The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-11
A CHANCE FOB REFORM.
MGH TIME FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO INTERVENE.

The Kellogg Crowd passed an act, No. l:
few days since, pretending to abolish th
city assessment by the city, and substitutin
for it State assessment, the nature, func
tioIs and compensation for which we publish
ed and condemned ct the time.
1t was surmised that the board creates
under act II would not attempt to make an.
change at present In the usual course o
assessment, but would allow the city to flnlsl
the nearly completed assessment as usual
and then enter upon its duties with the com
mencement of business in the coming fall.
Such expectations, however, have proved
to be futile, and it need surprise no one if it ii
noticed that the board is filled with hungry
Radicals and that act II gives them good
a-mpit chance at the public treasury
Therefore we find that the act in question
has barely been promulgated ere notices, one
of which is before US, are being scattered
right and left, requiring the much notified
tax payer to step up within ten days to No.
! 70 Carondelet street, and then and there give
| in full and true account Of everything in
general, and some things in particular, to
Messrs Herwig, Paris, Blandin, Urban,
Fuentes Dejoie and Kern, there sittiRas a
Board of State and City Assessment. &ne
This is the first instance, and, we pfdeVe,
will be the last, Of any city in the United
States being deprived of the important item
Of making its own assessments.
Many cities have groaned under the taxes
oppressively imposed by State legislatures
dominating the political situation and per
verting justice by the exercise Of power based
upon numerical strength but it has been
reserved for Kellogg and his gang to invent
now torture for the city Of New Orleans,
whose interests they have affected to be SO
anxious to subserve.
The evident intention Of the Radical wing
of the reform movement is to reform the city
out Of the last yestige Of her rights, to re-
form a Democratic city administration out of
existence and Democratic sheritfs out Of Office,
to reform owners out Of their property and
citizens opposed to them out of the State.
We have never doubted that thus far and
in that direction the Wheeler compromise
would be faithfully carried out by its pro-
jectors and enforcers, but that real, hearty,
searching, useful reforms in needed directions,
regardless Of ,rhomsoeuer, arouW be initiated,
for,oarled Or finished by the Radical debris
and political rubbish heayed over by the Re-
publican party and unhappily settled down
7 ~, hov xyot ho1
If, indeed, any corroboratory proof Of the
correctness of this opinion were needed, the
Assessors notice before us would furnish it in
abundance.
Only that we suppose the bulk Of our citi-
zens will in q few days be favored with SINH
lar polite invitations, We would publish the
new and binding form il which it is served
up.
1t is stylish, not to say formidable looking
document, and has about it a ring Of imperial
authority which is enough to make tax-re-
sisters teeth chatter and a taxpayers knees
tremble as he reads.
The miserable recipient of the Assessors
rescript is "required," three times in as
tlutS, ahNcI OiStiO1N IA lCAiuAesCo Va NO-
fault, to tell his business to these gentlemen
within ten days, and after binding their vic
tim in the city return on his honor, and in
the State return upon his oath, in order to
have him both ways, they agree on their part
neither on honor nor oath to assess him, as
they see fit, for the following named modest
which Decker would consider
entirely too little: One thousand dollars each
from the city, which is expressly forbidden to
have any assessment made; four thousand
dollars each per ahnum from TIE State; five
per cent on the taxes of ell taxable property
no. on the rolls Of 1874, which shall be dis
covered by them and placed on the books of
1875. And for their necessary expenses, in
Guiding Office rent, clerical labor, ETC., an APP
of seven thousand dollars shall
oe made.
This is entirely outside of all inside ar
known to the craft.
What substantial prospect is there Of re-
orm from source whence sprung such dire
md portentous clouds. Let the compromise
Legislature attack and destroy, if it can, this
double barreled Assessment Board.