New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-02
JACK CADE AS A PROPERTY HOLDER.

new orleans Is cortalnly FORTUNATE III
having q few seventh sons" who not
only predict her political and social fu.
ture. but present their vaccinations in
print or speech, just as the obscurity Of
the public horoscope may require elucida-
ton.
| One Of these political prophets is Hon.
E. Booth, who comes forth to denounce
woe upon the Republican party, and to
predict the second coming Of William
Allen as the Democratic redeemer.
Another is Hon. w. Rufus Crane, whose
! visions have taken slightly personal direc-
ton, and who vindicates the propriety Of
Democratic nomination tor the United
States Senate, by reading an application
for Office under President Graut, Endorsed
with the commentator Of General 3. F.
Butler
A third is Mr.. Archibald Mitchell, who
blandly takes charge Of the obligations of
the people 20 the government, and leads
them Alright in the path they should go
! whenever The higher Law OF pri-
vate interest disposes them 70 shirk
their obligations. 1t is 70 be re-
! marked that il one of these sooth-
sayers should trespass unadvisedly upon
the province Of another, be may be warned
of. Thus the Times. which publishes the
! last encyclical letter from Mr.. Mitchell,
gives notice that Sunday paper" had
no right to publish . letter from that
economist as binding the Democratic
party. Thus very properly seserving TO
the oracle Of that party his especial
rights in the premises. New Orleans is
thus city favored in having, in addition
TO thousand soothsayers by cards and
coffee grounds, the Delphic orscles men.
toned
The position Of Mr. Mitchell is perhaps
what he would esteem the most complete
paradox among them all. OF, indeed.
among all the prophets and philosophers
who ever lived. In the course Of q long
letter he takes occasion to deplore the ig-
norsnce Of those who have heretofore ex-
pressed ''crude views" upon the subject
Of taxation. and adds:
That without soma knowledge Of the
sclence Of political economy, epeculations
on taxation, its influence, direct and remote
effects, and final medicines, are of no value;
without its light we are IS blind a. men
cropping in the dark. If truth is stumbled
upon it is by accident.
This authoritative admonition is sub.
sequently enforced by threat to write
some more upon the subject and to 'quote
from the works Of the great writer's on
poiitica! science, whose voice should be
the voice Of authority. and point out the
crude theories daily promulgated on this
subject, . subject to the dis.
cussion Of which the calmest judgment
and most dispassionate reasoning should
be brought"
Analysing with some attention the
creed Of this professor Of a new political
it may be reduced to the follow
ing principal heads:
l. The present prostraton Of al! interests
and the CONSEQUENT poverty Of the people
1
Of excessive taxation.
. The theory of taxation is, that every '
mans property ID rendered more valuable
~ Ito imposition, And not that his property
should be utterly destroyed By ito exac-
ions. .
1t 10 not the tax which man pays on .
1ls own property-hOwever OnerOus-that
S his chief grievance. 1t lie the excessive | '
AK which other men pay that ruins him. Z
:. 1he sublime folly Of affecting to relieve -.
ne Necessities OF the poor. by renting
heir taxes. while exacting the las. cent {
rom the rich, or the capitalist.
l. Whateve. may be assumed By the
property Holders Association as TO the t
auses which prevent their payment of :
axes. it can not be said that the .'prostra- I
ion OF all interests and the poverty .'of Z
be people are entirely due TO the 'blight- C
ng influence Of excessive taxation" This v
contradicted by the fact that New York =
ity. which pays two and seven-eighths t,
e' cent tax. gained last year forty mil. II
ons Of dollars Of taxable values, while
lev Orleans, which pays two and half u
ef cent, declined some fifteen millions Of :,
ollars in her taxable values during the b
anne period It is granted that the tax p
ton OF this State and city is too high, r. r.
nd successful efforts have been made to ST
'ducs Il. 1t would be better, perhaps, Sc
} inquire whether there may not be other
fuses for This inability to pay the tax on p
al estate which exists here, while the 81
weed city pays heavier taxes than we do 81
ID still fousishes We may add that &C
hicago. which lost by FIRE more unin. al
red values Of real estate than M
ev Orleans possesses, and which ii
vertises double OF treble as many "a
llnquens taxpayers IS we do, still pays ~
ose taxes, and prospers by increase of u
lmbers. We lay il down as irrefutable IA
gle: That if the same cause exists in III
Q same degree. in two subjects, and the ~
Q subject suffers from an effect not I'd
isting in the other. this separate effect az
n not be attributed to cause common Al
both, but must be sought in some cause IN
culiaf to the suffering subject. The 'a'
Use OF our inability to pay taxes is the co
Mt OF business. The cause of ability WI
New York 20 pay taxes is an immense sn'
d increasing business, much of it tne
.wn from the trade area of New Or. OF
MS
!. We are compelled to differ radically .
m the New Light" and would like NJ,