New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-09
Mr. Faulkner, of Caldwell. the resolution
as amended was adopted.

Green Davidson. of Livingston, for the aoit
manner in which he addressed the House
Unanimously carried.
Mr.. Abel, of Bossier, under SUSPENSION
of the rules, offered the following resolu
ton, which was adopted:
Resolrcd. That we. the members Of the
House of Representatives., do, by vote
express our desire that the Speaker shoult
appoint Mr. James ID. Houston minute clerh
of this House.
Mr.. Abel. Of Bossier, moved to reconsider
the vote inst taken, and also moved to lay
the motion to reconsider upon the table.
Carried
Mr.. Oplatek Of Orleans, moved that the
wait upon tie Governor for his annual
| message.
The Speaker appointed Meesrs. Oplateh
| of Orleans, Carr, Of De Soto. and Morris, OF
| Ascension, as the committee to wait upon
| the Governor
Mr.. Souer, of Avoyelles, offered the fol
lowing resolution, which lies over under
the rules:
WHEREAS, The legislative expenses OF
the last session of the House were of such
an extraordinary character as to require
| judicial investigation; and
! Whereas. Large amounts of the legisla-
| tive contingent vouchers are now III the
hands of private parties and innocent pur-
chasers as part OF the floating debt there
| fore be 1t
Resolcea, That the Committee on Contin-
| tingent Expenses of the House. when aI-
pointed, be and the same is required to III
| vestigate the legislative vouchers of last
session. issued in excess of the lawful APP
preparations, for the purnose of learning
! under what authority of law all such
vouchers were issued; what services were
rendered therefor. as well as to all matters
! relating thereto, and that the said com
! mittee report in detail to the House II least
twenty days prior to adjournment.
The committee appointed to wait upon
| the Governor, through its chairman, made
the following report:
That the Governor would, in few mo-
ments, transmit his message to the House.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr.. De
wees, of DE Soto. introduced the following
| bill
House bill No. 2Si, an act authorizing the
police jury OF the parish of Red River to
issue bonds for certain purposes.
The bill was read first time and calen-
dared.
MESSAGE PROM THE GovERNOE.
The following message from his excelency
the Governor was read by the Clerk.
ANNUAL MESSAGE.
SrATE OF LOUISIANA,
Executive Department
New Orleans, January ], 1872.
Gentlemen Of the Senate ard House OF Represents
Hves OF the State OF Louisiana:
In compliance with my duty. under the
| the constitution, | have the honor to lay be
fore you the following information respect
| ing the general condition of affairs in the
State, with the recommendation Of such
measures as | have deemed of sufficient I'M
pOrtance 10 merit your especial considera
ton:
PUBLIC DEBT.
The State Auditor persists in publishing
to the world that cur debt is $il ,l9i.413 81.
| which he makes up by adding to the actual
debt of the State, which is So 245. 100 %
an amount which he calls "a .'ccntngcnt
debt Of SlS, S"S GS3 %. This last is indeed
contingent. 1t Is contingent in that its be
coming actual debt is entirely dependent
first, upon the construction OF certain rail
roads, for which the State has agreed to
lndurse second mortgage bonds for 81. 800
per mile, the companies having the right to
issue first mortgage bonds for the same
amount; and. second, upon the foolish pre-
sumption that these roads, with all their
franchises, rolling stock, fixtures. trade,
etc, VIII not lie worth So. 900 per mile the
aggregate OF the first and second mortgage
bonds This is no more a debt, to be en-
ployed az such at the expense of our State
credit, than Is the Endorsement of Il promis-
sorry note by an individual V hO is secured
for the liability be assumes, 10y pledge Of
fve-twenty bonds or real estate, in the pro-
portion OF four dollars 20 one.
In the first place there j. not the slightest
probability that any of these roads, except
the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas rail
road will be constructed; and, in the second
place. if every one of them should be built
the State would he amply secured from
ever having to pay the Endorsement, for the
reason that tie roads chartered, if con
-tructed, would be worth four times the
am Unt guaranteed.
This unWise course of the Auditor mas
tended to deVreciate our securities. and has
given the enemies Of reconstruction capital
from which to nisreprcsent our government
and to throw discledit upon us abroad.
In 1861 our debt was SO. 49, II. In
1903, when the present administration came
into power, il was Sl4.3T 05l o.. and il is
now about S23,045.79O %. This increase
consists in three million dollars employed
for the repair Of levcc8; three million to
take up the floating debt which had been
incurred prior 10 the Inauguration of the
present government; two and a half nil.
lions subscribed for stock of the New Or
leans, Mobile and Texas Railroad Com
pany. and seven hundred and Iiity thou
sand dollars subsidy granted to tie same
company Tie pr, sent administration is
not properly chargcabIe wirh the three mil
lion dollars Tor floating debt. because il MIS-
mostly. if not entirely, created before its IN
coming. 50 that the real increase Of the
debt by the present government has been
only about six and haf millions Of dollars;
and The wisdom of the several acts involy-
ing the increase Is generally conceded and
almost universally approved.
The bonded debl on which interest IL he
ing paid is : i9,S.S,320, the annual interest
on which amounts t" 81, iG}.&!0 Oh this. |
debt. s. 81 $50 in State bonds have been
purchased, and are held hy certain t!i!4t
funds IN the treasury, which, if cancelled. !
would reduce or intcrcst-payng debt to
s Is.3Ol. 300, and the annual interest to
: ! b., 100.
FINANCES
The condition OF our State finances de- |
mands yGur most serious attention. The |
report of the State Auditor Will show "a |
deficit for tile past year of nearly two mil |
hons of dollars. This has been caused by |
the inoilicicncy Of tax collectors and tie |
enormous appropriations made at the last |
session OF The General Assembly in ex-
cess of the revenue. To meet This def |
cheney, Two things are necessary: First, a
reduction to the minimum OF all the cx-
prnses OF the governments and serond, a |
vigorous and efficient collection of the rev
hnnc. This is practicable, and the best
solution of the problem have been able to
devise.
The amount necessary to pay salaries OF
)t1ccrs need not exceed $3.50 ,000; that for