The Opelousas courier., 1894-05-19

Still Dodging.

~
Our readers will remember that a few
weeks ago we called attention to the
tact that the parish authorities were
borrowing mouey at one per cent pei
month to pay cash the salaries of off
GERS whose salaries were usually paid
under preceding administrations at THE
end OF the year, and WI characterized
this IA high handed proceeding which
Che old ring in its palnnieSt days nsN"l
bad the nerve to attempt." This rnu
ed the Citation, which, although not re-
ferred to. felt called upon to say some
thing to break the force of our straight
forward and clear-cut statement. II
did NOT dare to deny our allegation. did
not directly attempt to defend this fta-
ture nt the financial scheme recently
adopted by the police jury. but lodged
all around it and confined itself to
"glitteriug generalities," praising the
pohce jury for its wisdom and patriot
ism in having evolved and put in force
such a beautiful and economical "
scheme. After dancing all around the
true point at issue it closed by asking
us with cOmical seriousness to suggest
a better plan. This we promptly did
by merely saying that an infinitely bet
ter plan would be for the authorities to
borrow no more than is necessary to pay
cash for internal improvements and
other current expenses, and stop there,
and not donate to its favorites whatever
sums may be saved by this preceding.
This was a corker. The thing was so
simple that a child could see through it
and recognize the truth and common
sense of the suggestion. What did the
Clarion do9 Just what it might have
been expected to do. 1t simply ignored
the suggestion it had asked for, just as
it bad ignored the only substantive al
legation in the article which had pro-
voked it's ire, and proceeds in its last
issue to lecture us because we have a
knack of calling a spade a spade-alleg-
ing that the COURIER "outheralds" it.
self in that direction (whatever that
may mean).
When we say that the Clarion mani
tests brazen audacity and unmitigated
gall when it attempts to throw dust in
the eyes of the people and tries to make
them believe that borrowing money to
pay the salaries of parish officers is a
great economical measure, it retorts
that we indulge in "vituperatiOn and
that with such a concern az it's mouth
piece and defender. it is not strange
that the ring which is TO- holding high
carnival in st. Landry should be en-
boldened to strike out for new fields
ant pastures green in quest of fatter
pickings, and. while industriously
feathering its own nest at the public
expense, vehemently protest that it is
patriotically and unselfishIy promoting
the interests of the people, it yells hys-
terically that we are making bold, IN
founded, not TO say malicious charges
and aspersions against the character
aud conduct of the parish officers" But
when in response to its challenge, we
suggest Il much" better plan,'a simpler,
more honest and economical financial
scheme than the one now in it
remains dumb. ignores the point alto
gether.
Now. this sort OF tactics will not do.
1t the Clarion cat demonstrate that the
parish is not borrowing money to pay
salaries; OF if it will admit that it ia
doing SO and then in a more honest way
than by indulRing in glittering general
tiles show that such a proceeding is a
benefit to the taxpayers and to the peo-
pies treasury. we will promptly ack-
nOwledged our error and make amends
as best We may for Il unjust criticisms.
But until it does SO u criticisms must
stand. for we believe they are just and
we know they are honest, and if they
are instrumental 10 bringing about a
change in this Outrage0nsly vicious sys-
tenn will rebound to the interest of the
people. The people of the parish of St.
Landry are too Intelligent to be deceiv-
ed in this matter by the bald and unsup-
ported charge OF the Clarion that u
u%tterances on this subject are destitute
of a vestige OF agreement or fair state
ment Of fact" when it coolly ignores
our arguments and statements of facts
and resorts.to wild shreiks and the beat
ing of tomtoms to conceal it's delinquen-
cy. This may mislead some people for
a little while, but when the masses
discover that they have been trihed
with and that this much Wanted
scheme was connected for the benefit
of a few individuals. or that it's practi-
cal operation results in furtheriDg
private and not public interests, when
public interests could be so easily pro-
noted thereby. or by the elimination of
one vicious feature-when that day
comes. the Clarion and the ring of
which it is the m%outhpiece and apollo
gist will feel all the fury Of their wrath.
The Clarion again filings at US the
information that it's board of directors
a body consisting of seven memhers-is
responsible for its editorial utterances.
This is only partially correct, for moro
than one of these members have
several times disowned its u%tterances;
and we think yet that it would be more
manly for it's managers to select some
gentleman, who could be brought to
consent to make himself responsible
for its editorials, and pDt his name
at the head of it's columns. This
would elevate it's tone and make its
writer's more careful and more honest
in their statements. The Clarion. how
ever. adds that when aUe desire to
ascertain the authorship of any
editorial that appears in it's columns we
a do SO on application at its office.
So far, SO good and we may frequently
have occasion to avail ourselves Of the
privilege. for We are souly entitled to
know who is addressing US and thus
far We have been standing in the open
and d assailants are lurking in the
dark. But the people are also entitled
to know who it is that attempts to
instructor mislead-them, and they
also should be kept posted by seeing
the name of a responsible editor at the
head Of its columns.
A surprise party took place at the
home of Miss Alice Dietiein last Tues
day evening when a game of progress
i've enchre served to while away the
time very pleasantly and a merry party
of young folks was delightfully."- enter
tanned by the inmates of that elegant