The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-01-13
Warmoth's Message.
THE STATE DEBT,

THE STATE DEBT.
The Auditor and Treasurer will Law be
= fore you, at an early hour, their reports
The statement Of the debt made bv tn
3 Treasurer on the 10th of November, show
that the total bonded debt of the State. ey
elusive of the bonds owned by theISt
held by the Treasurer, is six millions sew
enty-one Thousand three hundred dollar;
l6,77l ,3OO) This sum might be reduced
SS7l 900 by the sale of consolidated cit,
bonds and city railroad bonds, which have
from time to time, been purchased, and
are now held and owned by the State 70,
the school, seminary and redemption of the
> State debt funds
The totel floating debt Of the State is
estimated by the Treasurer at 81 .929, 500
62, for the entire payment of which the
Legislature at its last session passed an
act levying special tax Of one Der cent
on the movable and immovable property OF
the State, to be collected upon the assess
ment of 1867, the latest assessment at the
time completed. In payment of this tax
1T is provided that all State notes, past
due coupons and the warrants Of the Audi
tor on the Treasurer shall be receivable 1t
IS expected that enough will be received
from this tax to discharge the entire float
ing debt and leave q surplus of FIVE hun
dred thousand dollars.
The estimated receipts from all sources
Tor the year 1868, based upon the assess
ment rolls of 1867, amounting to $25l,
100000. under the present rates of taxa
ton will amount to 1882 $50, while the
expenditures, including interest on bonds,
according to the general appropriation bill,
will amount to 81 ,945,788 leaving deficit
ut the end of tho year of SCOOPS, which it
is expected will be liquidated by the special
tax of one per cent. which, if realized, will
entirely relieve the Treasury, and enable
the State in future to meet its liabilities
and pay current expenses for support of
the government without resort to all In
crease of taxation.
"A disposition has been manifested by
some of the people not to pay this special
tax. and. indeed, there was iln association
organized to resist its collection; but it
was soon ascertained that the president of
the association himself a very large tax
payer, with large number of the leading
members, had been most prompt in paying
it, and the opposition suddenly died out.
The mode of enforcing the collection of
taxes is imperfect and inefficient. 1t is
one OF the first duties of the citizen to
promptly pay his Assessment to support
the government. When tho State has to
buy on credit it has much more to paw in
the end. If citizen does not pay his tax
es according to law, his property should
be seized and sold to some one who will
discharge the obligations due to the State.
Our debt is similar than that of almost
any other State in the Union. With
tax roll Of S25l 000,000-with bonded in
debtedness which can be at once reduced
toaS6 ,O00, 000-there is no reason that our !
credit should not be at par except the tur.
balent disposition manifested by large
portion of our population. This will grad |
ually subside. The recent good crops will
increase the value of property, and the |
wealth of the people. Our inviting soil
and climate will 'stimu late immigration, so
that we can safely predict that within two
years the State will be restored to some
thing like its former prosperity!
THE LsvEEs.
The ievees are in bad condition.
Wholly neglected during the war, cut by
the army in many places for military pur-
poses, it will require large sums to restore
them. 1t is believed that the general gov.
may be induced to aid in the
work, either by subsidy or by lending its
money or credit to the State. The levees
must be rebuilt and kept in repair. The
value of the lands protected by them from
overflow are inestimable, and great inter-
ests, State and national, center in the crops
produced by them. The report Of the
board of public works will show the pro-
5ress they have made in this department.
am sure their efforts will be appreciated
~ the Legislature and the whole people.
shall have occasion at an early day to
address you more fully on this important
subject.
EDUCATION.
1t is to be regretted that the last Iegis- =.
allure did not pass some laws on the sub
ect of education. At this time the school
ystem is wofully defective. Outside of
he parishes of Orleans and Jefferson, pub
ic schools have always been failure, and {
lere at the capital, where it is in its great |
st perfection, it is nothing to boast Of
The control of the schools has been large {
y matter of political management c
School directors have sought the places on t
ccount of the political power contained
n them. Teachers have been chosen for G
'olitical reasons, or Others rejecting still G
ess credit upon the directory. Young t
hen, without families, and ignorant of the h
udiments of English or other education, Il
ave foisted themselves upon the school n
cards, and the result is that the teachers
ave been selected in many instances for q
ther reasons than competency for their D
uties. There are not schoolhouses en- /
ugh in the city or State to accommodate Fl
alf the children, while large numbers are t
lmost totally denied the means of ednca- h
ion on account of color. The Legislature d
hould give immediate attention to this II
inject, and provide means by which every t
hid may receive an education without ii
ny distinction. Provide good houses s.
nd enough of them, with capable and ex-
teachers, and the subordinate b
uestions will adjust themselves. n
The State Seminary, at Alexandria, is c.
DING as well as can be expected. | hope a
} be able to lay before you, at an early 81
ay, report from its managers. There a
re now 10 cadets in attendance. It is d
q institution which the State should fos-
n and encourage by liberal donations. Fl
THE PENIrENT1ARy. 81
My predecessor leased the penitentiaiy l.
, Massrs Hurar <, Tnnas hr onthor;t,, n e(