New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-08
TEE REPORT OF AUDITOR 6EaHIK.

TEE REPORT OF AUDITOR GEAEAK.
Auditor Graham has made noble re-
turn to the people Of Louisiana for tne
confidence they seposed in him at the last
election. His annual report TO the Legis-
iaturs Of 1871 is = clear and able EXPOSE
ton Of the financial condition If the
State. and s:a.es4.anlike protest aeg;ai inst
evils which are both Of ancient and Of re-
cent grewth. His advice to the Legis'a-
ture is Of such = character that if il is
adopted tie members may return to their
constituents with full title to be honored
AZ faithful aud capable pablie servants. It
viii be e. proud record fo, the Republican
party if. in addition to IL great work OF
peyfectin; and protecting the liberties Of
al the people. which is row complete so
far as Legislative action ean effect it. the
labor OF the past may be crowned by such
a reorganization cf..hc financial condition
Of the State that the next 1epor: Of the
Auditor viii show the minimum o! ex-
penditrres with the maximum If efficiency
in the workings Of tbs State government
IN cr!er 20 arrive g: THIS res':!: to-,
Auditor probes the MisnlanageMant ci
former Years in'thc matter q: issuing
bonds with such slovenly Gaze as almost
to invite the attention. ce the counter
feiter. He explains how the law !ecrir.
ing coupons that lal been pad 20 be
kept for reference vas 81 continually
neglected tha: i: is low almost iIncoss:-
bic to guard agains: fraud. TIE pay.
lren:s for lands sold by the State have
been neglected Of collection until pre-
scrption is pleaded in bar to the demand
io- tAeir liquidation. Taxpayers have
taken successful advantage q. ;hc eonfu.
sion and liberality Of the revenue laws. in
order 70 avoid tho paymen: Of heir
proper taxes. Revenue collectors have
neglected to make hores: sst,lsmer:S
and they have either not been prosecuted.
for the deficits in their accounts, or the
judgments recovered have not been en-
forced. The tax On le,acics ard inherit
ances IS almost il dead letter.
owing 20 the .emissnsss Of tie
proper officers il attending to ats
collection. The pol! tax is unproductive
Of any but the most nleagre returns. OF
the amount returnable from the d;str.c: Of
New Orleans from this source. as an ex.
ample, only sl.91I va. collected. OFT 0:
s1o,l4e: and the expense @: collecting
this shadowv SUM was S1.11o. leaving
surplus to the State Of $500. Onlya few
property holders paid their poll tax in set
ting their ether taxes. and Of tits sum the
greater part wen. to the revenue officers.
Seven millions Of dollars tave teeI: ex-
pended on the levees Of The State. and an
other million will be added to this amount
during the present year. The annual in
terest On this amount is S56O.000. Five
millions Of the above amount were almost
barren Of good results. having been ex-
pended by former administrations : but
:he two millions of dollars which were ex-
pended during the last two years. and the
remaining million wick viii he paid out
this year. will leave the levees in a condition
Of security equal to what they were before
the war. The total Indebtedness Of the
State is put down ut SIT. 300. GA
which there is an annually accruing in
terest Of si.16S. $40. An interesting item
is that for the regular and extra session OF
tie Legislature. which cost more than
twice as much rs they did in former years.
In 1870 the State paid s7o4,oot As tor the
regular and extra sessions Of the LeSisla-
ture, while similar assemblies were here
.oiore held attain outlay of about $500, 600.
To meet the ordinary and extraordinary
expenses of the State. it is necessary to levy
a tax of fourteen and {. half mills on the
dollar. which barely meets the estimated
outlay. This tax added to the taxes i'm
posed by municipal and parochial author
tiles imposes q burden on property i'll
Louisiana which is double what was ever
levied before; and the Auditor aifirns that
it should not be continued a moment
longer than is absolutely necessary, IN
which sentiment every right minded
citizen will promptly concur.
The first step in this matter CT reform
IS the avoidance OF oil expenditures that
are not absolutely necessary, and the sup
preston Of those grants and contrlbu-
tons to private enterprises which have
been extended by past Legislatures. The
credit of the State should not be loaned
to corporations, neither should the money
IN the public treasury be dispensed to
private purposes; first, becauseit impairs
the financial con iitioa Of the State; and
secondly, because it is considered. and
has been so decided Il Michigan, that
such diversions Of the public funds are
! unconstitutional. The labor and expense