New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1905-07-22
LETTER FROM EX.MAYOR DtlPtJy

Dear Sir--In Justice to NV friends
who assisted me in my candidacy for
re- electios i'm the last campaign, | feel
il my duty to explain certain state
ments effecting the city's financial
standing which were made by them to
the public and for which they ms
well ms myself we're attacked in the
daily of the Nth inst They were
correct in asserting that statemente
coming from men in public positions
should be such as to warrant no fur
Their investigation. They should be
truthful and positive and under no
circumstances ought they be made un-
less they can be substantated in every
particular They have assailed the
administration for having made such
statements aud from the tore of its
editorial the public are forced to the
opinion that those of us who presented
our names before the public at the last
municipal primary election as well ms
the gentlemen who made our fight on
the platform are suilty Of having ex-
erted certain influences on the public
FOR the purpose Of securing their suf-
frage by the means of statements
which have upon investigates been
found to be untrue
In all candor Mr. Editor. do YOU
suppose that we would have even pre-
sumed such thing That in the face
Of 80. 600 debts as found by the audit
or and which existed then if they now
exist we would have dared to make
such assertions unless we were In pos
session of some data upon which to
base these assertions. appreciate in
deed that our friends Messrs Walter
J. and Porteus r. Burke and Anthony
N. Muller and others who took the
stump in our behalf have been subject
ed to much criticism for having at
tempted to mislead the public and
desire now to say that whatever state
ments they may have made as regards
the city's finances l am responsible
for. All of the information on the
subject that they received was given
them by me.
| have been informed that the au-
ditor's report shows debt of *lg, OOO
or approximately that amount To
the citizen who does not understand
finances this statement is appalling
aud would indicate that those who
held its affairs in trust have been
guilty of great extravaganza. To those
that will be guided by proper ex-
| PLANTATION of conditions that brought
about this debt and who will give this
matter due consideration before max.
ing any attempt to form an opinion, l
feel satisfied that the facts as / will
present them will be such as to war
rant vindication to myself and to
those gentlemen who were part of
the .Dupuy administration. To my
political enemies / will make no effort
or attempt to explain. In my state
merit to the public during the cam
paign that the City was free of debt
did go with the firm conviction that /
was right aud would to day make the
same statements under the same con
ditions. Now, why the auditors re-
port does not reveal the conditions as
were presented by us is o matter which
concerns the public greatly am sure
During the last year of our term it
was necessary TO give the New Iberia
Electric Lights aud WaterWorks finan-
cial assistance and this was done by an
appropriation of $500. In view of
the fact that the law gives all mum
CAPABILITIES the right to anticipate it's
revenues this amount was secured upon
the revenues of 1905. At about the
same time another appropriation be-
came necessary to further extend the
water and light service in the East
End of the City and a note of about |
$500 war given and payment based
npon the revenues of 1906 Thus you
have obligations equal to about $4,000,
which properly belong TO 1906 budget.
To more thorough enligbten you on
the subject of anticipated revenues |
desire here to call your attention to
the fact that in order to raise funds
sufficient to construct the New Iberia
Water Works and Electric Lights the
Bronssard administration were COM
PEELED to issue certificates of indebted
ness to the amount of 500, 600. 90, and |
all City licenses have been pledged to
secure its payment. Now when We
made these statements that the CITY I
was ont of debt the gentlemen who
opposed US did not attempt to say that
We were not. for they knew all the
while that we could NOT be held re-
sponsible for those certificates There
fore IN the classi fications of such obi
cations as the City owed, we believed
aud still believe that we could make
= statement to the public and exclude
this item OF ~, 800 Now upon de-
ducting this item Of ~ 300 from the
olg, GOO indebtedness AZ found by the
auditor. you have a balance of $l4, 100.
During the year Of 1904 the City
Council imposed license of $1,000.
apon liquor dealers. Every one in
this community knows that The pay
Inents Of this license was bitterly con-
tested in the Courts and finally the
Otty secured decision in the last
Clnnrf Of Anpeals Rv = farorah lilo da