New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-23
WHOLE NUMBER 427,

| AAuN aah WHO WUulu De Wr0Dged IN such
case L answer, l am sure nobody would
be. But sir, somebody is wronged if hi
lahd-aii he has in the world-wo
one or Two, or three, or four hundred
| ooliars, Is taken away from him
because, from misfortune, he could not
raise few dollars tax to pay on it at the
moment IL was due, and kept away from
nun nun alter ne mas offered to pay the amount
| with good interest. Somebody is wronged
| then.
| Now, sir, l don't make any objection to
| this bill, or say anything about it to hurt
the feelings of any man upon the top side of
the world. But, sir, it looks to me as
| though the law intended, by this bill, will
| prove bad one, and want it held until I
can see faTther-until can see that / am
mistaken. 1t looks to me as if this bill was
Intended to enable the rich man, with the
| Sherlh, to turn me, and other poor men like
me-. and our families, out of doors, when
| we nave committed no fault that we could
therefore think the bill is wrong, and
hope it will be voted down.
Mr.. Bacon: Mr.. President, in addition TO
Inc grounds upon which have already op-
posed this bill | wish to further urge what
70 me seems serious objection, namely,
that it proposes no restriction upon the
matter OF costs that may be made against
the property sold.
In cases where the tax might be only two
or three dollars, only mere trifie, there is
nothing to prevent the expense of advertis.
ing, and other incidental expenses, amount
ing to twent-tve, fifty, or even hundred
| dollars, according to the taste and consci-
ence of the officers and printers who should
| have the business in hand, SO that the sum
for which the property would be in actual
| default for, and for the non-payment of
| which it would be sold, would bear no pro.
| portion to the actual expense that would be
imposed upon the owner in redeeming it.
Hr. Todd: Mr.. President, move to post
pone further action upon this bill indefi-
nitely.
Not seconded.
Mr.. Ray: Mr.. President, l am not the
author OF this bill, but have had the honor
| of being the chairman of the committee
which drafted it, and I have given it that
careful consideration which | thought its
importance deserved.
i have come to the conclusion that the
passage of this bi is measure of very great
| importance as a revenue measure. 1t will
| compel persons owning property in the
| State and living out of it to come forward
aud pay their taxes. In short, it will com.
pei everybody to pay their taxes, and thus
greatly tighten the burdens of all honest
| taXpay ers.
can not appreciate the force of the OBJ
lection to the advertising feature of this bill
upou which SO much stress has been laid.
Ii you look at the papers throughout the
country you will find them about one-hali
filled up with just such advertisements as
this bill lcontempates-with advertisements
of forced sales of property.
But for many years we have had no law
authorizing the sale of property for taxes
that has been at all etfeCtual, and the con
sequence is that large portion of property
in the st ,te has gone free of taxation, and
| great additional burdens have been imposed
| upon the balance.
Our taxes are now ten times as high as
they were before the war, SO that at best
when equally distributed, they will prove
grievous burden TO the people. 1t is there
I fore most important that some means ot
adopted of securing a fair distribution o
them, and their prompt payment. The oil
law upon the subject Of sales for taxes con
tanned so many informalitIes and technical
ties, and left the title to property purchase
at tax sales so uncertain and preCarious
that nobody would buy, and therefore ever
one who saw fit to pay no taxes practical
went free OF the burden.
This is the reason why our levee bill
bill Of so much importance to the people c
this city and State-was rendered inetfectua
last fall.
This bill provided for the construction c
these levees partially at the expens
, of the property most benefited. Bui
as there was no provision for assurin
! and securing title to purchasers of sal
> property, when sold to pay its portion @
! the tax levied for this purpose, its owner
. took advantage of the defect, and refused
nav the tax. And when the property wa
; offered for sale nobody felt safe in buying
, and consequently the law proved ineffeC
= tual and we are without levees.
| hold, sir, that property should belong
somebody who will pay taxes. We eau nC
: have government without taxation. And
= man living within and enjoying the benet
= : of government refuses or neglects to pa
his share OF taxes upon his property, ho
that it is just and proper that it should |
. . sold to somebody who will; and that thel
!, should be such laws upon the subject as viii
:. in some way, secure the prompt payment
a these taxes by somebody. And as belieV
: that such will be the result of this bill if
), becomes a law, hope it will pass.
q q This bill coptemplates giving the ownel
of property reasonable and ample time an
: facilities for redeeming the same. The
. can not reasonably ask for moro.
= Mr. President, it is not, as has been clair
~ ed, the poor men who are liable to hay
: their properly sold for taxes. Indeed, it
u very rare thing that such is the case.
Such men are always apt to be at hand, an
q almost always manage to provide means
. pay their taxes in time. But as have alread
y said, it is generally the rich men, general
= take advantage of legal technicalities VIII
u neglect to pay taxes. The object of tn
i bill is to bring them to time.
g / think then, sir that this is not ric
q mans bill. 1t is rather a poor mans bill
% because every dollar of tax which is e
= capped by the property OF these rich nol
+ residents has to be paid by the balance
!; us, and thus our burdens are increased.
II have lived in my parish for ten yea
and don't recollect a single instance whe
e poor mans property has been sold Fl
/, = taxes.
4 2, lido hope, Mr.. President, that this bill W
= pass.
's The owners of the property will have II
= years within which to come forward al
. redeem their property, which is certain
y ample time.
Mr.. Blackman: Mr.. President, I thir
the bill good one and hope ii will pass.
4 Mr.. Todd Mr. President, renew n
!, motion and call for the yeas and nays.
i Yeas: IS; nays: II.
a Mr.. Blackman Mr.. President, move
Is reconsider this vote. Il voted with the n
ls jority.) 1t seems to me that the objectio
G tn this bill have not been well taken. I
Ie chief objection which has been urged
It that under this bill parties will be liable
loose their property without having hi
any actual notice TO defend it. Now, sir,
7, careful examination of this bill will salts
', you that there is no force in this objection
* This bin provides for the service OF
l. monition by the purchaser upon the ownel
It of the property after the expiration
70 two years from the sale, and oeiol
il the Purchaser can perfect his TT
1t against the f frmer owner. Here the
re is a plain provision requiring actu
% notice to the owner to come in an
at defend or redeem his title, and until he hi