Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-15
Meeting of the Legislature in
Extraordinary Session.
The Adjustment Regarded a
Success.
Message from Gov. KellOgg-A
New Era in the State.
The Tax Problem - The Rich
EVade and the Poor Pay.
The Financial Troubles OF New
Orleans-A PROSTATE City.
Meeting Of the LeEisIature.


lature met at noon to-day, and was the
most orderly for many years. The Con
serYative members were sworn in, and q
resolution was adopted in the House re
ferriDg the claims of those included in the
award to the Committee on Elections
which will report tomorrow. Both parties
sition, making the compromise a success.
Message Of the Governor.
Gov. Kellogg's message to the Legisla-
ture is long and elaborate. The following
are some Of the principal points:
A New and a Better Era.
The occasion Of this extraordinary ses-
sion works a new, and trust better era,
in the history of our State. The history OF
Louisiana since its incorporation into the
Union, as summarized in the messages of
successive Governors, from Gov. Claiborne
to recent times, has been Unhappily pro-
life Of race antag6nism and sectional
iealousies and disorder. Though second
to no State in natural advantages of climate,
soil and products, it has fallen far behind
other less favored States in the develop
ment ofits resources and in the cultivation Of
that hOmOgenity Of feeling and interest,
without which no community can be per-
maneLtly prosperous. The causes Of this
lack of progress and unity in the past have
been as varied as the ills that have re-
suited. Some are beyond the pale of legis-
latiOn. They can only be remedied by the
action Of time in removing the present
prejudice and erasing the memory Of past
traditions. Others are the result of the
peculiar character Of the population CT the
State, and the prevailing diYersities Of race,
religion and language. Others again, and
these by no means the least considerable,
have sprung from the imprOyident and Op-
presSive legislation Of late years, including
that of 1867, which have manifested dis
position to subordinate the material inter
ests cf the State to the enforcement Of par
tisan purposes and the pecuniary aggran-
diZement of individuals. Il would serve
no good purpose 10 review in detail the
events of recent history.
The Past Teaching the Future.
The unfortunate past, with whatever
and wrongs may have been COM
mitted on either side, is before you. The
Of these mistakes and
wrongs, more eloquent Hlan any language
l could use, are also before you. 1t is
your privilege TO correct and remedy, or at
least alleviate them, and more important
still, TO offer guarantees that such events
shall not again occur. After a political
contest, the length and bitterness Of which
have been unparalleled, a policy has at
last been adopted which, think, suOuh
have been tried at first, and which l trust
will afford an immediate and satisfactory
solution Of the difficulties that have b=set
US for years, and eItailed misfortune and
distress upon the people. 1t is a most hope
ful sign, in my opinion, when as now, the
citizens Of all political parties seem in
clined to take the management Of their af-
fairs into their own hands, and sinking
personal and party feeling, unite to advance
the general good.
The State ReVenues-The Rich EVade
aud the Poor Pay Taxes.
With regard TO the revenues Of the State
and the mode Of collecting and disbursing
them, he reiterateS the views previously eN-
pressed, that the system Of assessing and
taxes now in operation, is cum-
bTOus, expensive and unjust, and should
be radically changed. The fees Of tax col
lectOrs should be reduced, and assessors
should be paid by a fixed salary, in lieu of
fees. Another and still greater source of
Injustice lies in the delinquent tax list.
This State affords no exception to the too
general rule, that the rich evade taxes and
the poor pay them. The delinquent taxes
Of some Of the wealthiest parishes in the
State amounted last year to nearly or quite
50 per cent. Of the entire tax levied. For
the delinquent lkt Of the wealthy
parish Of CaddO amounted to over $4,000,
or s. per cent. Of the entire tax, while in
S.. JAMES, ST. Charles, and ST. John the
Baptist, and Other parishes where the peO-
pie were peaceful and industrious, but COM
poor, the delinquent lists do not
amount to 10 per cent. Of the tax levied.
On the first of January last, there were out
standing delinquent taxes % the extent Of
s., ,264,0O0. The collections on this &C
count since that time amount to about
Slj0,000, leaving still OyeT Si,lOO,OOO Of
delinquent taxes due the. State. At the
most moderate estimate the delinquent
taxes represent more than 30 OF the l4a
mills Of the present rate Of State taxation.
Reforms Suggested-A Check on TX
tFHVaganee.
He recommends anUmber Of TefOrmatOTy
including a reduction o. the sal
aries Of State officers, and says:
A fair computation will show, l think,
that with the proper, needed measures Of
reform, such IS l have indicated, the whole
rate Of State and parish taxation for the
present wear need not exceed the amount
now levied for State purposes alone, name
ly, 145 mills. The future Of the State
when once these measures are secured, and
harmony and peace are restored, seems to
me to be bright with promise. Every day
makes more clearly manifest the beneficial
influence the Constitutional amendments
adopted at the recent election arc certain
to exert upon the financial condition Of the
State. BY these enaClments neither
State or parish can ever levy more than
14E mills tax in any one year, except for
school purposes, and no LegislatuTe, how
ever extrayagant or corrupt, can eKpend
more than the amount which the tax thus
limited will yield. The revenues Of each
year are devoted 70 the expenditures of
that year, and all appropriations in excess
Of the revenue are absolutely null and
void. Tie importance OF this provision
cannot be OFeTstated. IN 1865, 1866 and
1861, the excess Of expenditures was very
great. In 1869 and 1870, the total receipts
on account Of the general fund we're S3,-
239. .59S, and the total expenditures were
81. .STS,5l5, leaving a floating debt Of ST.
63SGI7 to 6e taken up ont Of the revenues
Of succeeding years, or to be added to the
bonded debt Of the State. In 1871 and
1872, the last two years Of my predecessor,
the total receipts on the same account were
s. .9S2, ,431, and the total expenditures were
s.. So. .G34, leaving for these two years an
additional .,0Gting debt Of S2,6l3,2O3 to be
for in a Similar manner. In 1873
and 1874, the first two years Of my admin
istratiOn, the total receipts were S3,2l4,-
4TS, and the total expenditures S3,229,5l7,
an excess of expenditures over revenue OF
SI5, ,053. For the current year, and fOr all
time hereafter, under the provisions Of the
--'tiutiORal amendment, TO which have
--tLs,s .,,-.- "an be no valid apPTopria-
lions made in excess q. ''i - ~ 15JaJ
not one dollar can E''''''
10 the public debt, either diTect-
" or indirectly, by this means.
In urging the adoption Of these
on the Legislature andupOnthe
people, l was fully aware they would meet
with determined opposition from interested
parties, both at home aud abroad, and that
the very existence of the State government
might perhaps be impeTilled in the effort
TO secure their passage; but after taking
counsel with some Of the abiest and most
financiers, l was convinced
that the policy embodied in the funding
law and the constitutional amendments,