Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-05-21
INFRINGEMENT AND FUNDING TIE
CITY NOTES.

tHln Soiulhubity IL i"soi " +" sVs"A
reformation in the matter OF mu-
nicipal and parish taxation. Our
citizens since the close Of the war
and the restoration of civil govern
ment, have been and continue to be
visited, in the midst of their general
impoverishment and increasing de-
cadence Of prosperity, with the most
onerous and affective burthens in
the shape oftaxation. With view
to remedying so great an evil, as al
SO to devise a plan for funding the
outstanding city treasury notes,
joint conference consisting Of numer-
GUS respectable citizens, tax payers,
and the Mayor and members Of the
City Council, was held at the rooms
of the latter on Monday last. Among
the citizens present, were the gentle
men constituting committee ap-
pointed few days since by Mayor
ELAN, to take into consideration the
subject of the financial condition of
the city and to suggest for municipal
action such measures OF relief as they
might deem advisable and feasible
in the premises. This committee
submitted report embodying the
result of their views and delibera-
tions upon the subject. The report
recommended a redemption of the
city currency known as "redbacks,"
by funding the same in bonds of $50
each, bearing eight per cent. interest
per annum. 1t also recommended a
general retrenchment in municipal
expenditures and especially with re-
ference to reducing the salaries Of
officials and employees Of the city
government. The report, after un-
dergoing discussion, was put to vote
before the Council and unanimously
adopted the Mayor, however, hav-
ing certain objections to its passage,
which be stated, accompanying those
objections with a declaration that he
submitted to the passage of the re-
port only under protest. which he
intended filing with the proceedings.
There is no Disgusting the fact, let
those whose interests are affected by
this reduction of salaries view il as
they may, that the masses Of our tax
paying fellow citizens stand by the
Committee in its report and hail with
unmistakable satisfaction, whatever
possible expediency can be brought
to bear, tending to an economical adj
ministration of the city government
and a consequent lessening, of that
very serious and crushing infection
of taxation, municipal as well as paro-
chial, under which the individual
of taxable citizens and the interests
at large of the city are now groan-
ing, languishing and pcrisAing.
While it is right and proper that
the public servants should be main
tanned by the public in a manner
commensurate with their respective sta
tons and duties, it by no means fol-
lows that extravagant appropriations
Of the public funds, to be met by piling
on the taxes for such purposes are
justitiable at any time, much less in
times like these, when SO many of our
citizens are struggling under the
greatest difficulties, for bare subsist-
ence for themselves aud their families.
Oppressive taxation therefore, with its
concomitant evils, &C., is not and
cannot be viewed by them in spirit
of passiveness or equanimity.
The members of the City Council
acted wisely in adopting the report
submitted to them by the Committee
There is good reason to believe that
under the system of financial reform
thus initiated, the outstanding amount
some $40, 1000 of "redbacks,n will be
funded and the credit of the city en-.
HANGED thereby, aud also that with