Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-16
ARADICAIRECORD,

In 1860 the assessed valuation of proper
ty in the State of Louisiana was S435, 49,
26O; in 1870, it had fallen to S250,5SS,510.
In 1860 the debt Of the State amounted to
SIO,022, 1903; in 1865 it had increased to
SI3,3 ,999; in 1871 it was S25,021, 734,61,
and the contingent liabilities arising from
State aid railroad bonds iSsuable amounted
to fifteen millions Of dollars. In 1861 the
State possessed 1886 miles Of railroads, yet
with all the enormous debt ostensibly con
tracted to promote internal Improvements.
Louisiana in 1871 had only one hundred
and forty four miles of railway more than
in 1861. Previous to the Inauguration Of
the reconstruction policy, the State tax was
q cents on the hundred dollars Of real es-
tate. One year of Radical rule created a
floating debt of 81 100000. To provide for
the payment Of this debt, a special tax Of
one per cent on all real estate, in addition
to the regular tax, was levied. It yielded
about two millions of dollars which was
absorbed in paying the expenses Of assess
ing and collecting it. In one year the float
ing debt was doubled. Bonds to
the amount of s3,OO0,O0O were issued
to pay off the increased liabilities,
but under Radical management
this sum was dissipated in Iquidating frau
dulent claims. The floating debt still hangs
over the State and increases year by year.
The taxes have been increased from p
cents in 1866 to Sl.45 in 1871 on every
hundred dollars worth Of real estate. Not
withstanding the decrease in the assessed
valuation of the State, all property is rated
at a much higher price than it would bring
if offered at public sale. The populationof
the State in 1870 was 726,9l5, of whomless
than half we're whites. 1t may safely be
assumed that they represent the taxpayers,
for the Louisiana negro is, if possible, more
thrifless than his more Northern brethren.
The annual taxation for State purposes,
amounts to about three millions Of dollars,
which is equal to an average levy Of forty
dollars on each white family in the State.
This is wholly independent of local taxa
ton, and the Federal revenue to which
every citizen Of the United States COntri-
butes more or less. A few fig, res to show
how some of the money goes, will be found
interesting. In lS7lthe appropriation for the
expenses of the General Assembly was
S647,440, which was found to be INSULT
cient. Legislative warrants to the amount
of 1855, 956.5O-S767,l 1926 for the House
and S19l ,9G3.S5 for the Senate-are known
to have been issued, and it is believed that
upwards Of a million dollars was required
to pay the expenses Of the General Assem-
bly, last year. In 1864 an appropriation of
$4,000 was found to be amply sufficient for
legislative expenses. In 1871 the commits
sions of tax assessors and collectors amOun-
ted to S5Tl ,0G4.30. Previous to Ieconstruc-
ton the State printing averaged S37, 600 an
nually. For the years 1S69-70-71 it
amounted to S1,14O,SSl.77, or upwards Of
S38O,0OO per annum. These items do not
represent the worst features of Radical rule.
The bribery, official corruption and pecula-
tions which never come TO light, and the
existence Of which is only known by the
rapidly-increasing debt and buIdensome
taxation, far exceed all the direct stealings.
The record Of Radicalism in Louisiana
presents no blacker pages than can be found
in the history of carpet-bag rule in every
other Southern State.