New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-03

nents Of the Republican party, apprOpri.
ated $17 ,l29. $50, an excess of appropriation
over revenue for those years Of $l3,750,
$50.
During the past summer our new con
soils were admitted upon the New York
Stock Exchange and are now quoted
among other upquestoned bonds in the
markets of this country and of Eu
rope. As the nature of these bonds and the
guarantees by which they are surrounded
become more widely known they can not
fail to appreciate in vslae. The interest on
oil bonds funded up to date has been
promptly met at maturity. Payment of the
interest falling due January 9, 1877, is an
nounced. Political difficulties have rem
dered ne collection Of taxes somewhat
slow and 1t has not been thought desirable
to nasten the funding of the bonds which
-till remain 10 be converted. The interest
fund is intact and can not be diverted for
any purpose. 1t is believed the delinquent
taxes to come in will be sufficient to pay
the interest on every outstanding bond and
also on those that yet remain to be funded
1t is matter of history that the measures
by which the debt of the State has been re-
duced and taxation and expenditures have
effect by the Repub lean party with the aid
Of many Conservative business men of the
community, against the united efforts of
the political party opposed to the present
State administration. The Justice and ma
cessity of these provisions are now, believe,
admitted by all, and their validity is IN
questioned. regret to note that at the re.
cent election other constitutional amend
ments reducing the salaries Of officials, Nm-
ting the expenses of the General Assembly
ana abolishiDg supeIfuOus offices have been
defeated by votes cast apparently by both
political parties. The inference remains
that no party organic alton, as sueb, can be
entirely trusted to carry out measures in
the public interest which tend to reduce
the rewards and emolnments of political
success, and that further measures of relief
in this direction, if attained at all, must pro-
coed, as heretofore, from the cooperation of
moderate and conservative men with that
organic alton which manifests most clearly
desire to advance the general welfare.
The assumption that Southern States can
not prosper under governments elected in
strict accordance with the requirements of
the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments to the constitution of the
United States, is disproved by the unan-
swerabls logic of facts. The assess
ment rolls of the different parishes
of the State for the year 1875, filed in
the office of the State Auditor, give in.
structive statistics of the agricultural pro
auctions of that year. From several Of the
parishes complete returns were not made.
1t is fair to assume, as they are tax returns,
that none Of them err on the side of over
stating results. In fitty-three out of fifty
seven parishes, with q cultivated area of
one million nine hundred and thirty-four
nine hundred and seven acres
and an uncultivated area of ten million
nine hundred and thirty.four thousand nine
hundred and seven acres, the products of
the year are shown 10 have been three hun.
dred Thousand bales of cotton, one hundred
hOgsheads of sugar two hundred
and thirty five thousand barrels of molasses
one hundred and seventy-fve thousand
barrels of rice and over six million bushels
Of corn. Returns for the year just closed
have thus far been received from only
fOrty-ei ght ont Of ifty,seven parishes, but
careful computations place the probable
yield at four hundred and fifty Thousand
bales Of cotton, one hundred and eiRhty-six
hOgsheads of sugar, three hundred
and sixty-four Thousand barrels Of molasses
and two hundred and seventy thousand bar
rels of rice, with more than sufficient corn to
supply all home demands. These statistics do
not include cypress lumber, moss and other
products, nor do they include many
other items which go largely to make up
the agricultural wealth of the State, as for
oranges and other fruits, tobacco,
one variety of which is cultivated to q con-
siderable extent in several parishes, oats
and other cereals which in the hill districts
are successfully raised, and meatcattle
and vegetables in the rearings of which the
State is almost selfsuppOrting. All these
considered, it is safe to say that the value
Of the products of the State during the
present year will range from ffty-ave to
sixty millions Of dollars. BY whom have
these results been producedG Not to
any Improbable extent by white labor. II
Is one of the lamentAble legacies of slavery
hat by large class of the white popuIa.
ton the cultivation Of the soil Is regarded
as badge of degradation. The cotton and
sugar and rice, which maintain the COM
nerce Of New Orleans and afford support to
the great bulk Of the population of our
chief city are the products of free colored
labor.
The fact is indisputable that the agricul-
bural districts of the State are rapidly gain
ing in prosperity, while the city of New Or
leans, the chief centre of turbulence and
political discord, is daily declining in
wealth. Our cotton crop Is equal to that Of
the most prosperous years before the war;
the sugar crops have largely increased; the
rice crops have nearly trebled within the
asst few years. No country in the world, no
State in the Union with similar advantages
IF sAlubrious climate, offers equal induce
nents to immigration. The rich sugar
ands on the Teche and elsewhere yieId
1ne hundred and Fifty TO two hundred dol
ars an sore and are taxed upon low as
'essments, not more than five to ten
dollars an sore, while lands In Western
States, assessed q hundred per cent
higher are not one-fOnrth &c produo.
i've. The State Is deficient only in 4
healthy public sentiment that will aid in