New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-04
Letter from Governor H ellOG&.

1he following letter from Governor hel-
| logg was published in the New York World
OF September 50:
| SEw YORK. September %. 1879.
! To the Editor Of the World
SIR-iour issue of the twenty
| instant contained an editorial treating upon
the matter of tax collecting in Louisiana.
You call attention 20 the published list of
delinquent taxpayers, amounting to several
hundred, in st. Mary parish, as an evil
dence OF the asserted but untounded fact
| that the taxes are not being paid to the
present State administration. 1t Is true
! that there is "A large number Of delinquent
| taxpayers. not only IN st. Mary parish,
but throughout the State. This delinquent
| LIST IL entirely composed Of those who tailed
Or refused tC pay taxes for previous years.
due and payable TO the former State Ad-
ministrstion. When the present State gov
ernnent came into power we found an lN-
Mense delinquent tax list.
A powerful tax-resisting association had
existed during the last two years of Cover
nor WarmOth's administration which has
now become extinct. 1t was evident that
the whole burden of government had been
borne by q portion only OF the taxpayers.
Thus the amount of tSxes collected in 1877!
on assessment rolls 10 the credit Sf the sew.
| eral funds for that year was S3,3S7 40 -,
while the amount really collected in that
year was s3, 2l29, ,5fkp7y, and this amount
was paid prlncipaWt by those who paid
taxes willingly, while the delinquent list OF
taxpayers IN the State shows that very
large proportion of those who failed or re
fused to pay taxes to the former admins
tration were large property holders, and
thus able 10 pay them. IT WAS clearly our
policy, as i. was our duty to compel the
delinquents 10 share the expenses of the
government by the payment of these taxes,
hence the necessity OF the law you refer to,
and the publication OF the delinQuents ia
accordance Herewith ]
You more than imply doubt Of the truth
OF the statements heretofore made regard
ing the collection Of taxes by the present
State government. Permit me 90 verify
these @tatementa by official data showing
the amount OF taxes collected since Jan
uarv !, 1873. as compared with the eollec-
tions OF my predecessor. and also the rate
Of taxation and the amount of the bonded
debt of tho State. I am quite confident
that. being reliable commercial journal,
you will cheerfully publish il, not alone for
the information OF the commercial cOmmu-
nifty. who are more or less interested in the
securities OF Louisiana. but as simple act
OF Justice to the people of fhat State:
Amount OF taxes collected in 1872, So, 229,.
565 -: amount OF taxes collected during
1873 20 August 81. a period of seven
months. e27ol ,92l 3S-shuwins All excess
of taxes collected during the first seven
months OF the present year over CORE
spending months OF ic6! of s542.956 So.
Dursng tle month of July, 1872, the pre-
yious administration collected $542, 1873 80.
The present government collected tor the
came month in 1878 81 .459.65I 36.
4, turns OF collections from the country
parishes are made quarterly. from the
city of New Orleans monthly. hence the
foregoing < statement, does not include col
lect;ons made in the country parishes dur
ing the present quarter, ending October l.
1t should be borne IN mind that during the
first quarter Of my administration. owing
to political complications. but comparative
! iy q small amour: Of taxes was collected.
III the country parishes. during the last
quarter OF the year. collections are always
largely in excess OF the preceding ones,
owing TO the fact taat plante: have oeen
enabled to realize upon their crops. Yet
the amount of taxes collected and paid
into the treasury during seven months of
the current year is only s321 Oh 3S less
than the whole amount collected during
the year 1872, or about One-third aS much
as was collected bv III! administration dur
Jag the month OF July OF the present year.
The rate o: taxation III Louisiana IS
twentyone and a half miils-State tax four
mills. school two mills, interest On State
debt eleven and half mills, and levee coz
strGc'ion and repairs four mills. The total
actual bonded deb: of the State is So
:30. S0G: annual interest thereon, 81 ,4.3,3JS:
assessed value OF property tor 1872, *3,2!2s,-
t6G .Gj3 %. The amount ct debt thus stated
does not include the bonds issued to the
Citizens Bank several years since, the Sc
curity for VII ch is ample, and upon which
the State has never paid interest, and no al,
prehension exists that shs will ever bs called
upon To do so. The amount of bonded debt
included 10 the statement above, which is
affected by recens injunctions-the validity
CT which is to be determined by the courts
is s., ,594 900: amount OF interest on debt SO
snjoined, s.i7 $50. This inte! est has been
deposited with the Fiscal Agent to await the
decision OF the question Of validity. Amount
OF interes: due by former administration
fer the year 1872, ana paid by the present
one, 90. ,S33; amount Of current interest
paid since January I. 1873. up TO and in
clnding September. :! So sbS: total interest
paid by che present admlnlstra TO Sep
tem6cr I, 81 .O32, ,1O.: amount of interest vet
to be provided for, accruinS in the months
OF October. November and December.
S2S4910. On September We were enabled
to pay our August interest. and nOtwith.
standing the present financial embarrass-
meats We confidently expect to pay our ln-
terest for the present month. and continue
to do So as IL accrUesf The above official
data have now before iue. certified TO by
the Auditor Of the State. No one in Louis
lana. even the bittarest partisan Of the OF
position will. am sure. question their ac.
curacy. If corrOborative proof be desired,
I refer you to J. II. Oglesby, Esq, who is
president Of the Chamber 0. Commerce
Of the city OF New Orleans. and also
president OF the Louisiana National
Bank. who is the Fiscal Agent of the
State of Louisiana, as well as of the city OF
New Orleans. and who is now in this city;
to NinslOw, Lanier \ Co, OF No. q Pine
street. at whose bank our interest coupon.
due here are paid. ! am thus particular in
asfnuch as. IN the editorial referred to, you
have di2nifiedlv characterized the state
ments published from New Orleans, regard
ting the amount of taxes collected by the
present State administration as ''lmpuden:
lies" Ii your statement that Republicans
only pay taxes to the State government be
true. surely you will admit the incorrect.
ness OF your other assertion, that the mass
of taxpayers are not Republicans" and the
further statement that they are unwilling
TO pav taxes to the present administration.
That the present taxes are OnerOus admit:
but that no responsibility Can justly attach
to INV administration for them Is equally
true. trust we shal! very soon be enabled
to reduce them.
You also refer 20 the present State gov
ernment as usurpatlGn. Permit me 10 call
your attention to the inclosed published
statement. consisting OF few specimen
deEositIons in the Louisiana case" as It is
termed. by which sou will perceive that b.
Z. Blanchard. State registrar under Coz
ernor Warmoth. and who held II his hands
the entire machinery Of the election, ex.
poses fGilv Che stupendous frauds practiced
by hi. office in the interest of and for the
success OF the Democratic Fusion party.