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

that the city Ii financially embarrassed.
During the past year the present admin
istrstion Transferred to company of en-
terprising gentlemen the whsrves, without
the city, and the Waterworks at one time
nearly went into private hands for $50.
600. That the privilege the city a
present enjoys of supplying dirty water
to the Inhabitants may not intrinsi
cally be worth much, ia conceded; but, il
selling the Waterworke; you sell monop
ly of considerable value, which virtually
belongs to the city creditors, and should 81
handed over to the liquidation instead O
our permitting the city property to be sole
piecemeal, by An insOlvent corporation, t.
mostly for the payment of salaries to al
sorts Of people. from the Administrator
down to the political dependents.
To sum up the Leeds administration il
az te " words as possible. they entered upo1
office in November, 1874, succeeding to q
debt of go ,000, 900, and during the ehor1
space of twelve months, without any city
improvements. they have increased the
debt to $24 900, 0O0 Gentlemen, it is fooG
for reflection.
The time has now arrived which i'm
peratively calls for remedy to past error:
and Gelinquencies. and for assurance thai
future. Widows and orphans, and men o.
ali ages and condition. have been entrapped
into the snare of the city debt. The present
holders of the city bonds are not those who
have been engaged in fraudulent schemes
or at best who are guilty of culpuble
negligence of their duty, for which they
should be made to suffer.
To repudiate now would be to heap W
injury and ruin upon those whose only fault
has been too easy reliance on the honor OF
men whom they had placed in a position of
trust. l admit that it is a dilemma, and
that the pressure must fall heavy upon the
taxpayer; but under Q city government all
are alike responsible; it is q community OF
wealth and community of responsibility
and the entire population is answerable to
the creditors. Let US, therefore. turn our
attention to the best method Of meeting
this indebtedness; of upburdening com.
MERGE of the unnecessary and uncOnstitu-
tional license tax; ler.us see how the prop
erty holders are to be relieved. how the
general taxes may be reduced in the future,
and how the interest and capital of the city
debt may be paid.
When an individual or q corpora ton be.
comes hopelessiy insOlvent, there is but one
ali operations and place the
affairs in liquidation. The city property is
virtually liable for the payment of it's
bonds, and the citizens generally are in.
vOlved in the responsibility; therefore, if
you place the city in liquidation all city
consisting of wharves, batture
rights. tenemen.s, waterworks, and all out
standing claims, unc0llected taxes, ETC.,
must be handed over to receivers or liqui.
lators to realize upon for the benefit of the
,reditors. 1t may be advisable to sell part
If this property back to the city; other
portions may be sold to companies or pri-
,are idividusls, and 80 soon as moneys are
'eceived bonds should be retired to the
extent of the cash in hand, by advertising
o purchase from the lowest bidder. To
acilitate the liquidation the Legislature
must be asked to pass . bill authorizing
he act of liquidation.
1t is also imperative that the city charter
,e repealed forthwith, and Q new and eco
lomical system be inaugurated. A city
which entails an expenditure
f nearly half million yearly for salaries
shed people to bear, aud should not be
olecated even if our finances were in a
ourshing condition. Why should the
eople be taxed beyond reasonable limits.
4 order that each department Of the City
,ouncu may have it's staff of useless
aIarieG dependents aud the substance of
be people diverted from it's legitimate uses.
, be wassefuliy expended on political ad
erents, TO purchase support for coming
actions or as reward Tor past political
s.v.ces'
The several corporations for years back
ave perverted municipal institutions to
e.ve political ends; local interests have
cen sacrificed to party purposes aud to
&c utter decentralization of the ballot boxes:
Just dissatisfaction and gen.
raj dlstrusc have arisen among Us; a Dis
1ntent exists IN all classes, for while we are
with local taxation, the reve- |
ues are not applied TO the public advantage. |
1t has been practically proved and al
lifted that no form Of city government can |
s essentially serv.ceatie unless based upon |
purely popular vote. Corporations o. |
unc.ps, govesnn es have c or .s to
lie, whereas, they are only its offspring. |
municipal form of government has q
axon origin. As far back as the reign Of |
enry II. of England, the more wealthy |
asses, particularly those possessing lands, |
led more than once to usurp the power OF |
aud directing the laws to the
sneft of what was called the privileged
ass. Even at that remote period such az
mpts were vigorously resisted by the |
at large and the popular will
erily, history repeats itself, and down to
lis day We have q corporation claiming |
'vereign power and the landholders ready
oppose taxation.
The question that will probably suggest
self to yOu as regards property holders,
relation to CITY affairs and the amend
ent of the laws, is this: Are they priv
eyed c,ass' L. auch thing as privileged
ass permissible in our midst, contrary to
e great rules Of rervbl;canism9 And can
g knCtay point of how to reduce taxation
solved by the methods suggested by the
association called the
-operty Holders Union!
They say that they are taxed beyond en-
france. Now there are two classes CT
operty holders; there are those who say
It pay them; and there is another class of
EN- who actually do endure and really
y taxes. Those who 90 not pay require
me notice in this discourse, and those who
y demand our consideration, sympathy
d respec7. This latter section OF property
lders have not the wealth of the first,
40 will not pay, and yet they are this day
ose who in a great measure support the
y expenditure. No policy can be deemed
se that is one-sided and selfish, or that
ght be suspected of selfshness. The
n, and how to level the taxes so as to fall
htly and equally, is subject worthy of
e consideration Of all citizens; and before
Offer to act in concert with any party for
. reduction Of taxes, we ought to be salts
d that policy is pursued that will secure
relief to all without infringing on the
hts of any. This is sacred duty to be
rformed in the common interest of a
lole people regardless Of graduation in So
ty.
Dur organization desires to see taxation
luced, and will combine with any party
1t will devote itself to the attainment Of
desirable an object. There is no doubt
It the Property Holders are an infuen-
body, and are to some extent sufferers
the general ruin. We heartily sympa-
ze with them, but let us see that in reliev.