New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-05

the most eligible offices and the most resdil.
rented stores in the best business poi
tions of New Orleans should pay n
taxes to city or State; that publ
halls Of entertainment, coming in eompeti
tion with similar buildings fully taxed
should be exempt; that banks and pawn
broking establishments should be relieved
from the Licences and taxes which thei
competitors pay, and that valuable land
and buildings, outside the city of New
Orleans, not actually used Tor church
school or charitable purposes" should b.
released from paying their just share of the
expenses of the general government From
a tabulated statement, prepared at my re-
quest, by the Board of State Assessors, i,
appears that in the city of New Orleans
with total assessed valuation of $l2j,-
100000, there is real and personal prop.
erty exempted from taxation to the
amount of $25, S03,305. In this state,
ment, however, there is included an
item of $l2,3O3, 1875, described as the
value Of property "owned by the United
States, by the State, or by any parish,
city or Incorporated town in the State"
The capital stock of the national banks,
which by United States law is exempted
from taxation, appears also to be in
Guided; but, making all proper deduc-
tiona, there still remains q very large
amount Of property unjustly relieved
from bearing it's proportion of the pub
lie burdens. / have placed this detailed
statement of all exempt property on file in
the office of the Secretary of State for such
examination or action as you may think
proper to direct.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
In consonance with the principle of rigid
economy in the expenditures of all branches
OF the government, to which the State
pledged itself when it asked of it's creditors
their assent to the funding of it's debt, re-
commend that amendments to the constitu-
ton be adopted by your body for submission
to the people, which will effect the follow
ing financial reforms:
l. That the salaries of all officers whose
compensation is fixed by the constitution be
so reduced as to approximate to the salaries
paid tor similar services in other States.
The salaries OF the executive and judicial
officers of the State have heretofore been
paid, for the most part, in treasury war
rants of uncertain and irregular value.
Under the provisions of the constitutional
amendments already adopted, all salaries
will hereafter be paid in cash, and it is only
just to the State and its creditors that the
salaries should be reduced to q cash basis
A very large saving would thus be effected.
2. Reducing the per diem Of members of
the General Assembly to IS, and the mile
age to five cents mile for actual dis.
ance Travelled, and limiting the expendi-
lures Of each session. A saving of about
$4,000 per annum would result from this
measure. e:
3. The abridgment of the annual session
of the Legislature from sixty to thirty
days. In the peculiar situation of this
State with regard to the danger of Gre
vases in the levees and other sudden emer-
genciee, it would probably be unsafe to
confine the General Assembly to biennial
sessions, as in many other States. The real
work of each session, however, is practi-
cally done in less than thirty days, and
constitutional restriction of the session to
that limit, unless extended by joint resolu-
ton as now provided, would probably
work no injury to the State, and would
certainly result in a diminution of expendi-
ture.
FURTHER REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES.
The fees and emoluments of all tax col
lectOrs throughout the State should be re-
duced and limited, so that no country tax
shall in future receive more than
$4,000 per annum, or less than $500, and
no city tax collector more than $4,000 per |
annum. 1t is u safe principle to affirm that |
there is no public officer in Louisiana whose |
duties as such are so onerous or his re-
probabilities so great az to justify larger |
than SIC, 900 year.
The fees of clerks Of court and sheriffs of |
the parish of Orleans should be limited in |
conformity with this principle. In the
parishes the sherifs and clerks of court |
should be paid by salary, mot in any case
70 exceed $500 year, as full compensation
for all fees now charged against the parish
n criminal cases. The annual bills of fees
presented by some of these officers against
heir respective parishes for services in
criminal cases alone amount to over $4,000
per annum, an amount very much greater
han the value of the services actually rem
Tered. The salaries of parish judges should
" reduced, and should be paid by the par.
shes themselves. The State would thus be
elieved of an expenditure of over 100000
! year. 1t is a question for careful considera-
ion whether the Office of parish Judge, as we'll
10 the office of parish attorney, or district
attorney pro tem., might not be advan-
ageously abolished, and the duties com.
nitted to the district judges and district
attorneys respectively.
An act of the Legislature increases the
alaries of the judges of the Supreme
court 81, 500 over the amount fixed by
be constitution. This act should be re-
'ealed. Under the head of contingent
unds appropriations were made last ses-
ion to the amount of $37, 800. This item
hould be largely reduced.
Some legislation should be had with re-
ard to the different monopolies that now
rey upon the industries of the people.