The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-10-16
Reduction OF Taxation.

From the New Orleans Times, Oct. it'll
There are some twenty-six days yet to
elapse before the MISUNDERSTANDING
that no new disturbances intervene to
prevent any election at all. So great
has been the general cOmmOtiOn 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 he bent
to the achievement of results in the inn
mediate future. Many Of the issues of
the campaign, which have received little
public attention are of t~ranscendent i'm
pOrtance.
The selection of the best material for
officers, and especially for members of
the Legislature, is one of the recognized
necessities Of the hour, and so deeply
grounded in public conviction, that, II
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
paign 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 thereoft0 the reduced
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
ures of alienation and reform are within
our grasp. Let every taxpayer remem
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 Il condition
now and what it will be when these
amendments are adopted. Is it possible
that a mere sentiment, O feeling of dis
gust for the old DryadOs street Legis-
latnre, will prevent taxpayers from seiz-
eng upon measures OF relief so palpable,
so near and so great W..
Nearly every citizen has made con-
tracts or acquired vested rights under
one or another of the laws passed by the
same de factO legislative concern. Those
acts will remain firmly incorporated in
the body OF our laws, unless invalidated
for I'M other reason than the de factO
nature Dfthe body enacting them. Con-
suit your attorneys on this pOint-Very
few Of them will risk their regulations
or your interests on an opinion to the
contrary. 1t is the anne with the acts
proposing the amendments. Ifamaiority
vote tor them they will be firmly inc0r-
porated in the constitution, and no earth
~ power can render it possible to in
crease taxation beyond the reduced rate.
Even a new constitutional convention
would not venture upon such q step. 1t
will effectually do away with the curse
of an over issue of warrants and conse-
quent floating debt, both State and city.
Each OF the amendments may be voted
for II againstseparately, butall OF them,
except the u in regard to changing
the day of election. are so closely on
nccted with the main object, viz: the
reduction Of taxation, that those who
vote for II will be likely to vote for
all. We have not the least doubt that
as soon as the amendments are adopted
q speedy and satisfactory adjustment
with creditors will be obtained, The
ominous mutterings of the Hives of alb
solute repudiatiOpists will sufficiently
auilOnisn the quick ear or the n
holder 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, a u State tax of be-
tween twenty and thirty mills aud an
equal or greater municipal tax.
What will be our condition il the
amendments faila Others In lien of them
cannot be submitted until the nert general
election, tuo gears hence. In the mean
time, we shall be in q worse condition
than we were in 1878. This year We pay
IA i-2 mills State tax next year, IL the
amendments pass, it will be no more,
with an economical administration, it
will he less); if they fail, we must not
only pay the full interests for that year,
but more than a million dollars addi-
tional on account of Interests not col
lected this year. This win involveara rate
of taxation equal to about 20 mills, or
a pOstponement of the payment of i'm
terest, which viii he no relief, or abso-
lutte reputation. The people who pay
the taxes and do not hold or want Off
ceR, will, w are persuaded, consider
these matters we'll, and insist that the
lMens they vote for shall not only DO fit
and good representatives in other re-
spects, but shall, in the! canvass, favor
these reforms.
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