Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-10-11
BOARD OF TRAD TAKES
UP MATTER OF BETTERING
FINANCIAL. END OF PARISH
AS Representative Body Of the City
and Parish, will Use Its Efforts to
Put Parish on Cash Basis.

the public funds and that the funds are
being spent i'll q Legitimate way, then
let Us stop ali these sinister rumors and
proclaim to the tax payers, that every
thing is as it should be. Should the in
vestigation prove that there is a waste of
the funds, then it is our duty, as tax
PAYERS, to locate the cause of the evil,
and we must then find remedy"
The action of the district attorney, q"
said Mr.. Nettles, is to be highly APP
proved, and we appreciate the action
which Governor Hall has taken, in
sending the auditors, to investigate the
standing of the police jury, and to chear
this business up"
I'VE want to know" said Mr. I'M
nergluck, where our finances are
placed. Thirty years ago the police
jury of this parish built court house,
and paid cash, and left the parish out of
debt, which goes to show that it can be
done if the police jury wants to manage
things correctly, and it also shows that
our finances are mismanaged by the
present police Jury.
Mr. Rom. p. Leblanc said that if
things want to be run right we can save
$1,000 a year. These are his very
figures. He is the Secretary of the
police jury.
Now, it shows that there one hundred
and sixteen road overseers, who are
receiving a salary Of SO each, every
year. Why do they pay them' Because
it has been customary to do so.
There is positively no reason wiz t
should be done just because it's Gus
tomary. If Ole man is not doing tbs
right thing, it is no reason that the
ether man must do likewise.
I'VE are paving out, for the last
four years, S., go i'll Unnecessary funds.
Now We could have saved at least
! SO, 900 or SIS, 800 AID have that much
in the Treasury, and we could run the
! Parish on cash basis"
what was the debt of the parish when
tits police jury went into Office" asked
Mr.. Albert Stauffer.
1t was $40, 900 less than at the pre-
sent TINE" said Mr.. Vallee.
"Ot course" said Mr. Inmergluck,
I'VE are taking no sides in this PROPOSE
ton. We cannot hold the present
police jury for debts of their predeces-
sors; but we cali hold the present police
jury responsible for the debts contracted
since they have been in Office.
They pay great many men just
because it has been customary to do So
The expenses on the court house since
Nov. 1912, to the present time, has been
1864"
Where is the Improvement" asked
Mr.. o. A. Broussard. Il didn't see any,
II rains just as much now as it ever did
inside of the court house"
There were people," said Mr.. Vallee,
who were painting, or working OIL the
court house but that was after the storm. +"
LAS long as the taxpayers don't take
a hand i'll this matter" said Mr.. I'M
mergluck, lit will continue to run bad.
We want the police jury to report to the
parish, publish their report, SO every
body can see the true situation, and so
We can see where our money goes.
This investigation has to be turned over
to the district attorney, but he is power
less. He can do nothing unles we CO.
operate with him, and help him"
For the past three or four years, "
said MIR. Vallee, 1.-THE police jury has
been meeting i'll little room in the
court house, just large enough for the
members of the police jury, but not to
hold meetings.
1.-The public is unable to hear any
thing. There is no place to sit. No
place to put chairs, and we are entirely
at loss to know what is being done.
When we are told that the parish has a
large debt we are surprised. We want a
report of the police jury, to show just
| how things are being DONE
The Police Jury" said Mr.. I'm
/ gluck, "as the law says, must pay the
debts of year, with the revenues OF