New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-28

| was passed authorizing the Issue of par0-
.chisl notes to the amount of $500, 600, and
l shortly after 4500, 900 more was Issued to
| redeem the fret. but strange to cay. both
| ton.
In July, 1862. the military government
| went into operation, under bureaucratic
| system, and ceased in April, 1866.
During that rule, military order was
issued by Shepley to retire the shinplasters
| Of private individuals and firms, and against
securities, about $3.50 900 of city notes were
alluded to have disappeared, and NO trace
of them can be found anywhere.
There were also issued, about that time,
81, 300, coo Of city notes, and went to increase
| the city debt. At that same time were is
! sued 25S0,000 of what were called con-
/, solidated city notes, but these did not in
crease the debt, being applied to the pur-
pose Of retiring old bonds to that amount,
and their destruction was properly attested.
In April, 1866, the second Monroe admin
istra:ion succeeded to the military, and
| during its tenure of Office the city indebted
ness accumulated nearly a. f0llOwe:
| An issue of city notes to the extent of
| 81, go, 900, part Of which was to have re-
deemed $250,000 of old notes.
The people showed . considerable amount
| of hopefulness when the Leeds administra-
affairs has not tended to inspire the citizens
With confidence; they are not considered as
efficient - the two previous adm;nistra-
lions. I have already admitted that the
three bureaucratic administrations. after
Mayor Conveys retirement, inherited many
Of the evils Of bad government; but con.
tend that nothing has been shown by the
present City Council which enables me to
say the evils have been successfully Crap
pied with. 1t has been a succession Of ex
pedients. de fance of laws, making of budg-
cts, and laying out of plans OF revenue and
expenditure without the capacity or desire
Of raising the first or controlling the latter
The first shock the pubic confidence re-
ceived was when the excitement OF the
election was over. People could not help
asking, are We justified in electing for our
cnief magistrate one who il, 1t the start. q
tax resisters How can he Justly administer
the laws that govern city affairs and taxa
ton? The questions are we'll put, and
chow how Idle it is to permit the passion OF
political strife to place untried men in prone
inent positions demanding not 0aly integ-
rity (tor that Mayor Leeds and the present
Administrators may justly claim, but ODE
scunen, as well as clerical and commercial
knowledge of no ordinary calibre.
The several departments were doubtless
instructed by Mayor Leeds to retrench. In
some instances they were ipjudiciOusly
urged to do so, TO tie extent that one de-
partment-that Of Improv ements-almost
entirely struck work, and the streets and
cutters lave beer kept only partially in re-
pair ami tina, under great difficulties.
Inc city has also been tnreated with the
LOSS of gasligat, leaving us to the pleasant
ANTICIPATION OF dark streets, and cOnse-
quently prey TO thieves and burglars.
WHAT is the reason given for thus threat
enei return to oarbarisn4! We are told
that the taxes can roe De collected, and |
we'll may it be co. when tho chief msgis- |
tra.e, aud other prominent citizens, have |
set examples OF successful tax resistance. |
To show how the revenues have been triied |
with, will mention fact. Two wealthy |
and influential citizens, rich not only in
houses and lands, but rich in independent
having successfully resisted the
payment of taxes for fifteen years, were
being proceeded against by the sheriff, who
thought it was high time they should be
made to pay. These two citizens applied
to the sheriff to stay the proceedings against
them which he positively refused to do; but
they appealed to Mayor Leeds, who gave
the order in both cases that the proceed
.ngs should oe suspended.
These are but two instances-probably
here are many others. 1t il, however. suf-
iclent proof Of the gross injustice inf ccei
on "eA-oASposeo peIeous wno pay nea'y
axes regularly, while tue rich, more favor
ably placed, escape taxation altogether.
Taxes have been levied under exciting
avs for the support of existing ins.itu-
ions. and the funds collected under their
different rates of levy have evidently been
ransferred and misdllected into other
contrary to law, and at the tx
,ense of common justice to those iMmedI-
Ltely concerned.
In On DINA /
passed by the present administration. De-
ember p, 1874, for the revenues OF 1873,
q conformity with the acts regulating city
axes, when the folio wing rates were levied
n each and every 800 OF valuation upon a
property assessment of $li9 100000.
loads and city debt tax, to pay interest
and redemption. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81 u
s5''s : ss s; :s3::::::::::::.::: s
as taI. IN
Thus you will set that the rates for 1875
7ere duly levied, and as a proof of NAL
ami instruction Of funds,
have Only 20 call the attention of this as
embIy 70, the fac: that the bondholders
ave not received their interest; the police |
ave not received their pay for very many |
lon.hs, and the school teachers have not
cen paid tor about the came period.
I look around me and fnd each section l
ave men -ioned is here represented aud
ley can bear testimony raas my sta.emeu. |
correct.
I may ask. what has become Of the
loney! And is il, lsr unje. the semoia0ce
law, to levy taxes Ior particular !nst,tu- !
ons. and apply the money to other par-
oses!
On the fifth Of January, 1876, an ordi-
ance was pass to levy taxes to: 1876,
nd in most ses inadequate to the re
-
~ the current interest due to the bond
olders. If 81 70, levied for the same lur- !,
ose last year. p id nothing of the interes,, .,
ow can it be done for twenty-,;x cents this !.
earl And if IL is the intention of the !
ouncil not to pay. why impose the tax :
pom the people,
1t is notable that while last year the tax !
We'd for curreI expenses was fifty cents :
i'd We may presume all salaries were :
ave actually levied ffty-seven cents, !,
ya;nst the fifty cents Of last year, although
le Council tells Us 1.-The salaries have been :
duced and cocoon studied in every par :
cular." i
I will here Ment:o on one or two incidents =
show how revenue may be reduced. =
be City AttorneJ receives salary OF 10000 I
apartment. Considering that no import .
It law cases are In court, the duties must =
very light; but there is also an assistant =
ty attorney, who is occupied in pursuit of =
< suits, and for all moneys recovered =
ON these suits he receives q commission
five per cent. This commission, paid to
second party, tor duty that might easily =
performed by the City Attorney, is said q
yield close upon go, 900. and rumcr fur e
or says that this commission is equally .
vided between the assistant and the City u
ttorney. Is this so' l ask for informa- II
IN. | "