New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-06

7. JANUARY 6, 1875
, tan collectors IN the city districts ehould
tel reduced 90 - % yield them only an incon
commensurate sith Che responsibilities
! their positions.
Il There are other State officers whose cot
, pensatioD should be reduced. az Ihave
| peatedly urged in previous messages,
! the lowest rate consistent with the etiicienc
Of the public service. These matters vi
, | be brought to your attention moro in deta
hereafter.
I In shis connection may be permitted
| say that the expenses Of the Generi
Assembly tor many years past hav
been much greater than public aecessit
| required or than etrict justice TO the peopl
and to the creditors Of tho State coul
sanction. The expenses of last years SCI
| sion were less than than those OF the yea
before, and they again were much less thai
the expenses Of preceding years. Still
by che employment Of unnecessary clerk
and pages and by excessive appropriation
for contingent purposes the expenses evel
of last year we're fully double what the.
should have been he'd proper economy beer
practised.
/ can NOS too persistAntly urge Spo1
you. gentlemen of the Legislature
| the great Importance of ct once carrying
into effect the reforms and reductions
Of public expenditure which have indi
! Gated, and others which will doubtless sug
gest themselves to you. Having scaled down
our State debt to peins which will enable
] US by economy, thrift aud good mana cement
to meet our interest promptly and greatly
I appreciate our bonds. 1e eve 10 70 Oul
/ creditors and to ourselves 60 20 administes
I our affairs "a 10 secure 60 the holders of ouI
bonds the promised enhancement of the
! State credit, and to our taxpayers and the
people generally that relief from oppressive
burdens which will increase the prosperity
OF the State, and bring emigration and
capital once moro within our borders. as
sure you that any well considered measures
you may pass having in view the further re-
duction OF State and city expenditures. and
the further reduction OF taxation, will
promptly receive the Executive approval.
Let me add chat the experience of
the past two years has strengthened
the opinion l expressed in my inaugural
address. namely: That the Executive
is invested with too much patronage,
and that it would be better for the Execu
tive and better for the State il q large amount
OF this patronage were femitted 20 the
people to whom it properly belongs.
LBvEEe
You will perceive by the aecompaAy ing
reports OF the commission Of engineers,
board Of State engineers. and commission
OF persons that during the levee year 1881,
which terminated September 30, there were
built uinsty-si iesees aggregatine 737 ,952
cubic yards. snd that there have been or
deeed tor the year 1915 seventy i've leyees
aggregating over . million of cubic yards,
nearly all of which have been completed.
From correspondence accompanying the
report ct the commission of engineers it
will be seen that an agreement has been
entered into between the commission Of
engineers and the Levee Company to apply
the whole Of the three mill tax for levee
purposes 60 the construction of new leyees
this season, and that the repairs Of the old
levees will thus desolve upon the parishes
or riparian proprietors. The breaks at
Ashton, Omega, Diamond Bend, Point Pleas
ant, Buckridge, H~rdtimes, Green's, Glass
cocks. Morgsaza and Bonnet Caro- are left
open: many dangerous points are risked,
and number Of crevasses in Red river,
Ouachits, Atchsfalaya and LafOurche are
left unclosed. Consequently, unless the
general government: comes to the assistance
Of the State. the people living in these see
tons OF the country must suffer another
overflow. During the last session Of Con-
gress tho chairman OF the commission Of
engineers and the chief State engineer went
to Washington at my request to lay before
our representatives. and before Congress the
condition Of the leyees. and the inability Of
tho State to rebuild and maintain them,
with view Of inducing the government TO
take upon itself the rebuilding and main
senance Of the larger leyees - . national
work. They were materially aided in their
presentmens Of tho case BY . delegation
sent by the Chamber Of Commerce: but the
lack Of time, and the pressure Of other i'm
postsns business, prevented any definite 70.
suit being arrived at. An act was, how
ever, passed by Congress creating . COM
mission Of engineers 20 devise and prepare |
. plan by which the general governments
cHu1N soaka fh> ono0ssorv ourro,>r;o%:or. <~
reclaim tho ovelfowed lands
of the Mississippi valley. This commission
is now in session in Washington, and hopes !
are entertained that it viii report favorably
upon the Volicy Of the general government |
taking partial it mot entire control OF the |
leyee aysten Vt the Mississippi valley.
KAIARoADs.
1eg1tt that no material prOspess has vet }
been made toward opening up railroad COM
between this State end Texas. |
Fully impressed y it'll the great importance /
Of this work. have given the subject IN
ceasins attention, but . variety Of causes
save combined to disappsint the hopes en- I
IeGtained Of speedy success. istili believe,
however. that by . concentrated effort on
The part Of the people Of the State the carly
Of this much needed railroad can
Do secured. Ii no other way presents itself !
. syndicAss Of responsible citizens might be
'orm<d to prosecute ths work. All ,aeces.
'ary modification ofexisting charters would,
AN sure. BE- readily granted them by tho
Legislature. This il all you can do in tho
natter. Farther subsidies are out Of the /
question, and AM. besides, prohibited by tho
constitutional amendment recently adopted. l
SORT sA PHILIP CANAa.