The Opelousas courier., 1891-09-26
"A Little Queer.

The last issue of the Saint Clarion is
ablaze with new contributors, all of
whom, like Bartholdi's Goddess of
Liberty, hold up torches to enlighten
its readers concerning the charges our
sheriff has been making and is making
for advertising the property of delin
quent taxpayers. The battle, SO far,
has been fought by Anti Achilles him
self, who having been dipped by
Mother Truth (fguratiyely of course)
in the Styx that marks the boundary
of his official rights, and should limit
his powers, became vulnerable, and
wounded in the heel, and sought re-
pose. Not willing to abandon the
seige, he deputies his friends, as Ac-
hilles did Patroclus, to be slain III his
ponderous armor. Whilst we ere not dis
posed to take advantage of the crush
| ing weight under which they are sent
out, we nevertheless haunt before their
faces the fact that Sheriff Fontenot
charges the poor delinquent tax payers
of St. Landry just t,Uenty times as much
| for advertising their property as the
Democrat and this paper would charge
| We tell the people, and defy con-
i tradiction, that what they are thus
| forced by him to pay for advertising,
forms no part of the taTes the State
and parish receive, but goes exclusive
1 " to the Clarion's stockholders. Why
will the people endure it, when it is
evident they can not pay their taxes in
time to avoid the advertisement OF
property Would they in their help
| less condition, rather pay the Clarion
81 and so than pay the COURIER and
i Democrat S and 10 cents9 If it be
a matter of choice to do So then we have
no right to object, but if done under
tile impression that what they pay
goes to the tax funds, and that the
sheriff has the legal right to exact it,
and that he could not adyertize in ouI
columns. then we tell them, they are
| deceived. He had the right to adyer-
tie in our paper and in the Democrat
as we'll as in the Clarion; and we say
further that, in justice and kindness
!. to delinquents, he should have done SO
or, to have advertized in the Clarion
at the rates we offered to do it for
He had no right, nor was it just OF
kind to the people, but rather unjust
and oppresiUe to them, to refuse oul
offer, and publish in the Clarion
charging twenty times as much as We
offered to do it for He may call al
his deputies to the front, place sHga
kettle full of ink before them, with
cargo of writing paper for their use
then place behind their ears, and with
in their reach, large invoice of COOS
. quills--give them forty Clarlons &
publish in, and two eternities to flx q!
7 their explanations but they must fal
. to produce, excogitate or hatch ou
Tany reason for his course. except tha
he has the power to make the poor pa,
and the desire to let the Clarion pocke
2 the money. However, the fedgellng
naturally try to crow, If their effort
do oft times make one laugh. Their
!. is German proverb, which in sub
stance says: aShow me where you
! bread comes from, and I'll tell who's
: song you sing
This is quite natural and right, to
the benefits one bestoWs upon anotht
! who needs them, should never be uT
thankfully received, but on the cor
j. trary, should be repaid if possibl'
/. when discontinue, and defeat oyertak
: him. We believe it was Bulwer wh
il said
Beneath the rule Of men entirely great,
The pen is mightier than the sword.
81 We say in all kindness to the she
i. ifs new and raw recruits, come on
!. come all, and ssif at first You don't su
Il ceed try, try again. That II you ever
succeed IN showing the people that Il
: sheriff does not make delinquent ia:
payers pay the Clarion 20 times
much as the COURIER and Denlocr
q would charge for the same work, y
Y may accomplish any other impos
I'll biIit7y