The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-08

a great deal of property that yields no revenue
to the owner is made to psy tax upon an es-
innate that does not even approximate its
cash value. One of the principal causes Of
this unfair assessment is to be found in the
recent amendment to the city charter, which
compels the city to adopt the assessment made
by the State. Now this is all wrong; all prop.
erty should be assessed at its cash value, and
the revenues of the city should be derived
from this source alone, and not from licenses
on trades and professions. Our city charter
is very defective in many particulars, and
every effort should be used to induce the
Legislature at its next session to amend it in
such manner as would give the city the con-
troll and management OF its own affairs. q
I would favor return to something like the
system that prevailed previous to the war.
Elect an unpaid Council composed of seven
Of our large property holders, whose interest
is the common interest of all, and confde to
them the entire management, abolish all OFF,
ces with high sounding pre6xes, such as Mr..
Administrator 30 and SO, and employ compe-
tent business men with moderate salaries to
attend to the duties now badly performed by
gentlemen at high wages, and whose posi-
tons are in some cases mere sinecures. Give
the Council the power to discharge any of its
clerks or other employees when they fail 10
let no claim against the city be paid till it is
closely scrutinlzed and approved by major
ity Of the Council, and Jet no contract be
signed unless approved by the whole Coun-
Gil, and have it distinctly understood that no
member of the Council shall be either directly
or indirectly interested in any contract which
may be made during his term of office.
Make the office of Mayor one of honor, and
not Of money, and define his duties clearly
and distinctly; give him no power to interfere
with any ordinance which shall have received
the sanction of Ave of the seven members of
the board lH e7'-s} % iN47'1 eos q -
There is a matter of vital importance to
every man who has the interest Of the city at
heart, and one that has been urged time and
again in vain--the importance of attending
primary meetings to appoint delegates to the
convention that has the nomination of city
officers. Without this is done, it is idle to
talk of reform. and we might abolish the
government, and let every one "paddle his
own canoe" have resided in the Third
Ward thirty -four years, and I am not acquain-
ted with single one of the twelve delegates
who represented us in the last parish conven-
ton. tt5tie e'f'
Mr. Editor, I fear have taken up too much
space in your paper, and will therefore bring
this communication to close, first, however,
sfacng that 1t Is open to lair CRITICISM, and II
others can make any better suggestions I hope
they will do SO. I know that it will be said
these plans are not practicable, that the cred
itors would not listen to the proposal to cut
down the debt. Well, be it so; the world
was not made in day, and we do not know
what we can do until we try. If they are
wise they will give the matter their considera-
ton. Very respectfully,
~. } r. w. EsTLrN