The Opelousas courier., 1891-09-12

inG0 ME. E0nGen0FS explanation, or
attempted vindication of the awkward
position he has placed himself in by
his rash and unfounded assertions as to
the cost of the town and parish print
ing, than to quote the following sample
OF his fair and impartial statement:
Amount of bills of the ST. Landry
Democrat for the same year 1890 for
printing, as taken from the official
record of the town council, $23095.nl
The official record of the town coun-
ell will show that the st. Landry
Democrats bill for printing of every
description for 1890 is just $129.00--
exactly $I0l.95 less than Mr.. Fontenot
says it is; and we might go further
and say that the printing in the Demo
crat has not cost the town one cent for
1890, as the town has spaid nothing on
the claim yet, although the bill for
$4,000 for printing in 1890 was ap-
proved April 9th, 1891.
Mr.. Fontenot not only gives incor-
rect figures, but he deliberately mis-
states the facts when he says they are
obtained from official records of the
town council. Our article published
last week on this subject, and repub-
lished below to-day, gives the correct
figures, not only for that year, 1890,
but for several years previous, which is
the only fair way to get at a correct
estimate of what the town and parish
printing has heretofore cost annually.
We find that the exact figures on the
town printing, which Mr.. Fontenot
and bis organ claim has cost heretofore
$500 to $400 annually, bears US out in
our denial of the charge. Here are the
figures:
For the year 1890, during which the
largest amount of printing ever done
by the town was performed, the print
ing of the proceedings and ordinances
cost SIG; job printing S8s miscellaneous
publications. including tax sales, Sl3.-
10; total cost for that year, $I37 30.
In 1889 our charges were for that
Iyear-proceeding and ordinances. S9l.
90; micellenous. $3.50; job printing,
$50 90; total Sl34 90.
In l66S--pToceedings and ordinances,
$50. 40: miscellaneous, $3.50; job print
Ing, $23.75; total SIl6.95
Daring 1884, 1855, 1856 and 1887,
four years, the total amount received
from tile town was S37 so, OF which
SD so was for proceedings and ordin-
ances. Therefore, We find that IN the
last seven years. from January lst,
1884, to January 1st, 1891, the town
has been charged with s293.80 for pro
ceedings and ordinances, and adding
all othel advertising and printing fuI
these seven years to that sum would
make grand total of $42605, which
the COURIER should have received
during these seven years, or ali average
| of less than SCI q year. Conceding
that an equal amount was paid to the
Democrat, which, during most Of that
Itjme, was owned and published by the
present publisher of the Clarion, and
the entire sum for proceedings and Or
dinances, job printing and miscellaneous
advertising, should not be more than
| $852 10, or an average of less than
| $I2I d year to both papers. Where
does the saving Of from $500 to S400 q
year to the town, claimed by Mr. Fon-
tenot aud his organ, come IN, unless i
can be proven that the present pub.
lisher OF the Clarion got the money.
| All that the COURIER got for the lasi
seyen years, aud all that the Democrat
got since it went out of the control q
the present publisher Of the Clarion
does not nmonnt to one-lalf. annually
what they claim will be saved 10 tlle
town this year. Comment would b
supeIhuOns.
| The publication of the proceeding
and ordinances Of the Police Jury
/ with the jury lists and grand jury re.
lports thrown in, has cost the parish
for both papers, the COURIER AMI
1 Democrat, for the last six years, a!
follows: 1885, $350.00; 1886, $4,000
i 1887, $35O.O0; 1883, $35000; 1889
I $404.24; 1890, $1,000 Job printing
pamphlet aud binding and miseella
neous advertising are not included il
above, not being proceedings" @
Ordinances,
Now, where does Mr.. Fontenot ant
/ his organ stand On their assertion tha
ssthe publication of the proceedings o
the police jury and ordinances of tina
body heretofore cost the taxpayers o
i the parish annually about 5000 t
$500.
Thos Fl Lewis, Esqr., Of this place
is reported Id tie New Orleans Delt
of recent date, to have said at til
barbecue given at Woodworth Spring
4 on the 9th ult., that, 4 bond Of Of onl.
4 S5 900. 600 was no adequate securit.
for S3I 600, 900. which the revenu
amendment will oblige the Louisianl
| State Lottery TO pay to the State, j