The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-05-31
Tax Reduction.
from the North La. Republican.

We endeavored to show the people
in our last issue that they were in
condition to ask for tax leniency, not
tax resistance. In this article we wish
to say to party leaders and those in
authority, as well as the people, that
the law abiding citizens OF Louisiana
not only ask for tax leniency, but de-
mand in thunder tones tax reduction.
That the present high rate Of taxation
is unnecessary-that there are a thou
sand rivulets and some very large
streams running from the State Treas
ury that ought to be stopped, none
can deny. The present adminlstra-
tion must correct these abuses and
reduce the running expenses Of the
government. 1t behooves the Repub-
lican party now to examine into every
branch of the government and lop off
every usless and extrayagant expend-
iturc. They are in q position to do
this, and they can not retain the con-
tidcnce of the people, and ought not
to, unless they do this SO far as they
can.
We believe Gov. Kellogg is fully
alive to the necessity of this matter,
and we know that the last Legislature
did much to reduce the expenses OF
the State Government, and would
have done much more had they not
been surrounded by such unfayorable
circumstances. The people must re-
member that the State Government
can not accomplish this without their
cooperation. They must not allow
themselves to be blinded to their real
interests and be led astray by politi-
clans. The people, as such, have
really few political interests to sub
serve. All they ask is protection and
an economical administration, and it
matters little to them from what ex-
ecutive they receive this. They have
right to demand this protection and
economy SO far as they cooperate as
citizens in bringing it about.
Now the question is, how can this
bc accomplished i'll the present condi-
ton of affairs? In the first place, we
ask the people to remember that the
present State Government is not re-
sponsible for the burdcnsome taxation
now imposed upon them-that it was
entailed by the corruption and extrav-
agance of Warmoth and his grasping
tribe of freebootcrs. To obtain tax
reduction and relief from these bur-
dens the citizen must cease to embar-
rass an administration that has done
them no harm and promises earnest
reform. Good policy dictates that a
fair trial be given this Government.
Organizing resistancc-applanding un-
lawful and riotous acts is not Il proper
course to pursue to obtain State pros
perity. To secure an economical adj
| ministration-to reduce the present
political chaos to order and peace; to
bring back to Louisiana her wOnted
seed time and harvest of prosperity
lal must cause the very echoes of re-
bellion to die away from the air, sub-
stitrte healthy public sentiment for
demoralizing excitemcnt-remove all
those causes, real or imaginary, which
afford pretext for onerous laws.
Turmoil and confusion by the citizen
bcgets partisan legislation. If the
statute book has laws not consonant
with the letter and spirit of our con-
stitution, and imposing unnecessary
burdens, whose fault is it? They
were not enacted for peaceful citizens,
but the Legislature passed them fol
sclf-defense against powerful bands OF
citizens proclaiming open revolution.
1t is unjust for citizens to condemn as
revolutionary those measures which
their own conduct brought about, and
which the Legislature in its foresight
knew to be necessary to preserve the
people from anarchy in spite of them
selves. 1t won't do for the people tc
talk about usurpations when it is
their own political passions and pref
udices that distracts society and in
( duces these excesses, for if they were
not held in check for the time by these
very laws they deem so odious, society
would ultimately be dismembered
The zealots for inordinate personal
liberty, whether they assume the role
of communistic libertinism in France
or of insane agitation in America, are
equally the enemies of true Republic
canism. There is no truer axiom il
political ethics than that II capacity
for self government on the part OF it
citizens is the first essential TO a sue
cessful Republican Government.
We are, however, cheered by intel
ligence from all parts of the State tha
the people are at last aroused to thu
duty of the hour-to the necessity o
maintaining the laws in their integri
ty-of giving to Governor Kellogg
administration a fair trial. Thi
awakened intelligence is the fiat o
destruction to political schemers wh'
have caused so much disaster to un
happy Louisiana. and is also the har
binger Of prosperity to the State.
We find in an exchange. the follow
ing remarks, which all printers ant
publishers will agree in calling sensi