The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-10-30
Reduction of Taxation.
From the New Orleans Ttmes, Oct, 18th,

There are some twenty-six days yet tt
elapse before the election-assumine
that no new disturbances intervene tt
prevent any election at all. So great
has been the general connection that the
distinctive issues of the campaign have
not as yet assumed a decided formal
thought has been swept into the mael,
strom OF the dispute about past events
Not to waste time in speculations about
cause and effect, it is plain that this is
not the course in which our efforts should
be directed every energy should be bent
to the achievement of results in the i'm
mediate future. Many of the issues OF
the campaign, which have received little
public attention are of transcendent i'm
pOrtance.
The selection of the best material fol
officers, and especially for members OF
the Legislature, is one of the recognized
necessities of the hour, and s 70 deeply
grounded III public conviction, that, il
we mistake not, it will have more weight
with the majority than all the platforms
and all the speeches put together. We
think the candidates may safely rely on
a general and happy era of scratching.
So far, good.
The other great problem of the cam
palgn Is the permanent reduction OF
taxation. Everybody recognizes the
necessity of this; everybody is in favor
Of it, and yet there is very little intelli-
gible public expression in regard to it.
The reduction of the debt, the cOnsti-
tutiOnal limitation thercOftO thcrcduced
amount, the reduction of State and
parish taxation, and their constitutional
limitation to the reduced amounts; the
limitation of city debt and taxation the
limitation Of State expenditures to the
annual revenue; all these great meas
uTes of alienation and reform are within
or grasp. Let every taxpayer remcm-
Der that within thirty days they may be
incorporated in the fundamental law of
the land. These are the munimentS of
title to future prosperity, and we beg
every rejecting citizen to consider the
overwhelming Importance of them, and
the difference between our condition
now and what it will be when these
amendments are adopted. Is it possible
that a mere sentiment, a feeling of dis
gust for the old DryadOs street Legis-
lature, will prevent taxpayers from seiz-
ing upon measures of relief so palpable,
so near and so great?
Nearly every citizen has made con-
tracts or acquired vested rights under
one or another of the laws passed by the
SGttIlG Nt lLClU lCSISIIUIk COICSlLs i ltoSt
acts will remain firmly incorporated in
the body of Il laws, unless invalidated
for some other reason than the de facto
nature of the body enacting them. Con-
suit your attorneys on this pOint-very
few of them will risk their regulations
OF your interests On an opinion to the
contrary. 1t is the same with the acts
proposing the amendments. 1~famajOrity
vote tor them they will be firmly incOr-
pOrated in the constitution, and DO earth
~ power can render it possible to in.
crease taxation beyond the reduced rate.
Even a new constitutional convention
would not venture upon such a step. 1t
will etfectually do away with the curse
Of an yer issue of warrants and cOnse-
Quent floating debt, both State and city.
Each of the amendments may be voted
for or againstseparately, but all of them,
except the II i'll regard to changing
the day Of election, are so closely con-
nected with the main object, viz: the
reduction of taxation, that those who
all. We have not the least doubt that
as soon as the amendments are adopted
Il speedy and satisfactory adjustment
with creditors will be obtained. The
OninOus m]utterings of the Hives of alb
repudiati0nists will sufficiently
admonish the quick ear of the bond
that he has only to choose be-
tween this and something worse. The
people of this State can not and will not,
for years to come, pay a State tax of be-
tween twenty and thirty mills and an
equal or greater municipal tax.
What will he our condition if the
amendments fail? Others Ia lien of them
cannot be submitted until the merit general
tlUo gears hence. In the mean
time, we shall be in a worse condition
than we were in 1878. This year we pay
IA 1-2 mills State tax next year, If the
amendments pass, it will be no more, !
with an economical administration, it
will be less) if they fail, we must not
only pay the full interests for that year, |
but more than q million dollars addi-
tional on account of interests not col
lected this year. This will involves rate
Of taxation equal to about ~ mills, OIL
a postpOnement of the payment of in
terest, which will be no relief, or abso-
ute reputation. The people who pay
the taxes and do not hold or want Off
oes, will, we are persuaded, consider
these matters we'll, and insist that the
men they vote for shall not only be fit
and good representatives in other re-
but shall, in the canvass, favor
reforms.