New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-29

istration transferred to q company Of en-
teYpr;sipg gentlemen the wharvee, withou
any remark able pecuniary advantage t
the city, aud tine WsterwOrks at one tlm
nearly went into private hands. for $50
600. That the privilege the city
present enjoys of supplying dirty waite!
to the inhabitants may not lntrlnel
cally be worth much, is conceded; but, IL
selling the Waterworks, you sen mon1p
" OF considerable value, which virtually
belongs to the city creditors, and should b.
banded over to the liquidation instead o
our permitting the city property to be sol'
piecemeal. by an irsOlvent corporation, t
satisfy pecuniary demands upon them, snt
mostv for the payment Of salaries 70 al
sorts of people, from the Administrator
down to the political dependents. :.
To sum up the Leeds administration II
as few words as possible. they entered upol
Office in November, 1874, succeeding to
deb. of So ,OoO, 900, and during the shor'
space of twelve months, without any city
improvements. they have increased The
debt to $24 ,000,O 900! Gentlemen, it ID tcod
for reflection.
the time has now arrived which i'm
perat;vely calls for q remedy to past errOre
and delinqueEcies. and for assurance that
no such transgressiOns can occur IN the
future. Widows and orphans, and men Of
all yes and condition. have been entrapped
into the snare of the city debt. The presen.
holders of the city bonds are not those who
have been engaged in fraudulent schemes
or at best who are guilty OF culpubie
negligence of their duty, tor which they
should be made to suffer.
To repudiate now would be to heap up
injury and ruin upon those whose only 1ault
has been too easy reliance on the tonOr OF
men whom they had placed in position OF
trust. | admit that it is a dilemma, and
tina. the pressure must fall heavy upon the
.axpsver; bat under city government all
are alike responsible; it is community OF
wealth and community of responsibility,
and the entire population is answerable to
the creditors. lie: ue, therefore. turn our
attention TO the best method OF meeting
this Indebtedness; of unburdening COM
merce al the unnecessary and uncOnstltu-
,ional license tag; let us gee how the prop
erry holders are 10 be relieved. how the
general taxes may be reduced IN the iuture,
and how the in .eres: and capital OF The city
debt may be paid.
When an individual or a corporation be-
all operations and place the
affairs in liquidation. The city property is
liable for the paymen: Of its
bonds, and the citizens generally are in.
vowed in the responsibility; therefore, if
Won place the city in liquidation all city
nroperty, consisting of wharyes, batture
rights, tenements, wa.erw0rks, and all oat-
standing claims, uncOllecred taxes, ETC.,
must be handed over to receivers or NQul.
,ators 70 realize upon for the benefit of the
creditors. 1t may be advisable 20 sell part
Of this property back to the city; other
portions may be sold 70 companies or pri-
rate :divi6uale, and so soon as moneys are
received bonds should be retired to the
extent OF the cash in hand, by advertising
% purchase from the lowest bidder. To
'acilitate the liquidation the Legislature
mus. De asked 70 pass bill authorizing
he &C. OF liquidation.
i, is also imperative tina: the city charter
,e repealed forthwith, and a new and eco
lomicai system be inaugurated. A city
which entails an expenditure
i nearly half a million yearly for salaries
lone, is much 200 costly for an ;mpover-
she'd people 20 bear, aud should not be
oIera:ed even if our finances were in
our:shing condition. Why should the
,eople be taxed beyond reasonable lini:e,
o order tina. each department Of the City
'ouncil may have it's staff of useless
alaried dependents and the substance Ct
he people diverted from its legima:e uses,
o be wsstefully expended on political ad
erents, 20 purchase support for coming
lec.ions, or as reward Tor past political
eryices.
TIE several corporations for years back
are perverted municipal institutions 20
e.ve political ends; local interests have
zen sacrificed 20 party purposes, and 20
be utter decentralization of the ballo. boxes:
oneeouentlv Just dissatisfaction and gen
raj distrus. have arisen among Us; a dis
or:ent exists in al classes, for while We are
with local taxation. the Ieve-
nee are No. applied 20 the public advantage.
!. has been practically proved and ad
llt,ed that no form OF city government can
e essentially eeIvcsatle unless based upon
purely popular vote. Corporations or
luuicipal governments have craved 20
lain that they are the parents OF the peo-
e. whereas, they are only it's offspring.
! municipal form OF government has a
axiom origin. AS far back as the reign of
Ienry II. OF England, the more wealthy
.assee, particularly those possessing lands,
RED more than once to usurp the power OF
onstruing and directing the laws to the
enefi. of what was called the privileged
lass. Even al that remote period such al
-mpts we're vigorously resisted by the
at large and the popular will.
'eriiy, history repeats itself, and down 10
nis day We have corporation claiming
1vereign power, and the landnolders ready
, oppose taxation.
The question that viii probably suggest
self to You az regards property holderP,
relation 20 city affairs and the amend
lent of the laws, is this: Are they priv
eyed class! Is euch thing as privileged
ASS permissible in our midst, contrary to
re great rules of republicanism! And can
ne knct.y poin. of how to reduce taxation
g solved by the methods suggested by the |
association called the
roperty Holders Urions
They say tina: they are taxed beyond en-
arance. Now there are two classes CT
roper:y holders; there are those who cay !
ley car not endure or pay taxes, and do
Dt pay them; and there is another class OF |
rem who actually do endure and really |
AZ taxes. Those who do not pay require |
me notice IN this discourse. and those who |
ay demand our consideration, sympathy |
ID respect. This later section OF property |
elders have not the wealth OF the first, |
no will not pay, and yet they are this day |
.Ose who in great measure support the |
~ expenditure. No policy can be deemed |
lee tina. Is sided and selfish, or that |
light he suspected OF selfshness. The |
,a:e and city must be supported by taxa |
on, and how to level the taxes so as to fall |
Chilly and equally, is subject worthy OF |
e consideration OF all citizens; and before |
e offer 20 act in concert with any party for |
70 reduction Of taxes, we ought to be salts
d that policy is pursued that will secure |
relief to all without infringing on tie |
ghts of any. This is a sacred duty to be |
.rformed in The common interest of
hole people regardless of graduation in co.
ETY..
Our organization desires TO see taxation |
duced, and will combine with any party |
at will devo.e itself to the attainment Of
desirable an object. There is NO doubt |
at the Property Holders are an infuen-
al body, and are to some extent sufferers
the general ruin. We heartily sympa-
ze with them, but let US zee that in reliev-