The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-29
LOUISIANA.
Speculations with the States
Money.
THE COLLECTION OF TAXES.
Legislative Plumber -lOnOpOllsS and ExclH-
siVe Privileges

New ORLEANS, April g. 1875.
have been looking through the acts or the
Legislature or Louisiana since the nrst Recon
struction Legislature in 1868, and q more amusing
ana preposterous exhibition OF wholesale legisla-
tive plunderlng 10 would be dificult TO imagine.
The bare titles OF the acts whose sole and trans
parent purpose plumber would much more
than NIL page OF the HERALD. l must content
myself with brief mention OF but few sample
laws, granting exclusive privileges, giving away
the states money, creating new ofices adding
to the taxes.
THE LOUISIANA STATE LOTTERY COMPANY.
One of the earliest acts OF the reconstructors-
who are believed 10 have come into the state as
the missionaries OF great moral ideas-was the
passage OF law giving the exclusive monopoly OF
selling lottery, policy and combination" tickets
In the State TO a company which calls itself the
Louisiana State Lottery Company Lest the
profane should imagine that this monopoly was
intended to promote the merely selfish advantage
OF the incorporators it Ia distinctly stated In the
charter, which forms part of the act, tnat the
Lottery Company is purely charitable and benen-
cent body, created for the unmixed benefit
or the people OF Louisiana 1.-The objects
and purposes OF this corporation are:-
First, the projection OF the State against the
great losses heretofore incurred by sending large
amounts or money to other States and foreign
other devices, thereby tmpovershing own
people; second, to establish a solvent and reliable
home institution for the sale OF lottery, policy and
other tickets; third, TO provide means TO raise
fund for educational and charitable purposes for
the citizens OF Louisiana The monopoly Is to
last twenty-five years; IL Is made criminal
offence in any one unauthorized by the company
TO sell any kind OF lottery ticket anywhere in the
State; the company Is exempted from all taxes
i o..
and for these monstrous privileges and exemp-
lions 1t pays INTO the State Tleasury-for
the educational fund-the petty or
$4,000 per annum The company il now
composed almost entirely or few men living In
New YORK and New Jersey; on a million OF capital
they make not less than seven hundred and fifty
thousand dollars clear profit every year; they
have established policy shops and petty gambling
oens around the markets and other pablic places
in New Orleans, which perpetually demoralize the
laborng class, and particularly negro men and
women and over which the city government has
no control; and they have agents and solicitors all
over the State, tempting the poor and ignorant 10
gamble providing for this end what they call o
combination game" which can be played even by
the owner OF a ten cent piece.
NAVIGATION COMPANIES.
In 1868 the Legislature chartered the Missis-
slppi Valley Navigation Company OF the South and
West, and In 1870 an amendment TO the charter
gave the company $4,000 OF State money, for
which the State was TO receive stock The CON-
pany got the money, but cannot hear that they
are IN business to-day, though they were author
ICED to construct steamboats,, warehouses,
docks,n &c. Another scheme was the Red River
Navigation Company, which was authorized 10
receive $l35, 900 in state bonds.
BAYOU swINDLRs.
The bayous or river estuaries or the state early
became fine field for swindling. For instance,
the Legislature OF 1870 passed act incorporating
a company TO improve Bayou Bartholomew In the
northern part Of the state, and granting state
bonds to aid In the enterprise. Within Six
days after the passage or the act
State warrants to the amount or S118,O0 mad been
issued to the company. The auditor at that time
happened to be an honest man. He refused TO
recognize these warrants; suit was brought by
the company, and the Supreme Court twice de-
clared the proceedings fraudulent Ludeling. Chief
Justice whom the United states Supreme Court
last year denounced Tor fraud in another matter,
alone dissenting; anc on q motion 70 remand the
ease for a renearing, which Ludehng granted,
Judge Wyhe, dissenting, said :-'Act 50, TO I'm
prove the navigation OF bayou Bartholomew,
never authorized a contract TO exceed $4,000
regard the contract for $1ls,OOO Tor
that work as a deliberate fraud upon the
state. Not a single requirement for letting
out and making the contract according to Act so,
seems TO have besn complied withn Now, then,
marx what follows. Inc claim was twice denied
by The Supreme Court. The Legislature oil 1874
created a Board OF Audit, with power TO settle
Outstanding liabilities. and this Board few days
ago quietly allowed a large part OF this claim.
CRUELTY TO ANNALS.
company whose main purpose appears to
have been cattle stealing, was organized and
chartered In 1874, under the title or "Society for
the Prevention OF Cruelty 20 Animals.u The Leg
islature gave them sole and exclusive charge or
all the pounds In New Orleans with authority to
seize ana arrest animals OF all kinds In the streets
and impound them and charge the owners IS q day
for their detention, and to sell them outright at
the END or eight days. The summary arrest OF
goats in the outskirts or the city came near Gre
atng q mob OF Irish women; and, TO prevent cru
city to animals, the company at one time. / am
told, began TO arrest horses left standing in the
streets while their riders were transacting bust
ness in the shops.
EXCLUSIVE POWER or NAVIGATION
An act OF the Legislature 20 improve Bayous
Glasses and Rouge gives the ineorporators sole
and exclusive power to navigate those haYous
with vessels OF all KINDS, exempts their capital
stock from taxation OF every KIND and allows
them to levy q toll on all vessels except their owA
which they allow to De used on these bayous. r no
\ Improvement &c be made was very slight.
In 1871 the Mississippi River Packet Company
4 was. Incorporated by act OF the Legislature.
Among the incorporators we're Antoine, now
\ Lieutenant Governor, then senator; Keso,
Monette. Pinchpack, Ingrahsm and Barber. all
STATE Senators, and Pollard, member OF Assembly.
The OBJECT OF the company was TO run stesmboa
on the Mississippi River. The state was pledged
70 subscribe $3.50, 900 on the Organization OF the
company; and, 50 far as can see in the act, IL
4 was to enjoy no benefits or privileges whatever.
ITO PROMOTE COMMERCE.
i the same Legislature established the Louisiana
\ Warehouse Company to promote the interests OF
commerce." Among the lncorporators ind men
toned in the act senator West, then AdmlnIstra
tor OF improvements In New Orleans. and colleo-
tor Casey. The company vas authorized TO issue
bonds 70 the amount Of $780, 900, and the state
was required 10 guarantee the payment OF the in.