Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-05


the most part gaurded and conservative, and
marked By disposition rathertO discourage
tran encourage any large amount Of fund
ing until the status Of the law should be
finally settled. Now that the number Of
bonds presented for funding is likely 10 be
increased, ] think a change in the eOmpO-
sitiOn Of the Board is desirable. L seems
10 me right for many reasons that the
Funding board should not be composed Of
State officers, and / suggest that in a mat
ter which effects 90 largely the interests Of
the business community. the annually
elected Presidents Of the Chamber Of Com
merce, the Cotton Exchange and The MeI-
chants Exchange of New Orleans ex
ofiiciO, together with two citizens Of known
standing, % Be elected BY them, might very
properly be constituted the Board.
earnestly recommend this subject 70 your
early considerasiOn as one Of great impCTt-
ance 20 the credit Of the State. / further
recommend that the funding Of the debt
and obligations Of the State be regulated by
law In such manner as viii enable Ofi-
Gers Of the State, and all taxpayers and
creditors Of the State 70 resist the funding
Of any illegal evidences Of debt, BY ad-
ducina evidence to establish their invalid
charactei.
Next in urgency 70 the condition Of State
finances, the embarrassed and crippled posi-
tion Of the city Of New Orleans demands
yOtir sttention. The debt Of the city built
I'D during. a series Of years Of mal-adminis-
tratiOn Of city affairs, aided by unwise leg
isiatfve enaetmenfs, IS nov 90 great that
the annual tax required to keep up the
interest payments has become an almost
unsufarable burden upon the property
Of a large class Of worthy, law-abiding
citizen5 who endeaYOF 10 pay their taxes
when due, and an excuse to other citizens,
generally OF greater means and less respect
for law, in refusing the payment Of any
taxes al all. The expenses Of the city for
considerable period have annually exceeded
its revenues, and the volume Of its floating
and bonded debt has thus increased year
by year with accelerated rapldity. With
view of checking TINS alarming tendency,
submitted to the last Legislature cOnsti-
tutiOnal amendment, approved by the
Chamber Of Commerce and the then City
Council, prohibiting the further increase
4 The city debt in any form
nder any prctext, and providing under
Sc re penalties that after the lst Of Janu-
arg, 1915, no warrant OF certificate OF debt
should be isstied bg any officer Of the city,
except against cash actually in the Treasury.
This amendment was passed by the Legs
latIIre. and though opposed al the late cleo
ton on the same unreasonable principles
as other salutary measures Of this admins
tration. was ratified by the people and now
forms part of the Constitution Of the state.
He recommends large number OF meas
ures, and adds
q cannot too persistently urge upon yOu,
gentlemen Of the Legislature, the great I'M
pOrtance Of al once carrying into effect The
reforms and reductions Of public expendi-
ture which l have indicated, and others
which will doubtless suggest themselves to
you. Having scaled down our public debt
to 4 point which will enable Us BY economy,
thrift and good management, to meet our
interest promptly, and greatly Appreciated
bonds, we owe it TO our creditors and to
ourselves so to administer our affairs as to
secure to the holders Of our bonds the
promised enhancement Of the State credit,
and to our taxpayers, and the people gen
orally, that relief from oppressive burdens
which will increase the prosperity Of the
State and bring immigration and capital
once more within our borders. / assure
yOu that any well considered measures you
may pass, having in view the further re-
ductiOn Of Sta.e and city expenditures, aud
the further reduction Of taxation, will
promptly receive the Executive approval"
In conclusion, Gov. kellogg says:
a.You cannot be unaware that through
out a larse portion Of the State a condition
Of anarchy and violence has more or
less prevailed for some time past
that the laws haEa been- disre-
garded; blood has bees shed, andrthe con-
stituted authorities have been displaced BY
force. In the interest Of our whole people,
let me beg Of you to take immediate ac-
ton 70 secure that obedience to law, with
out which no civilized community can pros
per. No amount Of misgOVernment, no
oppressive taxation, no usurpatiOn Of ofhee'
| if such there be, can satisfactorily explain
| to the people Of other communities the fact
that there is less security for human life in
Louisiana than in almost any other State
/ Of the Union; that grave crimes are COM
ed and 90 UNPUBLISHED Of justicei that
| crimil,sls often have the sympathy Of the
community; assassination for political rea-
| sons is pIacticed and applauded, and that
/ in the whole OF Northwest louisiana there
/ is scarcely a parish in which a man
| could be permitted 10 openly pro
/ claim himself a Republican and
/ pursue his avOcatiOn without annoyance or
/ mOlestatiOn. So long as laWleSsness
/ is known our railroads will remain
unfinished, and capital and immigration
/ will seek other fields for investment. The
great need Of Louisiana is peace. The
/ financial evils complained Of are infinitely
less injurious TO the credit and the pros
/ perityEfthe State, than The sanguinary ruts
/ which have marked our history duriug tie
past year, and let me add by way OfsUlemn
| warning, that when, as was recently seen
in this city, the very children taught by the
example OF their elders are permitted to
resort to violence 70 enforce their peculiar
! opinions, we are sowing wind 10 reap the
\ whirlwind. The armed political Organiza-
| tiOns that have recently been formed
| throughout the State, are for the moment,
| united by a common interest. The time
! will come when they will no longer have a
! uuity of purpose, and then the lesson they
have been taught that force can rightfully
override the law, may unhappily lead to
| other scenes Of violence and blOodshed, but
| with a change Of cOmbatants. In
! conclusion, no one can more desire some
| final settlement Of the difficulties that for
i two years have disturbed the state, than
| do myself, but have responsibilities can
| not avoid. | am sustained by the courts
and recosnized by the President as the Ex-
ecutive Of this State, and until am legal
ly relieved, 1 am bound 70 discharge the
| duties Of the office TO the best Of my abil-
ity. . If L have been guilty Of corruption oE
malfeaseance in office, it is your duty 70
| investigate. The facts show my admins
tratiOn has lightened the burdens Of the
people and advanced the material Interests
Of the State. l appeal to yOr, gentlemen,
and through you to all good citizens, to lay
aside the bitterness Of political raneor ant
to cooperate with me in securing the pass
| ace Of such further measures OF rC'orm a
will best secure the public welfare and ad
vance the prosperity Of the State"
CONDENSED TELEGRAMS.
E. Delafeld Smith, corporation cOunse