The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-25
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Louisiana IL commupistic. The Repub-
licdn, which Ia the recognized organ OF
that party, very clearly expressed this
fact yesterday morning In an article on
the proposed railroad tax. The Repub-
licdn opposes the tax, we believe, but
not tho objectionable principle upon
which the right to impose II is based.
II boldly asserts the right Of the ma
jority OF the community to vote away
the property OF individuals for any pur-
pose the mob may fancy to approve, or
may be lead to indorse. The Republican,
says:
TO say that tho voter Il sovereign cnl, 70 the
extent " Determining the ntuess Of candidates
10 Office, while DENYING them ayot,e IN the act
teincnt 81 financial questions. V to place prop
cFty and TIN owners Of property above even
running humanity, and separate the whole com
munity Into two clasaee-the ariHtocrats. WHO
own property and psrhsns my no taxes which lIs
sometimes withhold money thus obtained. and
the tenants, who are cotnpelled to pay their
rent under pain OF Immediate restraint and
election.
The plain English Of this IL. that the
right OF the majority to dispossess the
minority OF their property Is as clear
and just as the right of the majority to
determine who shall be Governor or
who shall constitute the Legislature.
This principle ignores all law, except
the will Of majority, and subjects all
rights to the passions and capriccs OF a
mob. The right to vote In the choice OF
public officers. even II Il be an inherent
right, which we question, is based upon
the fact that all men, whether they own
property or not, have certain rights and
interests which are alike affected by the
character and policy Of the Government.
But we are unable TO see upon what
principle Ave hundred plantation hands,
or i've hundred other men, have to say
that the property Of two hundred other
persons shall be levied upon to build a
railroad, or cotton factory, or church,
or a canal, unless itbe the principle that
all property belongs to the public at
large, and that, ut any time, or for any
purpose, the majority can appropriate It
to suit themselves. And IL this principle
Is correct, then also must the majority Of
the community have the right to vote
away the life Of any citizen, or the lives
OF any class or number OF citizens. The
Republicans theory Is destructive OF all
government; Il leads TO communism; Il
leads TO the ruin OF property. trade and
industry, and substitutes the will Of an
ignorant, or a vicious, or an Infatuated
mob FOR the constitution and the law
To hold that the majority of the COM
munity have no right to vote away the
property, or any part OF the property, Of
the community, is not to divide the
people into two classes. an aristocracy
and the tenants, as the Republican
maliciously aflirms. There are many
classes In the community: there are
property holders and non property
holders; there are professional men /;
there are bankers and mechanics, and
railroad men and laborers; and no
theory Of politics or society can ignore
the fact, and this is all the assumption
recognizes. The cry Of an aristocracy OF
property holders frowning down the
poor. Is an old cry, and all the
rascals in the history Of the
world, who have had point
to gain by appealing to the bad pas
sions OF the ignorant and vicious ele
ments OF society. have used 1t. That ii
can be thus used TO the detriment OF the
public good, is one OF the strongest rea-
sons why the rights Of property should
be secure from the popular clamor and
firmly fixed in the constitution and the
law. There are, perhaps, no class OF
the people OF Louisiana poorer than its
property holders; and there is no class
Of its inhabitants so rich, and fat, and
greedy as the rascally politicians Of the
Republican party who for years have
been stealing all they could lay their
hands on, and crying out against the
and the burdens the rich i'm
pose upon the poor.