New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-12

REPUBLICAN, SUNDAY
win yield about half million year, less
the cost of collection, or sufficient, per-
hsps, to grade and iron about fifteen miles
of road. In the four years contemplated
by the law which authorizes the tax, we
might depend upon building from this
source perhaps sixty or possibly seventy
miles of roadway and laying down the
iron. The utmost amount that can be
depended upon from taxation under the
law, in fsur years, is about two million
dollars. We have nowhere seen an esti-
mate of where the money to supplement
this small amount is to come from. Two
millions will be found entirely inadequate
for the great Purpose of building q road
from here to Shreveport. This fact should
be constantly borne in mind by all who
feel any interest in the road, that
there must be bigger ante that five hun
dred thousand dollars year in the shape
of city tax to secure road within the
period of short lifetime.
There is some danger that the imposi-
ton of this tax will be made an excuse to
cease private efforts and save individual
risks and sacrifices. In the days of Her
cules, the peasant sat by the road side,
and did not make an effort when he saw
the giant-sine*ed god tugging away at his
cart. He was Indignantly left to his mis-
fortune for his ingratitude, and his case
cited as warning to other shiftless peo-
pie for twenty-five or thirty centuries.
There are as many people in this city
ready to wait for Hercules as ever there
were in Greece or any other place. A half
q million raised by taxation, under the
plea Of public necessity, will look as big
in the eyes of some of our property hold
ers, as five millions borrowed from
Europe. And they will put their hands
in their pockets, and sit themselves down
in content, confident that Mr.. Wheelock
will be able to run all over the country
with his railroad within the prescribed
four years, upon the results of this five
mill tax. The evils which would grow
out Of such an error could scarcely be Off
set by the small amount of assistance
which the tax would produce.
The position that this tax is founded
upon public necessity is hardly tenable.
That it is the duty of the people of this
State and city to build this branch road
can not be denied. That the road when
built will prove to be great convenience
is equally plain. But while we conceive
it to be the duty Of the business interests
of the city to give us this improvement,
we can not see wherein it is public ne
cessity, at least such one as would JUS
tify imposing an additional burden upon
property which may, for aught weknow,
be already under contribution for some
other work equally necessitous. The con-
struction of railroads and canals is purely
a private business, and private parties
generally own and control them and re-
ceive the profits if any arising from their
use. The fact that they prove to be great
to the public does not ne
make them public works, such
IS the construction of levees, bridges,
turnpike roads and public buildings
Tor the use Of which no tolls or rents in
IRE to private parties. Nor is it strictly |
speaking legitimate to raise money for
axation to be expended by private per-
sons on schemes which they will here
'fter have the practical and substantial
right to administer for their own profit.
But, if We regard this tax purely in the |
light of a donation or bonus, designed |
merely to assist the company in a work
or which its own means are inadequate,
nd the tax is freely voted by the people,
We shall be very glad to see it assessed
nd collected. 1t will probably furnish
bout one-ffth of the amount necessary
o lay the road and put on rolling stock.
Is it is given out that there are to be no
ponds, no debt contracted of any kind, we
onfess ourselves at loss to see where
he other four-ffths are to come from.
Unless enough money is put up to COM
lete the work, the little two million Of
ering Of the city will be lost entirely.
We have numerous precedents for this on
ur statute books; but they should be
arefully avoided as dangerous. The pri-
ate subscriptions should precede the
election of any tax on property, and the
mount should be sufficient to guarantee
he work against failure The more san
uine friends of the road may deem this
digestion excessively cautious, but they
ill find it difficult to deny there is
bundant reason for it. The people are
eally too poor to be sending good money
fter bad, except upon such guarantees of
ersonal interest as shall make failure i'm
ossible. We sum up our conclusions
lus:
l. The work is not, in a strict sense, q
ublic necessity, though it would no
oubt prove great public convenience,
nd possibly profitable to the managers.
2. The tax should be regarded as a free
onation for public improvement, and
ot as forced loan, to meet and supply
necessity.
3. The amount raised should be deemed