New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-20
kellogs's Message.

Events have compelled us to say so much
| Of Governor Kellogg that was not compli
mentary, that it 10 a. pleasure to find
| opportunity to award him deserved credit
| His message and the vetocs with which il
is accompanied merit hearty approval. The
| message gives good reason for believing
| that, however be may have erred or blum.
dered in other matters, his power has been
| used in respect to financial matters for the
very best interests OF the StatelAnd the
! city of New Orleans. His vetoes of bills
passed at the last session give promise Of
the adoption, on his part, OF broader and
more thorough policy Of ref0rm-0ne which.
il adhered to by him in good faith. should
bring to him the cordial support Of good
citizens of Louisiana without regard to
party. For NO good can now be done by
dwelling upon the question whether he was
legally elected. Ii not, he is not the first
man who held the Office Of Governor, in
defiance of the will Of the people, and
could not be dispOesessed until his term Of
office had expired. Governor HOtfmon, Of
New York, might be mentioned az one
among several eminent Democrats who have
set the same example. Mr.. keliOggcaQ not
now be removed from Office. 1t he shows
disposition to do well, no citizen is faithful
to his St tie and its hest intelest who
hesitates to give him backing and encOui-
agement.
At the instance of Governor Kellogg, this
same Radical whom it has been the fashion
with Conservatives to represent as mere
bandit and rObber, constitutional amend
ments were pushed through the last Re-
publican Legislature, and q the last election
adopted by the people, absolutely prohibit
ing any tax tor all State and parish pur.
poses, except for schools, exceeding four
teen and halt mills in year, and any
appropriation in excess OF the revenue
actually realized from such tax absolutely
invalid and void. Thus it has become i'm
possible in Louisiana to increase the public
debt by single dollar. Will our taxpayers
of this city and State, who pay in many
cases much heavier State and county tax
than this, and who have been praying for
some method OF arresting the pr. hlgacy OF
legislation and the increase Of debt. please
tell US whether Kellogg and his Radical
Legislature have not done a thing for
Louisiana BE- tier than anything accomplish.
ed by WOOdsOn or Hardin and their Legis-
lature for Missouri.
We 90 not propose to withdraw or until
cause shall be shown, to modify any crit.
cisms we may have made of KellOgg's pOlit
ical performances. But he shall have credit
for whatever In his conduct deserves credit. |
Well may he point with pride to the fact |
that in no other State does such sure pro- |
lection exist for the taxpayer against legis-
iatlVe anu municipal MISCONDUCT. When
he says that he twas fully aware that, these |
would meet with determined |
opposition from interested parties both at |
home and abroad, and that the very exist |
ence Of the State government might perhaps
be impe,ied in The effort to SECURE their
he suggests to the candid reader
how much easier 1t would have Deen for
him to float with the tide, and suffer reck.
less Legislatures. protligate parish officers
and pundering partisans to do their.worst.
Governor Kellogg claims credit also, and
appears to deserve it, tor preventing, dur
ng his term Of Office, any considerable
excess OF expenditures over receipts, while
n lS69-7O that excess was 81 63S, 9l7, and
SIP i. was $26l3.203 Under Kellogg,
he claims. it has been only $1,000 Tor the
7ears 1891. and henceiorward all such
Excess is prohibited. He claims further,
hat during two years, though met with the
most desperate resistance, even through
etnsual to pay taxes, he has reduced the
'ublc debt OF the State by S3,063 976 and
It the same time reduced taxation. If
hose claims are well founded Kellogg de
erves for his financial admins ration very
Ugh praisc.-St. Louis Democrat.