New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-11


Il We confess our surprise to see
. so-called Democratic administration pro
pose their ssplans for the relief OF the tax
: payers and increased security of the city
bondholders." It is accompanied by
formulary bill intended to give practica
effect to this plan.
We have one word of preliminary com
ment. Under the constitution the title
a bill is required to conform strict!
to its contents. The plan of the Ad
ministrators certainly proposes "the in
creased security of the city bondholders,
but we are prepared to controvert the as
sertion that this bill will secure the re-
lief of the taxpayer. We have all re
spect for the bondholder. We doff our car
to capita list. We are even willing tc
regard the rights of those who have &C.
quired the public securities in any man.
ner or at any rate of depreciation. Such
is our concern for public faith that we
would maintain it at every sacrifice. But
are there no other parties to public con-
tract than the bondholders and the owners
of real estate? We contend that the peo-
pie who are and who are not taxpayers are
all parties to this common obligation.
The authors of the plan evidently think
that people who merely rent the property
of others and own none Of their own are
not parties, and by no means need to be
consulted in the adjustment of the public
Indebtedness. We say this because under
the plan the owner of real estate would be
relieved by the imposition Of an indirect
| and undue tax on the labor and enterprise
Of the city.
We confine ourselves to this view, re-
ferring to the Bulletin for an exhaustive
word of warning against the impolicy and
improperly of putting the city into the
hands of trustees and liquidators.
Upon reference to the subject Of city
taxation We find the real estate assessed
with the taxes Of State and city. We find,
also. the personal property and the bust
ness pursuits of the people subjected to
the same contribution. This last is, to
proportionate extent, proper. Every one
should contribute according to the meas
ure Of his interest in society to the pro-
lection of society, but it is in the power of
the landlords to devolve the tax on their |
real estate upon the tenant. 1t is in the |
power of the merchant to charge his city |
taxes with his revenue tariff upon his |
customer, SO that the tenant in the one |
case, and the consumer in the other, re-
lieve the landlord and merchant of a good |
deal Of the tax ostensibly imposed upon
them.
There comes, however, an indirect tax
upon these taxpayers which is not i'm
posed upon real estate, but which adds
greatly to the burdens of the n-property
class. In this indirect system of taxation,
against which the entire South has been
banded, and which has apologists but no
defenders anywhere, we contend the city
plan brings no 'srelief to
taxpayers.
1. 1t is proposed to regrant the water
supply in monopoly. Water is a prime
element of existence, and an agent in
to the health, cleanliness and
comfort of the people The Mississippi
water is with difficulty kept from our
ields and doors, everywhere except in
New Orleans. Here it has been so sue
,essfully Gagged and confined that only
he favored few who can pay for its use, can
njoy its comfort or its protection. Once it
vas in the hands Of monopoly. They did
lot extend the works to the sections Of the |
ity most in need of it. Some seven
thousand suburbans paid the cost of {
aising and distributing all the water
sed for public purposes, and which the
was required by law to supply
he poor had none of this water, and !
ven since the city has repossessed it, s
quares Of houses have been burned 8
own while the finest fire force in the {
'orld stood sadly by looking upon a s
onflagration which they had no means '
, extinguish 1t is proposed to restore 1
he control of this water supply to the i
lillionaires who own its city obligations. t
2. The public markets. Under the d
Use system of taxation upon personal v
our city has long raised rev. t
aues from the sale of provisions to the a
eople. Everything from a peck Of beans b
p to. butchers meat must contribute to
~ interest on the rich mans bonds and
le official salary of his son or son in-law.
is very unwise system, but if the peo- Ii
Q through their representatives choose q,
enact or submit to it understandingly it h
well. But when this right to impose a a
x on these sales passes into even the | ic
Inds of lessees, it is found that the act G,
legislation authorizing sales from the Ia
1T is rendered imperative, while the ft
mpetition and commerce Of free markets
closed out entirely. Yet for the sake of W
otecting these sacred obligations the ca
wer of control and exaction upon the ar
ople's food is to be given in monopoly IN
individuals who may, as monopolists ~
We in all times done, enrich themselves ,
d Cypress and impoverish the people. ~
B. The wharyes aud landings are like r.
Sc to be bestowed upon the same priv. ~
ged interest. ~
It is very well known that New Orleans \,
engaged in struggle for commercial -,
.tou,o A obopoa IN tha coprca re