New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-08
THE CASE OF A WIDOW.

UIouBAU 70 ugnt. Il.
THE CASE OF A WIDOW.
The proverbial widow is again pressed
into service by the Picayune to perform
political duty. Act No. AZ is the imme-
date offender. The eighth section of this
law imposes severe penalties upon those
who have followed the Picayune, Booth
and others off into tax resisting tantrems,
and some who are not widows have been
made to feel their own insignifcance.
There was good deal Of vaporing and
chatting at the defeat, and feeble attempt
was made to give one of the victims of
his own obstinacy a sort of triumphal pro-
cession. But it was a sickly sight, and
the hero of the hour evidently SO thought,
for he paid his taxes, swore prayer or
two and addressed himself to his little
business The Picaytne itself set up
about the same time as a champion tax
resister; but it did not take long for it to
Il nd out that the theory, not the practice
was the more profitable and satisfactory
part of the business After these failures
We heard but little more on the subject of
tax resisting from our atrabiliary neighbor.
No response was heard to the peevish
plants Of strong, able-bodied men who
were required by the State to pay their
lawful debts. The public generally like
to hear Of a square fight, but they have
little sympathy for man who cries be-
cause he is compelled to pay money that
he wants to cheat somebody else out Of
That dodge failed, and left the tax resist
ers without organization for a time. But
the campaign is to be opened anew with
woman for the leader, as soon as suit
able one can be found. The following
description is published for the informa-
ton Of those who may wish to apply for
the position:
Take the case Of a widow, for example,
who has in the preceding years mortgsged
her home to pay the exOrbitant taxes i'm
posed upon property until she has ex-
hausted her resources; if she is insulted, or
beaten, or robbed, or turned out Of doors,
she is, according to statute, without any
justice is denied her. She is treated worse
than a convicted felon, who can be wit
ness for the protection Of his person.
When such q widow is found-one who
has been thus treated, we shall be the first
to petition for repeal of the law, and
hold her oppressors up to public censure.
But it strikes US that neither poor widow
nor any other pereon can be very seriously
injured by losing property that has to be
nortgaged to pay the taxes. There are
widows who manage to pay pretty round
price by way of rent for the houses they
i've in. If they can raise the money they
Are left in peace; if not, then they find
worse treatment than is prescribed by act
No. AZ. For the landlord is one of the
wenty thousand emigrants who has been
driven by tyrannical government to
France" He is consoling himself for his
orrowful fate by visiting the Jardin
MabiNe, in Paris, and in order that his
,rief may be permitted to flow without |
Interruption he has left stringent orders |
With his agent about the prompt collec-
ion of his rents. Being a tax resister, he |
.voids the State collector, while he exacts |
ull performance Of duty from his own.
Another man owns property, the tax on |
which amounts to fifty thousand a year.
f not paid by certain time penalty of |
i've per cent is assessed, or at least was
'efore the passage of act No. AZ. Instead
# paying up, however, he lends the
money out at fifteen per cent, thereby
orcibly OBTAINING the States money in his
lands, and making net profit of ten per
ent year, even if he is finally compelled
o disgorge.
To protect such rascals in their little
ppressions and extortions, the weeping
7idow is ever and anon trotted out to
tand as an example. Widows ought to
axe their chances with other folks. So
AZURE has ordered. If the poor widow
oes not run 10 cover when it rains she
I'LL get wet, for "Old Probabilities has
o nonsense about him. She is oppressed
y the heat and chilled by the cold,
inched with hunger and consumed with
lirst just the same as other mortals, and
ct not law of nature is ever suspended
l her favor. Human laws sometimes
re, but the divine never.
If there is any sincere desire on the
art of our Democratic office seekers to
clip the poor of either sex, let them Or
lnize such industries as will give them
onest employment. For we take it that
ne who is SO poor that it is necessary to
ortgage the household to pay taxes is in
.eat need of such an addition to the in
,me as will support the family. But no
lief to anybody can be expected by dis
garding the laws of either God or man.
1.-THE out-at-the elbows convention re-
FRED to (by the REPUBLICAN, is that viii, b
i'll be composed of the delegates recently
ected from the wards of this city, not one
whom is in, or has the slightest aspira-