The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-09-30
Statement to the Public.

cuttuu tWO VI uuiCc ptf tlCp uIC 5Oiiic-
what offended at, we will say that we
did not intend, nor was there in our
article, any reflection upon the hon.
esty or integrity OF that body in ar
arriving at any conclusion they may
have reached. They could be perfect
ly honest, and yet be mistaken. They
have no immunity from criticism.
We do not believe they could have
thoroughly examined into the parish
financial affairs for the past three
years, in a few hours, sufficiently to
justify them in accepting the meager
and superficial statement they made
of the case. If they did have the
time and data to satisfy themselves,
then we believe the items upon which
they based their conclusion should
have been given to the public as a
matter of useful information.
1t is no reflection upon the grand
jury to say that they seem to have
misunderstood the kind of Showing"
that is wanted by the public, and par
ticularly desired by the school board
and the bondsmen. Public informa-
ton is wanted. A secret report to a
secret body does not meet the case.
This is a matter OF important bust
ness to number of persons, and is
not to be lightly disposed OF under
the poor plea that politics has insti-
gated the inquiry. We have stated
time and again, beginning more than
a year ago, that the reports made
are almost without exception faulty,
incorrect, inexplicit, misleading and
unsatisfactory. What is wanted is a
Public Report OF when and where the
money comes from, and when and
where it has been apportioned or APP
piled. Our complaint is that the re-
ports do not show these facts, and
that they are an essential feature, if
the public is to have any knowledge
of the parish finances. The law for
making these reports undoubtedly
intends the public should know.
Wewill not take up time nor weary
the patience of our readers by repeat
ing the numerous instances hereto
fore stated, but will merely refer to
the treasurer's last report, in another
column OF this paper, as sample OF
the incorrectness and inexplicitness
to which we refer. Take the credit
item OF $4,000 AZ, for instance. You
cannot tell whether it is 10 per cent
of current taxes, or whether part OF
it is poll taxes, or fines. Yet the use
of only one or two words additional
would make it plain to every body
There are two or three other items OF
the report that might be criticised,
but we leave that to the intelligence
OF our readers.
The list OF receipts by the treasurer
were shown in the CHRONICLE of two
weeks ago to be approximately meas
$50, 701. There may be a few hun
dred dollars more received from other
sources, such as the lease and sale OF
ferries, sixteenth sections, etc., but as
there will probably be debit and
credit in each case, it will be a stand
off, and need not be considered.
| Now, we have not seen the books
for about two years, and do not know
what they show as to when and how
that $53.701 has been apportioned
for public use. We do know that the
reports so far published do not give
! a full and satisfactory account as to
how it has been applied. We there
fore insist that an itemized Public Re.
port should be made OF each and ev.
cry round amount apportioned, show
ing when and where applied to public
use. If this is done, and it shows We
have been unjust in any criticism, VIZ
shah take pleasure in making repara-
ton. If it is not done, we stand by
our criticisms as legitimate, temper
ate and right under the circumstan.
ces that inspired them.
j All our comments have been based
upon public vouchers and accounts
and in most instances were in the ex
act language or sense OF a public re
port. A public "show down" OF ths