The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1900-07-28

elected parish printer We wrote to "a
friend i'm Baton Rouge for rates on public
printing, and were senta circular issued ny tne
State Auditor. The circular contained de-
cision by the Appellate Court OF tne Flpsb Glr
the sheriff, in which the issue involved was
what constituted a legal square OF type. Ihe
court, in lengthy decision, fixed ten llnes
nonpareil as a legal square. This measure we
adopted aud have been charging according to
it ever since. Mr.. Dubulsson ** in
formed us on the morning of the meeting OF the
committee that tho law upon which VIC based
our charges referred to tax sales. and not to all
public work. r In giving the committee
his opinion Mr.. Dubuisson stated that the ue-
cision in question was susceptible or mlscOn-
struction by q layman. See report Of commit
tee in police jury proceedings AS 70
the statement of the Courier that the
circular in question was issued two years
later than the time we began charging the pO-
lice jury by the nonpareil line instead of the
hundred words, we say Is untrue lt IS true
that the circular submitted to the committee Is
dated 1897. but that it is IL reprint. The origt-
nal circnlar was issued sometime in the $685."
Now, the natural, fair and logi-
cal Interpretation of this state
ment is simply this Soon after
his election in 1895 he wrote for
rates by which to guide himself in
charging for publishing the pro-
ceedings, election and registration
notices, and other matter covered
by his contract. This circular
was sent him. It gave the very
information he sought for. It
defined the legal square, by which
he was to measure the parish
printing. That square was fixed
at ten lines of nonpareil. He
adopted that measure, readjusted
his rates and has been charging
according to that measure ever
since. The circular submitted to
the committee is dated 1897, (twe
years after he began charging on
the basis fixed by the circular), it
IS true, but that is a reprint.
These circulars were such good
things that the first edition was
exhausted. He got one of the
originals, issued in the '8Os. 1t
| said the same thing, but he got it
in 1895, not 1897-er after.
| Now, what are the facts ? An
examination of the circular will
show that the decisi on, based up.
on plain laws, defined legal
square in a taG sale advertise.
ment to be 10 lines of nonpar.
ell, and further showed that fol-
all other legal advertising in the
country parishes "the space OF
100 words solid matter" should
constitute square. Here, il
the rates given for all other lega
advertising, was the very infor
nation he sought. Did he adop1
Those rates No. He adopted
the special rates for tax sales
| And this he did in the teeth O.
| the law of 1894, under which h'
, was elected, and aehich plasnh
defines the proper measurement
for him to adopt as the "squar'
of 100 words !" The circula
he received, he says, was issued il
the '8Os. A look at the decision
contained in the circular flee
with the report of the committe
establishes the fact that it wa
rendered in January, 1898 I
Then he says he was informe'
on the morning of the meeting o
the committee that the law upol
!, which he based his charges referl
ed to tax sales! He was Ion
time finding that out, surely. Th
fact that it referred to tax sale
was written all over that decision
But, as matter of fact, and
may be stated here, he never fol
lowed any of the directions cor
: tanned in that circular or laid dow
!, in that decision. He simply cal
ed ten lines of his 'sfat' minion
h square. And it takes 10 lines G
S mighty lean nonpareil to contai
< 100 words. But here is fair an
| comprehensive synopsis of the d.
t cision in question. 1t was mad
!, cut by layman, and is so plai
s and simple that the average la.
5 man, particularly if he is prin
e er, can make no mistake:
t This decision clearly states ;
the outset the nature of the sui
: It was to recover the printer
s fees for tax sale advertise men
J, It goes on 10 say that there is L
dispute ythat ten lines of mol
pareil type constitute a square
q tax sale advertisement ltr'
&leites the fact that Sec. Is of A,
f 4srkof 1877 provides the tin
i and manner in which "advertis
s Ements are required to be made
!, relation to judicial proceeding
= or in the sale of property undo
l. judicial process, or in any oth'
el legal proceedings of whatsoev
v kind" and that Sec. Is of same a
@ fixes the rate per square for SUI
g legal advertisements and declar
e lone square to consist of Il
7, space Of one hundred words sol
n matter. = It then points out tn
L section So of Act S. of 1888 pr
" yides that sseach ten lines of no
IS pareil type of tax sale adyertis
"a ment shall constitute a square
it declares that tax sales come u
4 der the provisions regulating "a
le other legal proceedings of wh.
Ia oa.or I;nd ;, opd adds seV