New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-15
OUR COUNCIL IN EARNEST.

1u0 common COUNCIL nave pIeSe0teu
semi-annual statement, accompanied Will
some assurances of sincere desire to pre-
serve the organization Of municipal gov
eminent. and comply as far as possible
with the obligations incumbent upo,
them.
Each principal item in the city expens
account shows reduction, and is followed
by an engagement on the part Of the Ad
ministrators to take half-pay for the res
of the year, and consent on the part o
the fire companies to accept the same
terms tor their services. The Council makes
a very laudable show Of economies eff
fected within the past six months. W.
have heretofore adverted to the very
heavy payment on account of ''bonded
certified and floating debt Nearly
million and halt Of the revenues have
been paid out on those items, and this
liquidation is, we apprehend. the CHIEF
cause why only fifty per cent can BE- paid
Oh the funded debt. Nearly eight hundred
thousand dollars. is good deal to be ap'
piled to floating debt.
The ordinance proposing 70 pay half
rates on the coupons due certain bond
holders will rest ON conditional accept
| ance of the terms. We note that some
of these debts were incurred long be-
fore the.war, and have been presented in
the courts as having peculiar obligations.
This eclectic list Of preferred bonds will
not. of course, prevent the holders of
other bonds from expecting payment Of
interest.
The reports of the several departments
show. an administration claimed to be
more economical than that Of their imme-
date predecessors. Two reports. how
ever. puzzle us somewhat. The wharves
are charged with eleven thousand dollars
expenses, and credited with something
less than nine.y-iye thousand dollars rev.
enues. The Waterworks have received
ninety-six thousand dollars. with an ex-
pense account Of abou: sixty thousand
dollars. With these marginal profits. We
do not see why the respective Admins
traitors should distrust their own capacity
to conduct these institutions as we'll as
might be done by private agency. Nor
can we understand why. when the best
that can be done for some other creditors
is to pay them half rates. the favored
holders of the wharf and Waterworks
notes should be secured by works so pro-
ductive.
We are gratided to ind the city author
tiles following in this wake and example
Of the State. The Republicans first ar
rested the Indebtedness Of the State, Sec
ondly scaled and scrutinized the debt.
and finally ordered a stop to the practice
so long followed by the city authorities of
running the city on time and bequeathing
a floating debt to be funded in bonds.
Nothing, except bringing the city ex-
penditures up with round turn, and
the termination Of the prac-
ice. could have effected the prospective
'eforms.
We apprehend that the proposal to pay
lalf rates on certain city bonds will pre-
,ipitate the legal issue as to the obligation
o pay other Indebtedness. The presen:
is too indefinite to be salts
actory. Capitalists can not be content
With half. rates. nor business men with
alf pay. 1t is indispensable that the tax
ayers should know their responsibility.
judicial inquiry will be made whether
be State possesses the power to reduce
ne municipal obligations as she has her
wn. upon the basis Of inability of the
lme people to pay larger amount of
'xes on account Of the city than ,
q account of the State. It will also
3 inquired whe ther the State, sover.
On except SO far as limited by the re-
rictions imposed by the people Or by the t
made to the federal govern. t
emf. can reduce the rate Of taxation c
'retofore imp osed upon the persons t
ID property within the corporate t
risdiction of the city. 1t has been c
ctinctly announced by the Supreme t
'urt that the power and discretion t
impose taxes is legislative attribute, t
d can not be usurped or commanded by t
e courts. Should it therefore be The r
easure Of the Legislature to take into
nsideration the permanent relief Of the "
y, we can see no legal objection to it, "
reducing the rates of taxation in pay
mt of the city interest as to make the t.
legations really worth no more than c.
, sum upon which the tax would pro- al
CO the interest at given rate. Such in
ion on the part Of the Legislature I'll
uld practically compel compromise tt
! exchange Of outstanding city obliga- OF
MS for others which the city would be
ling and able to pay. hs
The administration seems in earnest in in
efforts to achieve that financial prob 70
SO common in private life, ''to make
b ends meet" 1t will be able by living ab
half rations to reach the first of Janu- so
next, when the next crop of taxes will St
exigible. Et puts, as our French friends pa
and then. The debt will still hang Wa
} sword, or weigh like a milestone. tn
} Legislature will be in session, and a ,
= be expected to render such service as 70,
7 be necessary to relieve the city. In We,
meantime, however, there may be some ce,
re ssion Of opinion from the courts, ia,