New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-23

one hundred inclusive, be stricken out.
| This is, as have already said, in obedience
to your instructions, and these alterations
leave it just simple revenue law, pre-
scri5ing the manner of collecting the rev.
enue, and designating what trades, call
ings, and professions shall be taxed, and
how much each shall contribute to the
support of the State. 1t defines, think,
as tar as am competent to judge, the du-
ties of the tax collectors and assessors, and
IN short, makes provision for everything
appertaining directly or Indirectly to the
| assessment and collection of taxes and
licenses
Mr.. Harper: would like to know what
this means about tax collectors 10 the sew
enty-seventh section. This section says ::
That the following compensation and fees
are hereby allowed 10 tax collectors for col
| lecting the taxes levied on the assessment
rolls, to be computed on the sums actually
! collected and paid into the State treasury.
| to wit: On the first three thousand dollars
! and under, five per cent; on all sums above
| three thousand dollars, and not exceeding
| ten Thousand dollars, three per cent; on ali
sums above ten thousand dollars, one per
cent; and On all sums over fifty thousand
dollars, oDe.half OF one per cent; on all
| amounts collected for poll tax and on
| licenses TO persons pursuing trades, profess
sions and occupations 10 the country par
| isbes. I'VE per cent; and in the parish or
| Orleans, Two per cent to the collector Of the
| First and the Second Districts, and four per
| cent to the collectors Of the Third and the
Fourth Districts, and TO the collector OF the
right bank of the Mississippi river; for
every seizure one dollar and fifty cent?, and
| for every sale one dollar and fifty cents to be
| paid out Of the proceeds Of the seizure and
sale; for every notice to taxpayers, ten
| cents.
Is, this not G trife too high? l would
| Ike to have the chairman of the Commit
tee on Ways and Means explain this Sec
| ton.
The Chair: The seventy seventh section
| is not before us. The eleventh section
is now before US, and the Commute on
Ways aud Means have recommended that
it be stricken out.
Mr.. Hanlon: ] arise to q question Of
privilege.
The Chair: What is your question?
Mr. Hanlon: How many members Of the
Committee on Ways and Means were pres
ent when this bill was before it?
The Chair: The Chair does not know
what occurs in the committee ROOMS.
Mr. Hanlon: There was only two Of the
committee present.
The Chair: The gentleman from Orleans
will come to order.
The eleventh section was stricken out
and the twelfth section adopted.
The Chair: The Clerk will read the
thirteenth section.
The section Was read
Mr.. Gair: / would call the attention Of
the committee to this section. Il says:
That for the several parishes of the State,
except the parish of Orleans, the Governor
shall nominate, and by and with the advice
and consent Of the Senate, appoint one tax
collector for the term of two years, which
appointment shall date from the first Mon
day OF February, 1870. and shall be made
every Two years thereafter. The Governor,
by and with the advice and consent Of the
Senate. shall appoint, in ard for the city Of
New Orleans, four tax collectors, and for
that part OF the parish OF Orleans situated
on the right bank OF the Mississippi river,
one tax collector, whose term OF Office shall
be the same as that of the collectors for the
other parishes described in this section. Il
shall be the duty OF the tag collectors OF the
several parishes, except the parish of Or
leans, TO list tor taxation al taxable proper
ty therein, and collect all State and parish
taxes levied in the parish IN which he has
been appointed.
This places all these offices in the hands
of the Governor, and, while l have conf
dence in the Governor, believe the peo-
pie should have the right to elect, and /
move, thel efore, tina. this section be en-
tirely stricken out.
The Chair: The question is on the strik-
ing out of this section.
Mr.. McMillen: The object OF this bill,
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen Of the Com
mittee, is 10 raise revenue. It is de-
signed to take the place Of all previous
bills-to supersede or supplant all pre-
vious legislation on this point It is in
tended as a perfect system, and unless j.
accomplish these objects for which it was
designed. II it IS 10 be torn piecemeal,
then it might as we'll be killed entirely. II
the people desire to elect these officers, l
have no objection to their being made
elective. Whether they are made elective
or appointive makes very little difference.
All / ask is that the effectiveness Of the
bill be not destroyed by useless amend
nents.
bIr. Gair: will withdraw my motion to
strike out and make it so that the word
appointed" be stricken out wherever it
occurs and the word elected" be inserted.
Mr.. Isabelle: am opposed to this, be-
cause ! regard this appointing Of collec-
tors piece Of political machinery. 1t
will be like the Judiciary, and We all know
what that has done. ! hope it will not
prevail
Mr.. Burrel: differ, Mr.. Chairman, with
the gentleman from East Felicisna. l
think / can trust the Governor to appoint
good men for my parish. I think the
adoption of this amendment will work
badly. l think no one can object to having
them appointed, as the Senate's consent
will have to be obtained in al cases.
This, | think, will serve as a check upon
the Governor, if any be needed. These
offices are important, and should be filed
only by trustworthy men.
Mr.. Gair: Ny object in supporting this
amendment is to give the people the
power to choose their servants. | do not
urge it through any lack of confidence in
the Governor, but I am not in favor OF
clothing the. incumbent of the guberna-
torial chair with any powers not already
delegated to him. think the Governor has
already power enough. I believe the peo-
pie are competent TO elect collectors and
assessors.
The amendment was adopted
The Chair: The Clerk will read the
fourteenth section.
Mr. Degrange: have an amendment TO
offer, to strike out ''appointed,'' and insert
elected" wherever it is necessary. The
object is simply to make it correspond with
the amendment to the thirteenth section,
just adopted.
Mr.. Carr: Under previous revenue laws
it is a well known fact, that considerable