The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1888-09-01
Parish Finances.

fer ana Clefk. IhlS report pfacGlcalll
announces that the late Police Jury in
cured financial responsibilities to thu
extent of $48, 1906, not including thu
expenses of the parish from Cd July last
to JAN, 1889, to meet which they lef
only the estimated revenues for thi
year-$35, ,0O0-and the chance of col
lecting the balance of the contribution
so eagerly proffered by the town of Op
elousas towards the cost of the new
! courthouse.
"It is thus demonstrated, says the
report, 'thabthe revenues of the parish
to be collected during the present year
are not sufficient to pay the aforesaid
indebtedness, and that on the 1st day
of Jan, 1889, there will be resultant
debt staring us in the face, not dollar
in the treasury, compelled to wait upon
the taxes and licenses of the year '59, to
meet current and past due indebted
ness.''
| If such situation really existed, the
taxpayers of the parish ought to be con-
suited as to the adVisability of impeach-
ing the late police jurors for malfeas-
ance in Office; but before accepting the
conclusions of the report, it will be we'll
| to examine the figures, and the ideas of
the present police jury as to what con-
stitute sscurrent and past due indebt-
| edness.'
The first item of s32, ,5lO.78 in the re-
capitulation of Indebtedness, we can
not enquire into here, as it claims to be
composed of "amounts due and past
due' without any detailed statement.
The second item is 5000 "due Chas.
D. Stewart out of funds of 1888 and
1889" | understand this is all due out
| of the funds of 1889 and 1890, buff
part of this sum is due out of the funds
of 1889. why in the name of common
sense should it be represented as pay
able oao of the revenues of 1888 alone ?
The third item of $5 600 represents
the contract price of bridge to be
built at Washington, payable in tfue
equal annual instaltlRents, when COM
pleted according to contract. Interest
to be paid by Washington. Bridge not
| built YETI (nor even commenced, might
be added. In other words, the reVe-
nues of this year must idrnish $4,000 for
a bridge get built, al d to be paid for
in fue annual instalImeilts, without in
terest as far as the parish is concerned.
According to this principle the town
of Washington must provide, out of this
years revenues. the total amount OF her
interest she has engaged to pay on the
price of this unbuilt bridget
James G.. Blaine is now talking
against Tariff Reform. What Wonld be
thought of him if he gravely asserted
that President Cleveland and the DEM
ocratic party need not be at all con-
cerned about the surplus in the U. S.
Treasury, because this surplus, togeth-
er with the revenues of the present
year, will not suffice to pay the current
expenses of the Government, and the
outstanding U. s. bonds, to say nothing
of the total interest on them until they
mature, the cost of the various warships
&c., that have been ordered &c, &C.,
and ''that ON the lst day of Jan. 1889
/ (or at the commencement of the next
fiscal yearl there will be q resultant
debt staring us in the face, not a dollar
in the treasury, compelled to wait upon
the collection of the taxes and licenses
of the year '89, to meet current and
past due indebtedness ?''
If MIR. Blaine were to advance such
an argument, how long would his s]friends
allow him to remain outside an insane
tasylHmf
| Still, if the pOsitisn of our parish f.
nances is correctly stated by the Police
/ Jury, MIR. Blaine may use this argu-
ment, aud SO. settle the question Of
Tariff Reform by proving that an in
crease, not o decrease, of taxation is alb
solutely necessary to save the country
from financial ruin. Is it possible that
such men as Blaine, Sherman, Edmunds
and other Republican statesmen can
have overlooked this principle of Fl.
nance apparently so patent to oar Po-
lice Jurors. that an individual or cor
poration of any sort, in receipt of per-
manent annual revenues, is hopelessly
bankrupt, unless the revenues of the
current year are sufficient to cover the
| Indebtedness incurred, not only for that
! year, but for all succeeding years
Seriously, can any sane man main
tain that this amount of 1000 shall be
! placed in the debit colomn of 1888
Is it credible that such men as oul
present police jurors, who have, all ot
them, more or less business experience
| and of whom several are in the habit OF
conducting, or having an insight into
/ the conduct of, very large financial op-
/ erations is it credible that such men
1 do not know that on their own show.
I ing, this amount has nothing to do will
/ the revenues for this year
If they do not know this, how car
we expect any Improvement in the man.
/ agement of the parish affairs during the
next four years. If they do know it
/ what possible indueement could they
have had for 30 misstating the condition
1 Of the finances of the parish
Certainly they did not wish thereby
to place the late police jury in a bai
i light before the people, for immediately
after adopting this report. showing thd
deplorable condition in which they FIND
the parish finances. they pass resolu
tion In which they tender their sthanki
to the members and officers Of the form
er Police Jury, for the able and efficien
manner in which they administered th,
4 affairs Of the parish
! Is il possible that We have here, 90
I q glaring Inconsistency, but piece o
super refined sarcasm?
refrain from remarking on any o
the other items of the account, bu
would suggest that although the Polio
Jury saems to think it most reprehensi
y BILE TO anticipate and appropriate rev
enues ID advance Of their collection, = til
system prevails under all civilized gov