The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1888-08-04

gl aeS..iyG HE5icgs&e.

We publish elsewhere o table
showing lhc amount Of mileage re-
rci.cl tY each member d. tho House
tor tie late session ~ the Legi,la-
turo. The table will bc read with
mingled s0lI1w and establishment,
when the amounts charged by some
of these gentlemen for railroad
and steamboat fares arc compared
viii. tie actual cost of trarc. to
Baton Rouge.
The law provides that each leg
i.'ator shall he paid His actual
travelling expenses TO the seat Of
government and home agaiA ; yet
We find that all the members OF the
House did not propose TO demand
excessive mileage, aud 10 ask more
from The public treasury than they
ire entitled to.
Tile amount Of overcharge in each
caae is not large, ranging from S.
to $50, or say $i5O0 altogether :;
hat it is the spirit of the thing tina.
must rouse a feeling Of indigna-
tion-.hat members OF the Legisla-
tnre to whom we have entrusted
HE law.making, should condesccnd
10 sign youches declaring that it
cost them $50 to get to Baton Rouge,
when it actually cost them S., sic,
or perhaps nothing.
That quite a number Of the mem
hers have railroad passes is admit
ted. We do not propose, however,
to inquire into this matter. The
State has engaged to pay its legisla.
tors the cost of travel to and from
Baton Rouge ard ought TO pay
them ; but a majority were not
satisfied with this, and GfIy,four CT
the ninety,eight legislators charged
and received considerably more
than the cost Of transportation and
all legitimate incidental travelling
expenses.
A study OF the list will show the
most remarkable variations in the
mileage demanded. Look at thf
parish Of Orleans FOR instance? Why
has it cost so many Of the delega
ton three times as much to get tt
Baton Rouge as the others, aut
more than twice IS much rs RAILROAD
fare? Why again 10 certain parishes
has one member put in q mileag,
bill twice as great IS his brothe
member living only three mile
distant from hlm7 Why is the nj
leage from places on the river, witt
in d few miles of Baton Rouge, 81
excessive, and why does it cos
members coming from q parish il
the Immediate neighborhood of tn
capital the maximum OF $50 to sc
there and back?
We recommend a pernsal OF thl
table to the constituents Of eacI
legislator. Let them see how mucI
it costs their member to go t
Baton Rouge aud return, and ho'
much il costs others, and they ca
then fud the exact amount Of cZtr
pocket money the Representative
has received from the State.
The truth is. that a very ba
practice has grown up, or rattle
been handed down from Republlca
days. OF charging excessive mileage
and regarding it az one Of til
perquisItes OF a member Of til
Legislature. The law says just hoy
much q representative shall receive
and for him to demand Or take NOR
than bis proper compensation IS {
take money OF the people to whic
he has 10 claim whatever. "
suppose many Of the gentlemen VII
pockete@ this extra mileage though
the amounts thus taken from til
TTeasurr SC small that it mattere
little. They are mistaken it ma
tiers greatly. Louisiana needs
Legislature in which We can has
the most complete and implic
confidence ; men above suspiciol
mon whom We can feel snre will NJ
make the mistake of a dollar in the
accounts. These, and these only, Ca
We fully rnst.-Times Democrat.