New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-16
THE PROPERTY HOLDERS COUNCIL.

small properties, and actuated by the
sentiment of opposition to tax-paying,
have banded themselves together in an
association which they call the Property
Holders Central Council. The members
Of this council are not of sufficient con-
sequence to attract much attention for
their influence; but as individual citizens
they have an undoubted right to make
their grievances, or what. they consider
such, known in any proper manner.
Like the smugglers of the Scotch and
Irish coasts, these people have but one
cause Of quarrel with the government,
and that arises out of the determination
of the one to tax certain descriptions of
property, and the constitutional, perhaps
hereditary, predisposition Of the other to
resist the payment of the tax. Fortunately
for the State, our tax resting property hold
ers have not yet succeeded in arousing 90
much popular sympathy as the smugglers
and tax resisters of the United Kingdom.
And the American nomenclature is yet
free from the epithets, expletives and
slang phrases which were used with such
effect by the tax resisters on the Irish
coast. For instance, we have not trans
formed the inofensive word "inf0rmer
into a synonym for everything that is
treacherous and mean, but this is &C.
counted for, perha ps rather in the differ
ence of the surrounding circum stances
than from any improvement in the class
of resisters themselves.
Our tax resisters have just held an sex
ecutive session" on the subject of the pro-
posed railroad tax. Of course they are
opposed to the imposition of this tax, as
they are to the levy of any tax whatever.
Perhaps it would be no great exaggeration
to say the Property Holders Council would
oppose q tax to pay for watching and
guarding the old rotten, tum ble-down
rookeries some of them call their property.
At any rate, they have the credit of sue
cess in their adroit attempts to evade the
tax collector. In addition to this, they
set up claim to political rights superior
to those who do not own property. In all
matters affecting the public interest they
ask for the exclusive privilege of deciding.
These are not American sentiments; they
are neither Democratic nor Republican,
but the old pretensions of aristocracy,
which have been rejected both in Europe
and America. 1.-THE property holders peo-
pie are opposed to the railroad tax, they
should endeavor to defeat it by address
ing themselves to the reason Of their fellow
voters. The question has been left to the
people by tn Legislature, and any attempt
to prevent perfectly fair expression of
the popular Y i'll is illegal and revolution
airy. Above all, it is extremely improper
to put the opposition upon the selfish
ground of class interest. There is SO little
difference in the burdens borne by the
laboring classes who pay rents, and the
lessons who add the taxes in their leases
whenever practicable, that it seems hard
ly worth while to enter into formal con-
sidera!ion OF separation Of interests.
The manhood Of this city, not the prop
erty, will decide whether the proposed tax
shall be laid or not. The man with row
of houses on Canal street mile long will
have the same voice in the decision of the
question as tie porter of one of his ten
ants, and no more 1t would, therefore,
be quite as proper for the porters to 60
into executive session on the tax question
as for the property owners, since they
are to participate in the final hearing and
decision. And We regard the demand
which has been made upon the Council
to arrest the operation of the law by post
poning the the election, as highly i'm.
proper. It would look as though the
Council was unwilling to trust the peo'
in any matter except designating men fol
office.
We do not deny to all and singular,
property holders and non property owners
the right to canvass the question in thei1
capacity as individuals, and either oppose
| or sustain the tax as they think proper
This is right that may be exercised by
everybody, but it should be put upor
broader grounds than those stated by thu
Central Union.
/ m NroM