The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-05-13

Of the land once productive has re-
turned to waste, the average under
cultivation having decreased during
the ten years about one-sixth; that
there has been an immense falling off
in the number of horses, sheep, mich
cows, and stock generally, though the
price of meat has risen very consid-
erably; and, lastly.what' is a matter
of course under those circumstances,
that farming implements have suf-
fered depreciation of fully one-half,
Notwithstanding the very great addi-
ton to the cost of the implements
themselves, and, therefore, to their
appraisement, due to the protective
policy in force. While, however, as
we have now seen, the value Of pro-
perty had fallen to less than a half
in these distressing ten years, the
taxation had more than doubled in
the same period. In this statement
we do not include the Federal taxes.
How exorhitantly these have increa-
sed in consequence of the war, and
how oppressive are the protective du
ties now levied, are matters Of public
notoriety. In this respect, however,
the South bears burden common to
the whole Union, though, of course,
it's weight is more oppressive to her
poverty than to the comparative
wealth Of the North and West. But
we here refer only to the State, coun-
ty, town, and other local taxation of
the several States that formed the
Confederacy. When we allow for
the depreciation Of the currency, and
then compare the local taxation of
1860 in these eleven States-W est
Virginia being reckoned with Vir-
ginia--we find that it has more than
doubled. But the wealth being in
1870 only half what it was in 1860,
the burden on. the taxpayer had re-
ally been multiplied more than four
times. And this, it will be recollec-
ted, took place in FIVE years, the fall
of the Confederacy dating only from
the early summer of 1865. With
this oppressive increase of taxation
the increase of debt fully kept pace,
although, as will be remelnbed, the
Confederate debt, and the various
debts incurred in aid Of the Confede-
racy by the States, counties, towns,
and the like, We're repudiated whole
sale by the conquerors.
In 1860, it is not necessary to re-
mind the reader, all property in the
South was owned by the whites
practically we'may leave out of ac-
count the incenstderable number of
free. people Of colour to be found
here and there, Upon the whites,
therefore, fell the whole Of the losses
we have now been enumerating.-
These losses, as we have just ex.
planned, were of three kinds-losses
| from the liberation of the slaves;
losses from land going out Of cult.
walton, from the destruction of prop.
erty, and from the depreciation Of
that which remained; and losses
from non-production, from the hin
! drance Of that qualification Of CAPT
tai which was going on when the wal
broke out, and was continued else
where throughout the Union. TAX
ing the lowest estimate the facts vii
admit ef-calculating, that is, The
increase that was prevented, not a
the high rate that prevailed in til,
South itself during the preceedin,
ten years, but at the retarded rate o
the whole Union for the ten years
under reyiew-these several losse
added together would amount to
sum exceeding the national debt o
Great Britain by considerably NOR
/ than half. Such a sum, ifnoW re
allied, would pay off the nationa
| debts of both the United Kingdom
and the United States. Or, it woul
recoup France for all her losses i
z
the disastrous war against Germany
exclusive Of lives, but inclusive {
the indemnity and of general dams
ges: and it would yet leave a surphl
, nearly sufficient to buy up all til
railways Of England, Ireland, an
IT, /.
Scotland. And this increditable los
was suffered in the brief space Of tie
: years by a population no larger tina
3 the present population Of Ireland
t Truly, it is no wonder that the
+ should be distress in the South. B,
D is it all attributable to war and ema