New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-11

usJ,,a. vi H. tox to three mills is about as
sepsible as the motion OF q mem oer IN the
Mississippi Legislature to repeal oil laws
relating to the collection of taxes, anu 10
nav ali claims from the State treasury
Mr.. Blunt, of NatchitOches: am opposed
to this section because the people IN the
State of Louisiana are already crying out
about taxes, and about you men who have
levied these great taxes. ! am sent mere
nv nv constituents to defend them, and
have a right on this floor to speak IN their
behalf, and propose to do it to the best OF
my ability. l own property in the stare
and am opposed to these great taxes wnlch
are about to beput on the State. Town prop
erty and expect to own more, out even II
did not own five cents, shall defena my
constituents. Who is ready to pay 1our
mills on the dollars am not; anu l VIII
oppose this section and will vote against H.
and hope every member VIII 90 tue saint
Mr.. Yorke. Of Carroll: / move we have a
copy of somebody's arithmetic sent back
Mr.. Burch. of East Baton Rouge: In rela-
tion to the speech Of the gentleman who has
inst preceded me relative to our owning
nronerty. etc, it is irrelevant to the subject.
Pronerty qualification didn't send us here
to this House. believe that is one OF the
relics of the past. We are here not for the
purpose of asking how much property they
possess, because they propose to levy a tax.
bntit is proper and legitimate that we should
levy this tax. As the gentleman from De
Soto mir. Carr truthfully remarked, We
have appropriated Il great deal OF money in
this legislature. Gentlemen sitting upon
this floor, whether they possess property or
not, have voted these appropriations and
now it is nothing more than just and right
that they should pay this bill, for the pui-
pose of meeting these appropriations. in
order that the finances Of the State,
under the circumstances, may te us
healthy as they possibly can be-
This tax OF four mills on the dollar Is, DO
not think, exorbitant but believe is based
upon what is really necessary to meet the
necessary expenses of the State. We can
not sit here in the Legislature and pass ap-
preparations from day to day, and then
when the issue comes to propose means to
meet these appropriations, fail to meet that
issue. 1t is really necessary that We should.
l saw, enact this law for the purpose OF
meeting all appropriations that have been
passed, and We do not for a moment need to
ask If we possess property or not. but
whether it is right and just-ths law. A
tax of four mills on the dollar will not ex-
coed the necessary expenses OF carrying ON
the State government for another year. A
great Ocal CrOuUlt HIS DCcIl UlSuSul ~
bear on this bill. We have consumed go
much time in considering one single sec
ton that We will not get through the bill
this session. l hope the House Will CON
slider, and especially those members who
have been returned here "a Republicans,
that if they do not lueet these appropria-
tons they don't do their duty; and, as far
as this law is concerned. your legislation is
for naught. The finances of the State will
be in an unhealthy condition.; and tell you
it will be charged to you, and to you alone.
that after passing these appropriations you
failed to meet your obligations. Therefore,
l shall support this resolution, and hope the
amendment will he stricken out
Mr.. Bryan. Of Calcasieu: desire to state
that l am perfectly willing to accept the
gentleman's [Mr. Blunt amendment, and
my reasons for it are these: 1t is well for Us
to bear in mind that this four mills on the
dollar is not the only tax that is to be fixed:
we have in addition to that a levee tax OF
two mills on the dollar, school tax o.; two
mills on the dollar, and we may, i'll addition
to that, have Il tax of two mills on the do
lar for the purpose of building schooihouses.
etc. This will bring the tax up to twelve
mills on the dollar. which will amount to
Mr.. Carr, of De Soto: Do you know what
it is in New York 1t is six and oIe-hali
per cent.
Mr.. Bryan, of Calcasieu: We are not in
New York. New York is rich, and we are
poor. l don't stop here. AS matter OF
course. every little profession has an extra
license. l therefore request members to
think well before they vote on this bill as it
now is | move the adoption of the amend
ment.
On motion to rise and recommend the
adoption of the bill
Mr.. Thompson. of st. Iammanv: / am
opposed 20 passing bill containing one
hundred and three pages In any such man
ner. without giving the members an oppor-
tunity OF examining the different clauses IN
that bill. Here is bill affecting the entire
revenue Of this State. imposing taxes upon
every citizen and every species OF property.
and now YOU wish to rush it through by its
title, without allowing any opportunity to
make amendments. There are one or two
clauses that l want to see amended. |
therefore oppose this motion. and move, as
a substitute. that you take up this pll see
ton by section.
The motion to withdraw was withdrawn.
The second section having been read
Mr.. Worrall OF Jefferson: We have had
this bill before u.s. and believe a majority
of this House is perfectly satisfied with il.
! therefore move that we now Use and rec
ommend its passage.
The committee refused to rise.
The second section was adopted and tIe
third section read.
Mr.. Thompson. of st. Tammany: object
to some portions of this section. You first
tax man owning a ickyard, a ssiwmill. a
shingle-mill, or a factory OF any sort.
Then for every wagon or cart necessary Tor
his business You tax him ten or twenty dol
lars more, making tax, perhaps, Gi hun
IraIo ord b,,n.}paIc NJ Io11n-s
farmer is absolutely required 10 have a
wagon or cart to carry on his business. and
in nine cases out OF ten they are not worth
more than a few dollars. and yet you tax
him every year ten dollars. ] move to
strike out the word ''private," ard only tax
those vehicles used for the public.
The amendment was adopted.
In item seven of the third section. Mr..
Ringgold moved to strike out zone thousand
dollars" and insert five hundred dollars. y
Mr.. Carr. of De Soto: | am opposed to
the levee three snake shows. They rob
everybody. and say let lis tax them ont OF
existence. They will have to pay thou
sand dollars license now, and by this tax
we viii prevent them from coming among MS.
Look at st. Charles street now. To-day there
are two or three of these institutions there,
and YOU can not pick up a morning paper
without finding that some person has been
robbed.
Mr.. Brewster, of Ouachita: / do rot be
leve this tax vii! tax them OFT OF exist.
ence. but do believe in putting on taxes OF
every dollar We can, and if We do succeed
in taxing them out OF existence so much
the better. ! recommend placing the heavi
est taxes upon theatres cockpts, saloons
and all these Injuries, and to letthose taxes
relieve the poor hard working people OF the
State.
Mr. Barrett. OF Orleans: Inasmucl as this
is a very important measure. hope the gen