The Opelousas courier., 1894-05-05
Borrowing Money to Pay Salaries.

gall the st. Landry Clarion surely takes
the palm. AS III readers know, this
alleged newspaper has no responsible
editor, its editorial writer's are un-
known, and no name stands at the head
or It's Columns as sponsor for its utter
ances. These facts may recount for the
dlSreputabie manner in which il has
peer conducted from the date of its es-
adjustment and for the reckless asser-
tions and insidlous but ever more rep
~rehenslbte perversions of truth which
appear from time to time in it's COL
umns. With such Il concern as it's
mouthplece and defender, it is not
strange that the ring which is now hold
ing high carnival in ST. Landry should
be emboldeDed to strike out for new
fields and pastures green in quest of
fatter pickings, and, while industriously
feathering its W nest at the public ex-
pense, vehemently protest that it is pa
trlotically and unselfishly promoting the
interests Of the people.
The other day we took occasion to
suggest to the Washington Herald,
which had mumbled something about
ring had been supplanted by a new one,
1t might proftably keep II of its eyes
upon "the new set of leeches who are
just now borrowing money at a healthy
rate OF interest to pay the salaries of its
friends" a scheme which we character
lied as "a ~high-handed proceeding
which the old ring in its palmiest days
lever had the nerve to attempt" The
Clarion copies II paragraph and says
We have made " a mistake" and have
got the wrong pig by the ear" We do
not know what that means, unless it is
that instead of addressing our remarks
to the Herald We should have addressed
the Opelousas politicians who edit the
Clarion. Possibly we would have got
the right pig then. At any rate, the
mistake does not consist in the state
ment that money was being borrowed
to pay salaries, for the Clarion does not
attempt to deny this. In fact, this sub
stantiye allegation it ignores and lodges
altogether. 1t merely leaves the reader
under the impression that we hare made
Il !" mistake n-without indicating how,
or when, or where Chat is not material
to its purpose)-and proceeds with in
conceivable gall to say
1--WE did once, and not very long in
the past, have a ring here, and Il set of
ieeches that fastened themselves upon
the parish treasury and sucked ont it's
blood that got its twenty or its thirty
per cent. out OF every dollar paid out of
the parish treasury, bnt the Courier
during all that time was both blind and
dumb. Everybody saw and felt the
sucking of the leeches, but the Courier
saw nothing, heard nothing. said moth
ing"
Now, if any sue, condition Of things
existed here since teconstructinn days
we were not aware of it; bnt, by the
Clarion's own admission, it knew all
about it. AS it is ii notorious fact that
she same coterie of politicians who edit
the Clarion always had Il newspaper or
gan at their service during all the time
that this monstrUus misgovernment Was
going on, these politicians stand con-
victed of having c0ndoued this alleged
misgogernment, for never did their or
gan breathe Il word OF all this. But the
Clarion says it vas not very long ago
that all this misgovernment existed
Nichols police jury, its tool. that We're
responsible for little same police jury
that violated its contract with Us at the
dictation of the Clarion's managers-and
had we known of all these heinous Of
lenses of which the Clarion U charges
it, we surely would not have remained
"damb"-just then, at least. But the
Clarion knew all about them-the Cla-
rion which for nearly two years was
the organ and the pet of that ring-and
yet it never made Il sign
Then, with an affectation OF setions-
mesa which is almost cOmicaI, the office
holders organ asks US it we wOnld un-
do what has been done, cane again
subject the parish and all its creditors
to the ruinous discounts formerly ex-
acted9"
In answer we would say that as far as
borrowing money to pay current eXpen-
SEES is concerned, that is all very we'll /;
we suggested that plan long ago, and
can very readily see the benefits to be
derived therefrOm. But our new ring
do not stop there in fact they seem to
have adopted this plan merely IA a blind
to their nefarious designs Oh the public
! purse-merely as il preteXt 10 borrow
| money ut one per cent per month to pay
| salaries monthly which have always
been paid at tho Enc Ut the year, or even
| later. The officers to whom these sal
| aries are paid sought their positions
| with the full knowledge that their sal
aries would not he paid until the end of
| each year, and AS there is 30 discount
on these salaries there would be no in
| Justice in requiring these officials to
wait as their predecessors did. Hence,
the "better plan" that the Clarion wants
| us to suggest is simply for tho police
| Jury to borrow no more money thai IS
| necessary to pay cash for internal i'm
provements and necessary current ex-
penses and stop there, and not fritter
away or donate to its favorites whatever
| may be saved by this proceeding, and at
| the same time attempt with cool assnr-
ance to throw dust in the peoples eyes
and make them believe that a worthy
and patriotic work was being carried
out for their benefit.
Only this, and nothing more.
The Breaux's Bridge band came to
town late on Thursday evening to play
for the O. S. G.. ball that night and dis
coursed some very sweet music on the
p~osfofice corner, which attracted q
large crowd. They played there before
the ball. but one of their best pieces
was After the Ball. They are fine
musicians.
Lost, last Tuesday. between the
courthouse aud Bodemniler's barber
shop, or my residence gold hreastpin
with purple stone. The finder will be
suitably rewarded if it is returned to
me. II. E. EsToRGE.
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