The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-02-04
The Funding Iniquity.

phatic: >N e'n-
!. That the property and industv Of
'n.s people cannot bear the present
:ate OF taxation. and that to coutinue
10 VIII be to destroy the productive
power OF the State, and remit il to
waste, des"lation and depopuIaiiop.
q Ihat is impossible to reduce the
present rate of taxation and nav the
expenses OF government administered
as TINS is, aud preserve our faith 70
ourcredifors. W
A"o yet we are not prepared o
abandon this rich and hi. lily endowed
state because of these obsiruc,ion
que 70 m'ssov"rnment, dishonesty and
'moec'l'ty OF the party or individuals
WHO have obtained control of The GOV.
eminent of The State.
we shall not thus consent to ho
driven from the State in which we have
passed the best portion of oar lives.
what then? Shall we look silently
on and see onr State and city gradu.
ally and rapidly depleted, exhausted,
impoverished and ruined.
10 submit thereto is to confess onr.
selves traitors and imbeciles, What
then shall doo 9...
Lie to and cheat orr creditors 70.
p"d'ate our debts, pretend that We are
gong to pay them, when we have no
such purpose, hope or capacity: refuse
10 reduce our expenses, to abate our
lnNurIes, TO make the sacrifices of all
honest men in order to keep our faith
agd pay our debIss Nay, more, con.
'r've schemes of dodsery, by which we
shall open Il field for unlicensed lob
bcry and speculation!
This is what is proposed by KELLOGG
and his Legislature in their Iuudir@
scheme. .
There is no provision in it for the
'lmita' ion of the enormous cost of the
administration Of The government
There is no proposal to the creditors
OF the State OF any sacrifice on oiu
pant. There are no practical .uaran.
tees and securities thlt The State will
he Kept any better than it has been
There is no fixed and letevminate ,ale
OF taxation by which the people NAV
he induced to indulge The hope of i'm
proving and increasing the value of
their property and their capacity for
production, and Of holding out to their
creditors the prospect of eventual pay
ment of orr debts.
Creditor and debtor are alike crnsb-
ed between the upper and rether mill
s.one OF political corruption and ava
,ice. The people are to be impover-
lSlIed and our creditors deflauded. in
order to enricl, political lines, office
holders aud their allied jobbers and
spectators. .-.....( ..-...,.....
This is what the funding scheme of
Me. Kellogg means-a scheme founded
iii hypocrisy, f,aud and defiance of
light and law. 1t is scheme which
cannot be pnt iuto operation under any
system of law known to civilized faces.
1t must prove q lamenlabe and dis
graceful future, only bringing disElon
or on the State, without any relief to
the people. ...
What the people demand is reduced
taxation; what their creditors ask is
any assurance of an honest purpose TO
pay when we are able. No such re-
tluction is secured, no such assurance
is given 10 the act which WAS passed
by the bowling assemblage called the
House of Representatives. Of Louisiana.
Before they perpetrate a fraud on, or
ask the indulgence of the creditors of
the State, let them first correct their
own frauds. repair their own wrong do
Jugs, and come into court with Il re-
mote approach at least to clean bands.
Let them reduce the costs of admins
tering government to one-third of the
present rates. Let them apply what is
over and above the expenses of an
economical and just administration of
the government, to the payment pro
tantO of our honest and legal debts;
aud when this is done, as % condition
precedent, let proposals he made to
our creditors. and we have no doubt
that they will quickly accept any fair
and equitable basis of compromise and
settlement thereof N. 0. Picayuue.
The SOUTHERN CLAIMs.-A circular