New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-10-08

which are.
Mr.. Lynch: Mr.. President, this bill was
called up not with the expectation of being
able to do anything with it Immediately.
But there is one point in the argument of
the Senator from Claiborne wish to notice.
He says it is unjust to tax the hill parishes
TO pay for the protection of the alluvial
lands. think there is some justice in that,
but hope the gentleman will bear that IN
mind when We come to frame school bill,
and that the money appropriated will go to
the parishes from which it is raised. The
principle will apply in school matters as
well as in levee matters.
do not wish to discuss the bill or to
press 1t. | am willing it should be post
poned. do not know that any thing can be
accomplished by 1t at the present time. 1t
is simply an entering wedge by which some
thing may be accomplished in the future.
Mr. hay: MIR. President, think If we Me
going TO come to vote upon this bill at all
at the present session, it would be as well to
discuss 1t now. If Senators will give me
their attention will endeavor to state the
object of the bill, and the arguments that
induce me to support it.
1t is well known to every Senator here
that it has been the desire of the people of
this State to obtain the aid of Congress in
repairing and constructing the levees
overthrown during the war. The object
of this bill is to carry out that desire
of the people. You will all recollect
that at the session of Congress two years
ago bill was introduced and passed as far
as the second reading in the House, by which
Congress proposed to indorse the bonds of
the State os Louisiana to the extent of three
millions of dollars, in patches of five hun
dred thousand dollars, for the purpose ofaid-
ing in the construction of our levees; but be-
fore that bill can be acted upon it will be
necessary that there should be action by
the State Legislature. At the present ses-
sion OF the Legislature we have endeavored
to organize the machinery through which
this work is to be done. The Legislature
has organized a Bosrl of Public Works,
which had the whole subject of levees un-
der their control, and believe it is as per
feet bill as can be made with the expert.
ence we have before US. But there is
another step necessary to be taken.
1t Is not only necessary that the machinery
for the purpose of carrying out these pub
lie works should be organized, but that the
State should authorize the issue of bonds
which may be indorsed by the General Gov.
ernment for that purpose. Now, the act OF
Congress which failed two years ago for rea.
sons wellknown to every Senator here,
contemplated that the State should issue
bonds. This is the object of the bill-to
| authorize the issue of bonds to be indorsed
| by the Government of the United States
when Congress again meets. The bonds are
to bear interest at six per cent in gold, and
are not to be sold at less than par. There.
fore they will not probably be used until
the Endorsement of the United States is
| obtained, when they will be worth as much
as any other State bonds. If we do not
pass this bill at this session the General
| Government can do nothing until next
spring, after the next session Of the Legisla-
ture.
The objection of the Senator from Clai.
| -. % az not mi in, pr,
dition to pay these bonds does not seem to
me entitled to the weight he attributes to
| it. 1t is true that Louisiana is now In Il
| depressed financial condition. But what is
| the reasonl The principal reason is that
the main portion Of the alluvial lands are
uncultivated. Nearly one-half of the best
agricultural portions OF the State are uncul'
tiyatible on account of the overflow Tor
want of the levees. The agricultural pro-
| ducts of the State will next year without
the levees, be little more than one-half
what they would be with them. Their
condition is what depresses to a very great
extent the resources and the credit OF the
State And the whole of the aliuvial land
| from the Arkansas State line down, will in
| q few wears be in a condition that it cannot
| be cultivated at all. Now, if these
| bonds are issued, and they are indorsed by
| the general Government, it will take but a
| short time to put this alluVial country in
protected condition, and then it will require
| but a small amount to keep them in repair.
There is no force in the other objection
raised By the Senator from Claiborne that
the hill lands should not be taxed for the
| benefit of the alluvial lands. think that
the taxes for the purpose of keeping up
these levees are as much for the benefit of
| the people of Claiborne as of the parish Of
Tensas.
If YOU increase the resources of the State
| - ,1-; oil No har offt ta1
| in very nearly the same proportion.
| venture the assertion that if these levces
were put up at cost of ten millions of dol
lars the taxes in the parish of Claiborne
would not be as much as they are at present,
with the levees down.
| I think no fair argument eau be deduced
| from the fact that some portion of the lands
of the State do not require the levees for
| their protection.
! Now as to the tax payers Of the city Of
| New Orleans: in what can the people of this
| city be more deeply interested than in see.
| ing that the levees along the Mississippi
| river are kept up! The cotton, sugar and
rice produced by keeping the levees up all
come into this market and swell the COM
merce of the city. They are as much inter
ested in it as the people who live in the
river parishes themselves.
! hope, Mr.. President, this bill will pass.
Without it see no prospect that the levees
of the State will be kept in repair, and
| those that have been washed away
rebuilt. without them Louisiana will
remain in a depressed financial condi-
tion. There is no internal improve
ment half so important as the levees, and
we will have no credit until we contrive by
some means to have them kept up. Without
these levees little of the alluyial lands can
be cultivated. know this by experience.
have some planting interests myself
/ Cin2p tho lpvnpS haup hpnn AnUn 7 he
never been able TO make a full crop.
This bill is a part of the same plan which
was .ad in view in the appointment of
Board of Public Works. Alter passing this
! bill we should memorialize Congress, show
| ing that we have had the necessary legisa-
ton, and appointed Board of Pnblic
| Works to carry out the project, and have is.
sued q sufficient amount of bonds tn..rtiect it.
We can then, in all probability, obtain the
| necessary Endorsement from Congress. For
these reasons, Mr.. President, hope the bill
will be acted upon without delay.
Mr.. Whitney: l move that this bill be re.
| ferred to the Committee on Public Lands
| and Levees.
Mr.. Lewis: I second the motion. I, sir,
| AN in favor of the leYees being built as
much as any man in the State OF Louisiana
| | know that it is from the alluvial lands of
| the State that the greatest amount of the
commerce of the State is derived, because,
| when you come to what is known as the
| "Piney Woods there is no one acquainted
with the State but knows it is sterile dis
trict. happen to represent district four
fifth of which is piney woods, and were to
! quibbe on points of Justice, | would have
| lust as much right to ask that this State be
| taxed for euano to ftrsilize the piney woods
land as to ask the inhabitants of the high.
lands to pay tax to levee the alluvial lands.
The alluvial district is the only one that is
to be beneii ed by the levees of the Missis-
sinRi. R,d river and other rivers rnnninr.