The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-04
OF the Louisiana Legis-
Iaturc.-GOy. KeIlOg'S Message.

iSlature met to-day. Everything passed
of quietly. The House after receiving
the Governors message adjourned in res.
pect to the memory OF L. H. Southard and
L. L. Parson, deceased members. Gov,
Kellogs message was exceedingly elab.
crate. He congratulates the people on
the hopeful prosperity Of the State, which
he ascribes mainly to the fact that they
arc now on the threshold OF fruition Of
those financial reforms urged by himself,
which at the last election by an unques-
toned majority Of the people were en-
grated on the constitution Of the State.
lie expresses his belief that these amend.
ments are not even yet fully understood
and summarizes them as follows: The
debt Of the State Is reduced to point ad-
mittably within the power OF the State to
meet the principal and interest at
maturity during the whole term
OF forty years, over which new bonds
run. The debt cannot be increased beyond
the. point to which it has thus been limi-
ted. The appalling load Of contingent
debt over S2l, 100000 in amount was new
or actually incurred, but standing on the
Statute books, constant source Of dam
ger and uncertainty, has been buried
beyond resurrection. The interest
appropriation in new debt is made
perpetual, and till the extinguishment Of
the debt itself shall have been accomplish.
ed, both principal and interest are guar:
anteed by the Constitution. The rate OF
taxation is limited, the Legislature is
restricted in its expenditures TO the rcve.
nues which that rate Of taxation will
yield, and the revenues Of each year are
10 be devoted exclusively to the expenses
Of that year. The actual amount OF the
debt OF the State will be hereafter fixed
quantity which can at any moment be
authentically stated and proven. In addi-
tion TO these State reforms the City coun.
ell OF New Orleans have been prohibited
also by the constitutional amendment,
from issuing further bonds in any evi-
dencc OF Indebtedness, except against the
cash actually in the Treasury.
The bonded and floating debt OF the
State when he took charge was $2i,O93,-
407 90. He gives elaborate tabular state
ments OF the movements Of the State
finances since, and says that il will thus
be seen that the present bonded and iloat-
ing debt OF the State is now, January J.,
1876, Sl0,OGl Gas %, and that the debt Of
the State has been decreased during his
administration S5,l99,S0O. While this
reduction of the debt has been effected,
the normal expenses OF the government
lave been largely reduced, and taxation
has been diminished from 2l.5 TO l4.5
mills.
The receipts OF the present year, up 10
December 20, have exceeded by S235, ,dS0
the entire receipts for the year 1872 and
expenditures for the current year up to
December Goth show reduction OF ST.
l9S2O9 on the expenses OF 1873, and'Sl,- :
AIS, 1888 % upon the expenses Of 1872. The
expenses during the three years Of my
administration have been S9,72O,659 q ,
showing a saving in expenditures of
S92G, ,055 80 as compared with the last
three years OF previous administration.
He recommends the passage OF the Con-
stitutiOnal amendments reducing all sal.
aries and the pet diem and mileage OF
members Of the Legislature and the limi-
tation Of the session OF the Legislature TO
thirty days instead OF sixty.
With regard 10 the financial condition
Of New Orleans, he says that the debt OF
the city is over S23,000,000. The city's
default on interest last year was 81 ,205, :
057; its deficit on appropriations for in
terest this year were SSl ,l42, 500; on np-
preparations for schools and police $685..
800; making n total deficit for 1875 and
1876 OF s., ,6S3,777. The delinquenttaxes
uncollectable for the last six years
amount to S2,352,l75 &C. lie says that
such m exhibit carries with it its own
moral. The city is insolvent, and, in my
Judgment. the only course open is for it
10 address itself without unnecessary de-
lay 10 some adjustment Of its obligations
to It's creditors, and to provide for more
economical administration Of its govern
ment in future, he recommends the ap.
pointment OF five commissioners, two 10
be elected by the City Council to repre-
sent the city, two by the Board Of Under
writers and the banking associations
forming the New Orleans Clearing House
to represent their bondholders, and the
fifth 10 be appointed by the Governor or
elected By the Legislature, who should
be clothed by legislative enactment
with full power to negotiate and ar:
range with the creditors OF the city and
to sgree on behalf OF the city to any
equitable plan of compromise, which
agreement, when ratified by the City
Council, should be binding on the city.
He gives credit to the existing City Coun.
Gil, though composed Of political oppo.
nents, for having done their best, but
recommends the abolition Of the present
form Of. bureaucratic city government
and the substitution OF less expensive
plan. He goes into figures to show that
the condition Of the city is in no way
ascribable to taxation for the schools and
police, as charged by Mayor Leeds, but
that both the schools and police cost less
than ever before and are more economi.
cally administered in New Orleans than
any other city OF its size. He concludes
"The great need OF Louisiana is peace
and the enforcement OF the laws, with
the active concurrence OF the people, for
| whose protection Tue laws ure ue'IScu
The lynchings, ,incendiary fires and assas'
sinations which have recently been perpe'
trated are alarming and menace to capi
tai and labor"
The crops Of cotton, sugar and rice
raised in the State OF Louisiana during
the past year largely exceeded S50,0O0,'
600 in value, while for first time in his
tory the State crop of corn has been equaI
to all home demands, leaving surplus
for expectation. WhatState in the Union
with similar area ofcultivatcd land car
show like result from equal expendi
turc2 With capital insured against exces
sive taxation by the funding law and con
stitutional amendments, it now only rest
with the citizens themselves to give tt
immigrants assurance that their civil
rights wilrbc respected, that their lives
and property will be protected by laws
and that no social ostracism will be yisitet
on them on account of political opinions
and the State will receive an influx o.
labor and capital which will increase it
prosperity n thousand fold.
He points out that in national politics
all interests OF the State lie in the direc
tion Of hard money and protective tariff