New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-05

elected presidents of the Cham0er
of Commerce, the Cotton Exchange
and Merchants Exchange, of New
Orleans, ex oficio, together with two
citizens of known standing to be selected
by them, might. very properly, be consti'
tuted the board. earnestly commend this
subject 60 your early consideration, as one
of great Importance to the credit of tho
State. I further recommend that TIE fund
ing Of the debts and obligations Of the State
be regulated by law in such manner as will
| enable the officers oe the State and all tax
pay rs and creditors of the State to resist
the funding of any illegal evidences of debt
| by adducing evidence to establish their in
| valid character.
RELIEF OF NEW ORLEANS.
Next in urgency to the condition Of the
| State finances, the embarrassed and crippled
position of the city of New Orleans de-
| mands your attention. The debt of the
city, built up during series of years Of
NAL administration Of city affairs. aided by
| unwise legislative enactments. is now SO
I great that the annual tax required to keep
up the interest payments has become an
almost !usupportable burden upon the prop
er.y Of a large class Of worthy, law abiding
! citizens who endeavor to pay their taxes
| when due. and an excuse to other citizens,
! generally Of greater means and less respect
| for Law. to refuse the payment Of any
| taxes o. sill.
The expenses of the city for considerable
,oN hav lad ;<o
and tie volume Of its floating and bonded
debt has thus increased year by year with
accelerating sapidity. With a view Of
chez king this alarming tendency sub
| mitted to the last Legislature constitu-
tioAal amendment, approved by the Cham.
berof Commerce and the then City Council.
prohibiting the further increase of the city
debt in any form or Under any pretext, and
providing, under severe penalties, that
after the first Of January. 1875. no warrant
oc ertifcate of debt should be is.
sued by any officer Of the city ex-
cept against cash actually In the treas
ury. This amendment was passed by
tho Legslaf-.e, and though opposed at
the late election on the same unreasoning
go .ciples as other ealutary measures of
this administration. was ratified by the
people. and now forms part of the constitu.
ton of the State. Future contingencies
being thus provided against, your duty will
now be to adopt such measures as may
tend to give present and immediate relief
to the city. recommend that you appoint
Joint committee to confer with the City
Council on This euhject. In che meantime
there are many compulsory expenditures of
an oppressive character imposed upon the
city by legislation. which it ia in your power
to remove. In cooperation with COM
mittee of the Chamber of Commerce and
the city authorities laid before both houses
Of the General Assembly on the thirteenth
Of February last number Of measures re.
ducing the compulsory expenses of the city,
and strongly fecommended their passage.
Some OF these bills became law, and enabled
the City Council to reduce the rate Of taxa
ton fivo mills. Others were not adopted.
! beg es pecial1y 10 call your attention to the
necessity of repeating or modifying the
drainage and park taxes and the State
House law. and Of reducing the excessive
fees Of the civil and criminal sherifs. Bills
introduced for these purposes, and strongly
urged by me, failed to pass last year. You
have now the power to carry these and |
other much needed reforms into effect. and !
can not suppose that gentlemen so largely !
interested in the welfare of the city and |
State will hesitate to act promptly in mat. !
tiers CT such serious import to both.
The commerce Of the city. which forms so
essential au element in the general pros-
psrity G: the State, is hampered by many !
exactiOns. e0me entirely unnecessary. others
oppressive OF misapplied. Heavy |
wharfage dues are exacted by the city from
all vessels trading with this port, yet few of
the wharyes and landings. except those
by private enterprise, are kept
in sufficient repair to satisfy even the mod.
crate requirements Of a great commercial
port. An unnecessary tax. yielding no ad.
vantage to the State or city, is levied ON
emigrants arriving at this port. thus uiscour.
aging emf grafton. suggest that the duties
Of tho board of harbor masters, board of port
wardens. board Of flour inspectors and board
If hay Inspectors, each of whom under
existing laws derive their income from
AK on ommerce, might be advantageously
discharged in each case by one or two
alaried officers, thus relieving the com
nerce Of the city from imposts which are
certainly not favorable to its development |
The fees Of clerks of courts and notaries
'ublic, as at present exacted, are complained |
# by the business community as being ex.
essiye. I repeat the recommended made
0 the previous Legislature, that some steps
e taken to confne them within fair and
ast limits.
STATE REFORMS.
Tho system OF assessing and collecting
a xes now in operation is cumbroue. ex.
ensiya and unjust. A vast amount of I
roperty throughout the State is exempted (,
'om taxation by special or general legisla.
on. though the constitution distinctly re- {
uires that taxation shall be equal and I
inform throughout the State. Some of the ,
lost valuable property in the city of New r
rieans, belonging to wealthy corporations,
exempted by law fromRtax assessment,
9TH of State and city. tho Ugh occupied for Il
binary commercial purp} es, and yielding q
savT rentals; while ado, sing properties, f
rming possibly widow's jointure or an +
phan's portion, are assessed up to their 4
IL value. It is matter for your grave h
'ns;deration whether general repeal of i,
exemptions of private AMI corporate h
operty from State and city taxation \
ouid nc: be an act of justice to the many, !,
voiying comparatively limited hardships f