The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1905-04-01
THE WEEKLY IBERIAN
Eff. WILLARD, Proprietor.
Established in February, 1898.
Subscription Price, $1.OO per Annum
WHERE DO THE TAXES GO?

that the good and solid taxpayers
should know something of where
the taxes go, towards the purpose
for which they are paid The
charter prescribes that the taxes
and licenses collected under its
authority are to be expended for
the purposes of paying the police
force, maintenance of streets,
sidewalks, and for all other pur.
poses to which the corporation
may see fit to devote them. In
this article the respective merits,
or dement's of the charter, Will not
be discussed, except to say that It,
was the intention of all connected
with it, whishing that the money
paid by the people, in the way of
taxes and licenses should be most
economically spent.
The present Mayor, who is the
head and supposed to be the d.
rector and SNAPPER of the finances
of the town, controlling and direc-
ting it for the best interest of the
town and the people is fearfully
in default.
Now, why do we say so?
In many of the numerous com.
plants which are made, is one
that through his influence with the
council he had elected as an attOr
ney to represent the town in all its
litigation and give it all the legal
counsel, and at the same time to
act IS secretary, at a price and for
the sum of six hundred dollars per
annum, but when others, of equal
ability had done this same work
for one half that amount and were
willing to do 1t for the price given
them by previous administrations
Another complaint is that in the
matter of the suits by the corpora
ton against the liquor or saloon
men for the enforcement Of the
high license of $1,000, enacted III
1868, to 90 into effect January,
1904, he and the council employed
whether by resolution or verbal con
tract, additional or associate cOEn
sci to conduct AMI carry on the liti
CATION presumably at a charge OF
fee to the town. Hence it is seer
that while having an attorney, al
a stipulated salary, whenever &
litigation arises, involving thu
rights of the city, its paid cOunse
lor is ignored, though drawing
his salary, and others are sought
at an additional expense to the
city, which means an additional
expenditure of the tax money paiC
10y the people.
The city is no larger now than il
was some years ago. The litiga
ton has not been, nor is it likely
to be, more serious than in the
past ten years, and yet we FIND
our present Mayor expanding the
money of the people for matters
] for which he and the council have
already contracted and paid fol
out &c the taxes We have never
heard. Of this before and other adj
illustrations have never resOrted
to this mode of expanding trust
public money, though subject al
times to serious litigation invOlv
ing questions of legality and con
stitutiOnality Of its charter and
ordinances.
The city, by reason of the City
Courts, Jurisdiction within the
city limits and it's constable to
make arrests in all criminal
cases of a misdemeanor character,
occurring within the ward, of which
the city is part, and included
therein, and of which the city
Judge has cognlzance and juris
dictlOn, should enable the city to
get on in these quiet times with a
police force of a lesser number
than now appears on the payroll
for such services In former
times and prior to this present ad
the Mayor acted and
was Judge in all cases of a crimi
nal nature occurring IN his bali
wick--now, the City Court and his