The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-01-13

airy, fees and other emOumentS OF
the State Register have been great
ly increased till the Land Office has
become one of the best paying OFF, ;
ces at the Capitol ChaS. p. john
ston. candidate for Register, with
the present incumbent Fred Grace
as his opponent, was the first to call
public attention to what was already
generally, though dimly known. For
instance, the public knew that Regis
ter Grace had lobbied very success
fully in adding various appendages IN
the wav of minor offices to his POSI-
ton, in the legislature of 1910, but
the complete recital in detail and
amount was first given by Mr.. Johh-
ston, to whom the public is CORES
pondingly obliged.
Mr.. Johnston now discusses in the|
Times Democrat of Sunday, the SUD-
| iect of fees, saying:
81 note that in The TlmeS-Demo-
graf in an article entitled New Lana
Office Laws Interest All Taxpayers
which appeared Dec. Il, it is stated
that the general appropriation act Oh
1910 appropriated $4,000 a year for
salaries. and for the maintenance
of tho United States Surveyor Gener-
ais office records, now part oil the
l State Land Office, provided same Is
: necessary. 1t also is stated thaC
Z the Register of the State Land ollIce
= keeps all the fees made in TINS o.
flee.
l. Il would like to know under "ha'
Y authority the Register appropriaVeS
to himself the money collected IL
This branch of the land department
and why it should go to increase nj
III salary?
p "Act No. 80 of 1910 does ho
le ,+o+o +bat the revenues of the sur
Or vpyar Generals office should go =
Il the Register. Perhaps the Attorney
er General can enlighten the tax-paI
n ers on this subject by quoting the az
a. giving these fees to Mr.. Grace .
IT, IN the other hand, covering them Il
n 70 tbo State Treasury. This questlo
It, cbonld he settled at once, for
lie thore is no law authorizing the he
at ister to pocket this money, it shou
TX ho known at once, in all justice
Mr. Grace and the State autnoil''e
,e- as his bond would have to make u
ed deficiency good
"The law creatingthe office OF he
ietor Of the State Land Office Tx
- tho fees he shall charge for certa
Z kinds Of service, and states speci
cally that the fees collected by
peoister shall be for the use d
benefit Of the State, and Shall
o+o Maid quarterly to the State TreaSuE
pu. But in 1910 the Legislature was 9
no erous and even liberal with the u
.1tb navers' money, and gave MI Gr'
NC authority to collect adcluonal ie
In as follows:
Or. CIV Act No. 80 of 1910 the sal'
tice Of the Register of the State Lana
Of flee is fixed at $1,000 per year,
to a dual salary of $500 per year Is
tho ,owod az ex.officio commissioner
be forestry.
"By Act No. 254 of 1910 the ne
ono fer is made ex-officiO supervisor
n,irora,s and is allowed a sal
Is a Minerals anu
7otb of $500 per year,
SER "By Act No, 261 of 1910, crea'
did tho Department of Forestry the
hu- is+or &c allowed $500 per year
the travelling expenses.
ACT No. 172 of 1910, creating
conservation Commission prov
that the Register shall be ailo
ship for EXPENSES the same as lllenl
liver If the. Legislature when gong 70
show from meetings; s. per diem uo
geta- Cuttings of the commission IN
not State and $40 per day when the
1t ings are held outside OF 'he d"
YORK Act No. 22S Of 1910 allows
t re- Register $50 for every redemI
| at certificate, and section 3 OF
was same act provides a commlSS'o
d or ner cent for all moneys fe''
'ne by the sheriff for lease OF ''l
II State lands.
'h'ee "Act No. 28O Of 1910, gives the
' eaun lister all State tax records al
$3.50. note the article states that lie
II o"' oil fees made for furnishing p'
IN ~ with copies of these records.