St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1912-12-07
FOUND IN THE CLARION
MAIL BAG.
Mr.. EDITOR:

that the mayor of Eunice hao
ordered several hundred maple
trees with which to shade and
beautify the streets of that pro-
gressive town, and then added:
Nov, why should not Opelou-
sas do as well? Why should our
board of aldermen give away to
tive or three officials more money
than would be necessary to plant
one thousand trees in Opelousas?
Why should it give to these offic-
ials any more pay than they
agreed to accept when they were
elected?
"The board, by a vote of three
to two, is getting ready to do
this very thing. All honor to
Messrs. Blacksher and Shaw, the
two members who voted against
this outrageous measure. Surely.
one of the other three can be
made to see his error in voting
thus to wantonly squander the
peoples money and forthwith
demand a reconsideration.
Surely, a healthy public opin-
ion, arrayed on what is so clearly
the right and proper side, should
do even more than this. It
should at once bring about a
unanimous repeal of this measure.
Now, in closing, permit me,
Mr.. Editor, to call the attention
of the tax-paying citizens and Of
all who desire good and economi-
cal government in Opeloueas to
one of a number of facts that de-
serve consideration. Although
city taxes have been raised to
the limit we are still going deep
er in debt. For instance, Supt.
Jones reports that for October
the expenses for water and lights
were 1888. 80, while the reve-
nues Werr only $1368. 60, a loss
of 1894. 70! While we may not
be able to cut this loss just now,
we surely are under no obliga-
ton to raise the salaries of sew
eral men who were very glad to
get at lower figures the offices
they hold, and who would not
dream of giving them up even if
Messrs. Blacksher and Shaw's
figures were cut in half.
This is no time to boost sala-
ries.
"On the contrary, with the
town in debt and sinking deeper
every month at the rate of $500
for just one item, it behooves
the board to economic in every
way possible.
'The ordinary business man,
in looking after his own affairs,
would do this.
There is a still stronger reason
for the board to do this, because
to them has been confided a sacr-
ed trust, and to do otherwise
would be to betray the confidence
of the people. .
In your issue of Nov. Both the
of Opelousas boldly says
that | have here made "a state
ment about the city finances that
is not borne out by the record, "
and then adds punctuation, quo
tation marks, ETC., are all his):
/ am compelled to correct him
with the record, which shows,
that on the first day of October
the city owed 1896 "a LESS
than same date Of last year.
THAT it has so per cent less
of its license fund pledged than
same date last year.
That Supt. Jones' official re-
port for October shows that the
power plant lost $299. 79, and as
stated in that report mostly
caused by the advance IN price
in fuel oil.
AS to Messrs. Shaw and Black
sher, there was no difference of
opinion between them and the
other members as to salaries.
The difference being, only that
they wanted the budget to show
the same amount as 1912, and
the difference in amount to be
paid from any available fund
monthly as it was done that year.
While the other members thought
it proper to budget all amounts
to be paid.
Now, as | said nothing about
what the city owed on the 1st
Of October and nothing about the
license fund, / do not see that
! needed to be corrected.
AS to the power plant, Supt.
Jones reported just as | stated,
viz: That the expenditures for
October were 594.79 more than
the receipts. To the ordinary
mind that means a loss of 1894. 79. |
But the mayor says that Supt.
Jones says that the loss was
S299. 79-and he seems to think
that settled it. He goes no
further. He just simply cor
rects".
Now, Supt. Jones gets his
ngures as to the loss by putting /