The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-07-29

CAUCASIAN LOGIC.

and cost but $4,000. The Rail
Road Tax of $4,000 per annum
would have to be paid in currency,
BECAUSE IT WOULD GO TO PAY THE
INTEREST ON BONDS IN THE HANDS OF
New YORK SPECTATORS WHO WOULD
NOT OF COURSE TAKE OUR PARISH PA
PER-"
This is plain enough, and such
logic as belongs to common mortals
would have concluded as follows:
Therefore, the Parish and Rail
Road tax combined would be $3l,
500, and if the Rail Road paid !, it
would leave ZOO for the Parish
to pay, which amount would be com
posed of $4,000 Parish and $4,000
Rail Road tax. Therefore the Par
ish would be paying the Rail Road
$1O,500 per annum instead of $21 900
But this plebian logic is not Cauca
sian logic.
1t would sanction and confirm the
exposition given by us last week Of
this Rail Road tax, the only differ
ence being the assumption Of the
Caucasian that Parish paper would
remain so per cent. below par. But
see how the Caucasian escapes from
this fearful dilemma; under the ne
cromancy of it's magic wand see how
the figures swell, and at it's beck
mighty ghost Of taxation strut across
the public stage to brighten the ig-
norant and superstitious.
The argument of the Caucasian
continues where our quotation ends
"The Rail Road tax Of $21, 900 pei
annum would have to be paid in cur.
rency, because THE HOLDERS OF THE
BONDS WOULD NOT TAKE PARISH PA.
PER. TO pay $4,000 in greenbacks
would require $4,000 in Parish pa
per, which added to the $21, 900 Par.
ish tax would make $4,000, $21,O0C
to be paid by the Rail Road and $42,,
900 by the people. Perhaps some
persons may be so simple as to be at
a loss to know how $21, 900 at one time
at $lO,50O, and at another at So, 900:
or, they may ask, why the Parish
would issue $4,000 in Parish paper
to pay $4,000 because it (the $2l,-
O00), would 60 to pay interest on the
bonds in the hands of New York
spectators who would not take our
Parish paper" But with all it's evils
there is one blessing that Rail Roads
will bring-it will make Parish pa
per at par, and free common mortals
from the magic wand which -four
ishes over deprecated paper.
But here is another equally lucid
and candid exposition of the ques-
ton. The contract is as clear and
expressive as language can make it.
that the principal, 100000 is not
due until the end of twenty years,
and yet the Caucasian represents it
as payable in equal annual install
ments. What is the authority for
such a statement ? Because the
thinks we would have to
make a sinking fund. The attempt
to raise money by taxation twenty
years before it is due with the ex-
pense Of l24 per cent. for collection
and all the risks incident to keeping
it for such, merely because the eau
casian thinks the Parish would have
to make q sinking fund.
The attempt to raise money by
taxation twenty years before it is due,
with the expense Of collection, and
the risk incident to keeping it, would
be sufficient evidence to send any
Police Jury to the Insane Asylum
Such an attempt would not only be
insane on account of its folly, but be-
cause it would be without the shad-
DIV of law to authorize it. There are
many reasons why We need not be
alarmed at the maturity of the $780,
900 twenty years from now. Unless
something is done to furnish employ
ment to our mechanics, our physi-
clans, our merchants, our laborers,
our saw mills and the hundred OF
poor widows and orphans, and many
Of them the orphans and widows OF
our Confederate dead; something to
stop the tide of emigration, which
year after year is carrying our citi-
zens to the Railroads of Texas,
twenty years hence, there will be
nothing here to be solicitous about,
save barren and desolate fields, and
the ruin and desolation of a dccayed
civilization.
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