New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-07-25
THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF.

ono job. 1t is not necessary fol
a man TO be bad man or crook
ed official for him to get into trou
bic and fall short inhis accounts
The exaction Of the law are harsh
and hard against him. The whole
tax list, the poll list, the license lis,
aud all are charged against him
the moment he takes charge of the
office and the charge is repeated al
the beginning of each fiscal year
What he fails to collect he must
pay unless he makes the prope,
showing aud accounts for the fail
ure in due and legal form at
the proper time and place. He
must be good business man, a
bookkeeper, and accountant, some
what of banker, besides being an
honest and faithful public servant.
He can be all of these things, but
he can not do all himself. He
must draw about him assistants
who are equally faithful, COM
pe:eut and true. The accounts
against him keep themselves. The
burden is always npon him. 1t is
no excuse for his dsrelictions to say
he is a good fellow, good
hearted fellow, who permits unfor-
tunate friends to escape the pay
N at ot their taxes or license.
The sheriff. 5 otlirc is the mnsi
l.,.>inrss fiji ni,,cjed with the
.l,',IIc >rtvu.e. 1t has gpttrti more
,,h : ..i1i q, continued 1t you add
-. The ,i4t..,r> and difficulties
,t,tutrair,i above II u,sn OF Qnes-
20 able integrity ii needs no am
7 81 il.arioa IL show what disaster
a,ti he sure lu goiibw. hnt as be-
/ In, stated, this of1ical need not
hr lad niiu, to get himself
aud his friends in trouble.
A case in point is that of Sheriff
A. 4. Thompson, of Bossier parish.
His friends aud neighbors all de-
clare him to be an honest, right
eous end good man, worthy OF all
confidence and above reproach. We
have seen no denial of this state
ment nor have we heard a word of
reproach against this official, but
the press dispatches state he is
500, 900 short in his accounts.
The Shreveport journal suggests
that he is one of those good-hearted
fellows who would not crowd a
poor aud distrcsessed friend; who
could not say 10 to the importuni-
ties of those who needed small
loan aud that he confided in faith
less friends.
Neither State nor parish will
lose anything as bond company
carries the burden and Mr.. Tbomp-
son has friends aud property.
1t is much the same story as that
in East Feliciana parish number
of years ago, where WIN. Woodard,
one Of the trnest, noblest fellows in
the parish found himself short. Not
dollar Of iil.gotten gains had he
spent. He had lived q frugal mod.
est life, hard working, vigilant,
popular aud faithful, but his ac-
counts got mixed, he fell behind,
how, when, where, he absolutely
knew not. But his prospects were
blighted and he weat ont of busi-
ness.
Aud so with Sheriff Cannon of
Avoyelles. In the zenith of his
popularity be fell a victim to loosely
conducted business methods 10 an
Office that required accuracy and
eternal business vigilance.
We believe the law combining
the Office Of sheriff aud tax collec.
tor . failure. Especially is this
true in large parishes, where the
volume Of business is great.
The emoluments Of the two Offices
in such parishes are too large; the
machinery 10 their administration
too cumbersome.
By reason Of these defects, on ac-
count Of the magnitude Of sheriff's
Offices in these large parishes, the
political influence Of this Official il
so great rs to ovsrshadow the bear
ing and the political significance
Of the entire parish. The sheriff. .
Office has more to do with the elsc-
ton Of tho senator, the representa-. !.
tive, the judge, the district attor-
ney, the police jnry and all the
rest Of tho ticket than do the
character or qualifications Of either
Of these offers or any three Of
them combined. This il al wrong.
Any system il defective and must
prova disastrous that dWarfs other
important o6lcial positions by rea-
son Of the political power, patron
-, strsneth and infusncs Of d
single ONES. n justice to the
shsef6, - Justice q the peoplo and
ID iuotieo % the public service