St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1921-12-31
What Started as a Sensa-
ton is Reduced to a
Microscopic Ofense
NO INTEITION
OF WRONG DOING
Fact That Act of 1920 Had
Changed Mileage I'm
known to Jurors
THE MILEAGE QUESTION.

THE MILEAGE QUESTION.
RumOrs were circulated about
town this week to the effect that
members of the Police Jury
were drawing more mileage
than they were entitled to un-
der tn claw. This caused an In.
yestigation by some of the menu
bers and resulted in "a letter of
inquiry by J. B. Howe, presi-
dent of the Police Jury, to Lewis
L. Morgan, attorney for the.
board, asking for information
wherein the law had been violat-
ed. Mr.. Morgan's reply to this
letter will be found below.
Several members Of the Police
Jury were in town this week looking
into the cause of certain statements
made that memb bers were violating
the law in the matter of mileage
charges. Rumors to this effect
spread rapidly, and as usual were
magnified as they passed along the
line
A representative OF The Farmer
called upon Mr.. Morgan, counsel for
the Police Jury, and asked him wha..
the facts in the matter were. Mr..
Morgan said that he had received
letter from Mr.. Howe, president Of
the Police Jury, relative to the mat
ter, and that his reply gave his
views relative thereto. Mr.. Morgan
said he was not the attorney Of the
board in 1920. when the new Act
changing the mileage rate went into
effect. He did not believe the mem
bers intended to charge more mile
age than they were entitled to, but
continues TO charge the rate they
had been accustomed to charging.
Mr.. Morgan said he had instructed
the members as to the requirements
of Act 52e of 1920, and that here.
after that law would be observed.
The members will return all mile
age overdraWn. Every member seen
expressed regret at the occurrences:
and surprise at the fact that the
mileage had been decreased under
the new Act.
Mr. Morgan's letter follows:
Covington, La, Dec. 20, 1921.
ion. J. B. Howe President Police
Jury, slidell, La.
My Dear M. housekeeping to
our favor of recent date, wish t.
4y for your information that the
ice Jurors were entitled to re
eve under Act 275 Of 1914 tel
;ents per mile going to and from RI.
Juctnouse, but the General ASSENT
Of this State in 1920, while it in
;reased your per diem compensation
t., at the same time, reduced ycul
mileage to five cents each way.
| find that the members Of the
Police Jury of this parish have re-
ceived ten cents per mile each way
since the adoption of Act So of 1920
Now, I am given to understand by
the, secretary of the Police Jury that
Immediately after every meeting
warrant was issued to and in favor
Of each member (present and at
tending). In these warrants you
were given ten cents a mile, the same
as members OF your body had always,
received. s5s
Mr.. Martindale, moreover, informs
me that no one had ever intimated to
him the law had been amended In
respect to the mileage police jurors
were entitled to receive. and conse-
auently, he continued to allow the
members ten cents per mile. Upon
the other hand, after discussing the
matter with several of the members
of your body, am convinced thaL
they accepted the warrants delivered
to them, believing such warrants rep
resented the compensation that they
were legally entitled to under the
law. I wish to say in this connec-
ton that l was not the legal advisor
of the board when Act So OF 1871
was adopted.
Like yourself, your colleagues Wig
orously declare that It Is their pur-
pose to return every cent received
by them In excess OF the compensa-
tion provided in Act 50 of 1920.
The. Police Jury on February >,
1921, by resolution, authorized and
directed its finance committee to
meet the day before each regular
meeting of the Police Jury Tor the
purpose of carefully examining into
the correctness of all bills presented
against the parish. . -
Now, ON the 18th day OF April,
1921, you appointed Good Roads
Commission composed OF the mem
bers OF the Finance Committee or
the Police Jury Of this parish. The
value of the services of this com
mission at time like this, when the
parish is engaged In the construction
Of a network OF hardsurfaced ROADS,
cannot be over estimated.
/ understand that this Commission
inspects the work on the roads as
1t progresses, inquiries into and IN
yestigates the accuracy Of all pay
ments to be made to contractors, 1ur-
nishers Of gravel, shells and all other
bills Of every conceivable nature, ana
furthermore, considers and passes up
on the many disputes that arise fro n
time to time in connection with
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