New Orleans Republican., 1875-10-06
REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY.

OF our lmpOftunlty tnat we are REWARD
ed with a resolution adopted by the prop
erty holders, expressing themselves in
favor of a reduction of sour city taxes on
real and personal property for 1876 to
one-haf of its present amount" We are
not SO illiberal as to hold the association
to the strict grammatical reading that this
reduction will be alone upon the real and
personal property of those who compose
the association. We even adopt legal
and liberal construction of the term per-
sonal property. 1t includes furniture,
goods, capital and other investments.
This, with the definition of 'income, "
would, we hope, cover the license to labor,
and would even authorize repeal Of the
tariff on food and water now levied for
revenue, with incidental protection to the
market ring and other monopolists.
We knew there was enough sound
Anglo-Saxon sense in that association to
know that to lift the tax from the landlord
and leave it upon the tenant-to relieve
the landlord from his burdens by packing
them in part upon the shoulders of the
merchant, mechanic or laborer who occu-
pied his houses-was the true way to de-
populate the city and leave its business
tenements to the rats and lazzaroni.
We also shave learned that the city Ad-
ministrators have patriotically expressed
willingness to encounter all the fines,
prosecutions and penalties to which they
may be subjected" without knowing pre-
cisely what it may mean. We may con-
lecture, however, that the Administrators
intend to suspend the application of the
interest fund to the purpose to which it is
dedicated by law. As this interest fund
is collected by specific tax on real estate,
this particular action on the part of the
Administrators would extend no corre-
spending relief to those who pay taxes on
personal property or upon personal enter
prise. This last no doubt will come in
by and by, as per resolution quoted. We
infer, then, that the Administrators will
suspend the interest fund upon the guar
anty of the property holders to indemnify
them. To guard against the possibility
of misunderstanding we will state that
the Administrators have agreed to ''re-
duce our city taxes on real and personal
property fof 1876 to one-haf its present
amount, provided the property holders
will support them in this measure"
We can very well understand how the
Common Council may agree with some of
their constituents to fight for the reduc-
ton of common burdens, but among the
penalties" which the Administrators
covenant to undergo is one which might
involve the personal Imprisonment of the
convicted Administrator. If the Mayor,
the Council or any other officer of the city
divert or attempt to divert any moneys or
credit of any particular or special fund
(such as the interest fund.- to any other
purpose than that for which the fund was
originally intended, such offender shall be
punished by fine of from one to five
thousand dollars, or an imprisonment of
from one to five years, with dismissal from
Office. We apprehend that this covenant
will undergo not merely an investigation
by the Louisiana lawyers-who have su-
pegseded most others in their astute coun-
sci for the evasion of the laws-but there
will be some domestic discussion. There
may be what the French used to call "a
bed of Justice" and it may there be in
quired what obligation rests upon sworn
officer to violate knowingly his oath of
Office, and to trip along on the ragged
edge" Of heavy fine on the one side and
five years imprisonment on the other.
What inducement can be offered to take
this risk for the holders Of property?
What guarantee against disappointment,
and what indemnity for such perilous
and unlawful undertaking?
We doubt whether the real estate hold
ers have understood the Common Council.
We must see such resolutions in print be-
fore we can suppose it possible that such
special covenant can have been made
between sworn officers and special in
terest among their constituents.
We content ourselves, however, with the
recognition Of great American principle
by the householdsrs. Taxation must be