The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-08
THE RAILROAD TAX.

THE RAILROAD TAX.
The complaint Of oppressive and grindin
taxation derives its force from the reduces
value and income Of property, rather thai
from the sum or amount OF the taxes i'm
posed. There would be little objection K
even the present rates, if the property taxed
produced double or treble the income it nov
yields. Nor would there be any serious oh
lection to an additional tax upon an objec
which would produce this result. There
would be little grumbling or resistance
against present rates by the landlords IT theil
stores were all tenanted and their rents as re-
munerative as they were in 1867, 90 $50.
How have they been so reduced !? Why are 80
many stores and houses untensnted Why
have so many clerks and employees been dis
charged or reduced below living rates2 and
how may they be restored to their former
value and rates Of compensation
There can be but one answer to this ques-
ton. It is, that the withdrawal and diversion
of trade have produced this decline in the
value Of property and the demand for labor.
This diversion Of trade has been effected by
the enterprise Of other communities, through
railroads which have extended into . region
of country that once sought our port and
mart as the most accessible and desirable.
Our location was nearer and more con-
venient to the center of the great
region of the Southwest, Of Texas, Of
Northwest Louisiana and Southern Arkan-
sas. From the people of this region our
merchants and trades people derived their
large and profitable business, which enabled
them to pay the high rents and salaries Of
three or four years ago. We relied upon our
natural and typographical advantages to com.
mand this trade. The value of this trade and
these natural advantages Of our location have
stimulated St Louis and other Northern cities
to the greatest efforts to overcome them, by
enterprise and large expenditures on artificial
modes of transportation and communication,
the success and effects of which. are now so |
painfully visible in our reduced resources and |
values.
This is the whole story in brief Of our pres
rate of taxation vexatious. Nor will any re-
duction of taxation alleviate our condition, as
long as We fail or neglect to avail ourselves OF
The only means by which We can reclaim and
restore the trade, the loss of which has
brought our city to its present state. What
9 the only method and agency by which this
elief and restoration can be effected? How
IAN the renaissance of New Orleans be brought
bout. except by acting upon the homeopathic
'rinciple of simiAa sirnili6us Railroads
have diverted the trade from us,
ailroads southwark must reclaim that trade
is the only mode. We should impose on
he good sense of our readers by celebrating
proposition SO universally conceded.
The next and most difficult proposition to !.
olive is to raise the means of constructing /.
nd securing sach road. The other modes i.
ave been tried and have proved ineffective
oreign capital, subsidies, bonds, etc., are :.
OF to be obtained, nor would they prove
valuable. We have none but ourselves to
'ly on. With our own means, by our own
crifces and contributions alone can we ever
ope to secure this most needed and essential
7enue of our restored trade, and means of
viving our prosperity and maintaining our !.
'sition, as the great commercial mart of the =
'uthwest The appeals to the people 10 aid
is enterprise have been literally responded =
by property holders, capitalists, merchants =
d Others
But the persons thus subscribing do not in !,
1de large class who will be most benefited =
the success of the enterprise There are .
D many in this community who stand of, =
d wait to profit by the liberality and sacri-
es Of others-who will not contribute dol :.
in aid of this most important enterprise. ..
is to reach this class, to equalize the burden -
Itch ought to be . common one, as the y
pitts and advantages will be common to all 0e
sses of our people, that the bill was PASSED -
our last Legislature imposing q small tax :. :.
on all taxpayers, to be applied to the -
,secution Of the New Orleans Pacific Rail- -
in
The sum of this taxation will not eqnal one =.
til Of the amount voted by the people of ~
lcinnati for road which does not contem- '.
to entering that city It is small amount
SO great Q desideratum. We earnestly hope ."'
{ it will be cheerfully voted and contrib 'A'
d by our people. It is not. as . mere r..
tuity and donation, but as an investment. wy
h tax will be assessed and collected every '.l
|sr will be Represented by a certificate of w.
X of equal amount in road, which, when .
lpleted, must prove the most valuable and
Iunerative railroad stock in the country.