/ duty of the Board to require its officers
to make quarterly, semi-annual, or at
least annual reports TO that body and that
these reports ought to be examined and
] verified by the Board or a committee
/ thereof before being published. He
dissented from this view, saying that 1t
! would take up too much of the time of
its members, who received no remuner-
alton for their services. if they were
compelled t" examine even semi annual
or annual reports of the financial condi.
ton NJ the town, and that the custom
which has prevailed here for quite a
number If years, of makingfoue general
report nj HE end of the term was suffi-
cient; az mt least that such report was
the only one which the Board could be
expected to examine aud verify.
We publisl. the above in order to
/. give our readers au insight iuto the
workings of some of the municipal
machinery, and to show the high con
ception which our town Soions have Of
their duties. No comment is necessary.
If the taxpayers approve Of these views
and do not object to this loose method
of administering their town atfairs-a
method which we will do the present
Board the justice to say they have not
inaugurated but which has prevailed
for years they will vote to retain
them in the offices they now occupy.
Bat, if they disapproye of these unbusi-
ness like methods and narrow views
and we naturally assume that they
must they will vote to do away with
the whole vicious system and elect q
Board which win tear it up, root and
branch, and cast it aside.
r!.e Democratic Parish Convention
which met: ut the Courthouse on last
Saturday was "A very HARMONIOUS gath
erii.g The temporary organization
was presided over by the Hon 7. 8.
Fontenot. On permanent organization
District Attorney Ogden was elected
chairman, and Messrs. Hardesty OF
Washington, and Mixer of Big Cane,
were elected Secretaries. As fore
slladuwed IN our last Issue the Hon. T.
T. Lewis WAS unanimously nominated
fnr the Senateto fill the unexpiT.d term
Of Senator Fonienot, resigned. In a
very neat address, Gen. Lewis accepted
the nomination aud pledged himself to
reform legislation; among other meas
ures to make police juries elective 10
st. Landry, and to change the day Of
holding State electiOhS To the date Oi
holding the national elections. He lias
the ability, aud is fully acquainted with
the much needed reforms in Legislation
that should be inatugurated in tue ap-
proaching session of the Legislature,
aud we believe that he will make an
earnest and Jealous representation o.
the States true interests. just here we
would take occasion to remark that tbe
Legislature should pass 40 act to regn-
!, late tariff Of charges and to prevent
unjust discrimination in rates on tbs
railroads passing through or situated IN
Louisiana. Our people are unanimous
on this subject of railroad monopolies
! Also an act torestrict criminal expenses
by having less number of witnesses in
petty cases, and placing such suits
within the Jurisdiction ofjustiees of The
peace and giving them authority TO fl
fines and penalties, This is one of tls
most important features To be consider
ed in the revision and amendment d
our criminal code.
GERMAN CARP.-0n last Monday
Mr.. Henry Fl Clay fisherman liyin;
on bayou Darbonne, near the Coursa-
bleau, caught agenuine German Carp
about 80 inches iii length; aud weighing
pounds, out of the Big Raw Bayou
one af the tributaries of The Coucta
! bleaii. The fish was sold to Nj. john
ME Mornllinveg of Opelousas u
"Wednesday morning for the small sun
. DC twenty five cents. Some three D
y g. a s.E