The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-06-27

LIVING ISSUES.

10 the tax.burdened, poverty
stricken and we'll nigh starving
people Of Louisiana, the question:
Of momentous Importance are no.
who il or who shall DO President
whether or not the Democrats arr
ginning glorious victories in tht
North and West whether the doc
trine Of States rights is a rccogniz
ed principle with the authorities ol
the general government whether
the currency be or be not inflated
for II II was, we have nothing with
which to bring it into our State
nor whether we have a free or q
protective tariff. These are all qucs.
tons that may )cgitimately agitate
the public mind Of communities with
houses to cover their families and
with means to supply them with
the actual necessaries Of existence.
They can not be matters of any
great concern to us in Louisiana
whose very roofs arc or will be sold
to pay enormous taxes which We
did not levy and from which we
never have and never expect to dc
rive any kind Of benefit.
Taxes to support q State govern.
mcnt Of thieves and robbers, never
elected by the people. Taxes to
build levees which are never built.
Taxes to support public schools
which are used for eIcctioneering
purposes and to educate q lot OF
kiDky headed little apes and idiots,
whose teachers even are ignorant
Of the plainest rules of Grammar,
and whose highest achievement in
mathematics never embraced the
solution Of q simple problem in the
Rule Of Three. And finally, taxes
to pay interest on y debt we never
authorized or created and for which
we are neither morally nor legally
bound.
Tho two questions which pre-
sent themselves, to our intelligent
consideration, and like unbidden
guests, will force themselves upon
us whether we will or not, are plain,
practical and so common sense that
"the wayfaring man may read as he
runs, and the laborer, though a fool,
need not err therein They are {:
How can we with FREQ negro labor
make enough to pay the tax collcc-
tor, to prevent our homes from be-
ing sold by him 7 And: Having
the collector Of these enor-
nous taxes and paid out OF the
crop for the support Of the negroes
who made but half n one, and who
vote every time to increase these
oEcrous taxes upon our property
how can we have enough )clt to
buy provisions and clothes for our
own families, The answer to both
questions cav only be found in q
most complete and thorough organ
ization Of tho white people Of the
State, that by their solid, united
vote this Fall, they may wrest from
the negro, at tho polls, fairly and
squarely, his power to tax our prop
prty; and that by unanimh'ty
among themselves, they may SO
control the labor of the negroes that
hey shall do more work for less
pay. Without first having drawn
Lhe fangs of this ungrateful scr
pent, which We have for SO long
been warming in our generous
Dosoms, and without first . having
crippled the sucking power of this
unsuitable leech which has been
drinking our very life blood, it is
to- attempt to reform
'ur labor system, for the richer our
blood, the more ravenous would be
The appetite of the leech; the warm
r or bosom, the sooner would we
eel the poisoned fangs of tho SER
,ent. O
- Look here, friend Democrat,
10 more Of "them side wipes" at
Is, if you please! That "chicken
bic don't taste well, sortels sticks