The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-26
OPEN LETTER TO BOSS PACKARD.

DRESSED 10 the Vi Luc loPCitI
Holders Union, has endeavored TO create tn
impression upon the public mind that tn
Republican party of Louisiana is one of re
form, and that every Objectionable act rpoi
the statute book is in great measure due Y
the influence of prominent members OF TN
Democratic party.
When he gave expression publicly to sucl
misstatements, | wonder if the blush OF shame
did not mantle his cheeks.
The man who was conspicuous in the lssu
ance of the midnight order, and IN sub
vertlng, with Federal arms civil government
in Louisiana, is scarcely the proper person te
lecture our people upon the principles OF re-
pubicanism, or lnaugurate measures o.
reform.
Since 1868 the Radical party has been in
possession of the State government. The
| legislative, executive and judiciary depart
| ments have been its creatures, and the huge
| bonded debt which it has created, notTlth
standing a constantly increasing taxation, Is
the monument of its shame, and proof con
elusive Of its incapacity to govern an lnteiil-
gent people.
1t is true the bonded debt has been recently
reduced, but not by the Practice OF economy
and its partial payment.
| It has been simply scaled TO the extent OF
forty per cent, in order that what Radical
chiefs and their abettors had accumulated In
a long period of extravaganza and waste, and
as many believe, of the most unblushing cor
ruptioD, might be funded into new bonded
obligation, and thus partially secured.
The taxation for general State purposes has
not been reduced. The same eXtravagant
waste of the public revenues continues. The
State is still grand elemosynary institution
in which Radical office holders are supported
extravagantly at the public expense Ia many
cases irresponsible men with irresponsible
sureties are appointed to collect the revenues,
and becoming defaulters, their crime goes I'M
punished, and, in the spirit of mercy, the
State accepts what the detaulter chooses to
give, the theft is compromised, the people
have been robbed. and the criminal goes free.
Not content with draining the treasury of
the State, their covetous desires long for new
sources of supply, and laws have been enacted
by which park tax, school tax, drainage
tax and a metropolitan tax beyond the regu-
lation and control of the city by which they
are paid, are devouring the substance OF our
people; and as from year toyear their condition
becomes more helpless and from inability
from these continued heavy exactions, they
are unable to meet these constantly recurring
demands, their property is advertised and
sold that they may be satisfied.
In 1867 the tax for all State purposes did
not exceed four mills on the dollar; under
Radical legislation it was raised to twenty-five
mills.
Owing to the partial reputation of the
bonded debt it has been lately reduced to
fourteen and half mills; and vet, fully con-
versant with the facts, Mr.. Packard has the
effrontery to write in terms of eulogy OF the
beneficent rule of the Radical party in Lou
isiana
However, Mr.. Packard has given publicity
to letter which he intends as campaign
document in the election of 1876 Let him
be taken at his word and his party held to a
strict responsibility for the fultillment OF his
promises.
An opportunity will soon present itself;
during the coming month the General Assem-
bly, will convene. Acts speak louder than
words.
Let the multiplicity of unnecessary offices
that have been created, and in whose emolu-
ments Senators and others in high official
station are accused of sharing, be abolished.
Let the salaries of all public officers not fixed
by the Constitution, be reduced to an amount
proportionate 10 the real value Of the services
rendered. - City Treasurer can collect
both State and City taxes at cost but little
greater than that required to collect the city
tax alone, thus saving to the State more than
one hundred thousand dollars the same
character of reform extended to the several
parishes, will save similar amount. Discon-
tinue the excessive and unnecessary con in
gent funds allotted to the various State ofhcl-
ais, confide to the several municipal corpora
tons of the State the control of their own
local governments; or, if you will exercise
species of supervision over them, fix an
amount which their expenditures shall not
exceed.
Let there be fair registration law by which
every citizen entitled to suffrage shall be
registered without making the expense OF
same an excessive burden upon the commu-
nifty for the benefit of supervisors and their
assistants
Let your election law be of such charac-
ter that it shall not provoke opposition by
reason of its provisions framed Tor the ex-
press purpose of defeating the popular will.
Away with Returning Board, which is
simply device to cheat the people OF their
choice, and perpetuate the authority of those
thority renders the elective franchise simply
a farce, and can not but engender hatred and
spite.
In word, if your promises of reform are
uttered in seriousness and truth, so repeal
the legislation of the past that the city tax
may not exceed l ! per cent, and the State tax
per cent, upon the 500 Of fair assess
ment; and when this condition of affairs is
realized, we can congratulate each other over
the happy event.
/ hold you to your promises, and here pro-
test against their having been made simply to
deceive The excessive taxation now attempted
to be enforced is no longer endurable. IT,
through your influence, the wishes OF our
people are accomplished, such action will
receive the approval OF a
CONSERVATIVE
Punctuality i'm all Things.