The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-15
THE NEW ORLEANS PACIFIC RAIL-
WAY TAX.

In short time, probably in April the 70
ters Of New Orleans will have an opportunity
to express their opinion upon the proprie'y
of assessing for 1876 and the succeeding three
years tax on all the assessed properly IN
this city, to accrue primarily to the New u
leans Pacific Railway Compan., but return
able to taxpayers in the form OF TAX scrip
exchangeable for railway shares II imposed
by the consent Of the majority Of citizens
voting. the tax of five mills for four success
sive wears will amount to 2 per cent on all
taxable property. In other terms. the city
will contribute per cent on all taxable
properly, in four easy installments, towards
the completion of q road that cannot
fail TO add to taxable values more
than ten per cent before the third OF the four
annual installments is paid. The total tx
would, if paid in full fall something short OF
50 400. 600. and the actual amount of railroad
tax receipts is not likely to exceed two mil
lions, or q sum sufficient to complete and
make ready for operation seventy-five miles
Of the contemplated road. Before the tax OF
1878 will be exigible there are good reasons
to believe that the business Of the city Will
have begun to be benefited by the increase,
the steadiness and the economy of transporta-
ton from Northwestern Louisiana and
from from Northeastern Texas, or from
all that productive region lying within
q circuit of q hundred and fifty miles
around Shreveport as center and including
4
considerable portions Of Arkansas and the
Indian Territory. Half o million dollars an
nually saved on transportation for four years
will be direct remuneration to New Orleans
for the tax proposed, leaving an enormous net
profit, growing from year to year, upon the
rapid increase of sales to all that wide section
OF fast approaching territory. The tax will
be but an outlay by the city to open its road
to its own legitimate resources. Considered
in point of economy, the construction OF the
New Orleans Pacific Railway is to be regarded
substantially in the same light as if she were
the owner of many millions Of acres Of i'm
proved lands now comparatively useless, but
which require nothing more than conveniene
and cheap access to render them extremely
valuable.
The tax will fall, in the first instance, upon
the property assessed, but like all other taxa
tor, it will at length bear with an equal
pressure upon all who are employed or who
live in our city. Taxes are the common con-
tribution of those who use as well as those
who own the property taxed, and therefore it
is at all times wise and just to leave questions
of taxation to citizens of the Commonwealth
in general. Voters who may think the tax
unwise, if any such there are, ought to vote
against it; and voters who think the tax just
and judicious ought to take pains to vote for
it, whether they are owners Of taxed property
or not. If benefit accrues to the city, they
will gain as well as the property holder, and
if the tax proves total or partial loss, 9 share
of the loss will be theirs likewise
The general and enlightened sense Of the
public ought to prevail on this and all similar
questions. Our city languishes for the want
of sufficient and suitable connection with
the territory which surrounds Us. The evil
is felt among US universally, and every intel
ligent boy Of fifteen years knows that ono OF
the reasons why times are hard and business
dull in his native city is that the trade natu-
rally due to it goes elsewhere for want OF
cheap and quick transportation.
We hope to see lively interest taken in
this question and large vote polled, SO that
il may not be said that the tax was either de-
feated or carried by default Something
must be done to save this city from slow but
certain decadence.