New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-19


good part nonresident shippers, so to
speak, and object violently to imposing
any further "burdens" on their estimated
forty million dollars of real estate.
There are others who honestly believe
that this tax win impair the value of their
property still more They make two
prominent objections to the vote:
l. That those who pay no part of the
taxation ought not to vote.
q That as the city has been taxed for
the construction of railroads which are
now insolvent, it follows that new rail-
road will add to these burdens.
The REPUBLICAN, as the advocate of that
universal suffrage which has been accepted
by people of all parties, has long since
shown that it would be great injustice to
demand of an able-bodied man, who has
no property, the defense of property in
the field, or its protection from fire or
food, without entire equality of political
rights. Certainly if these men will neither
abandon property to pillage in war, or
when in flames, they might be credited
with enough intelligence and virtue to
abstain from wanton injury to the same
property by imposing onerous taxes
upon it. These non-property holders
are as the passengers upon the stranded
ship; their life and labor, though of no
consequence to those who own the cargo
are yet worth to them any rate, however
high. After the general acceptance of
universal suffrage, without regard to color
or past condition, we are surprised to
find any very numerous opponents to its
exercise.
We would repeat and impress our for
mer vindication of two railroads upon
the construction of which the city is
taxed with an annual interest. We assert
under correction that before the war the
city was never called on to guarantee
cent on her Endorsement of the construc-
ton bonds of the Jackson or Opelousas
roads. What has happened since? A war
for which neither of those companies nor
the holders of their bonds can be held re-
sponsible. These two roads we're in good
credit and running condition at the date
stated. The Condolences occupied and
run them until the Federals came in pos
session of the city. These two military
powers wore out these roads and SO de-
stroyed their rolling stock that both roads
were completely disabled at the peace.
ALI remember the strenuous efforts of
our merchants and engineers, among
whom we may mention especially the late
W. S. Pike and G. W. R. Bayley, Esq,
to reinstate the Opelousas road and to re-
gain the grant of public lands forfeited
under operation Of the laws of Congress.
Judge Shackelfosd, of Mississippi, and
General Beauregard were in turn intTusted
with the restoration of the Jackson rail-
road. The dilapidated condition Of both
these roads and the dific ulties of putting
them in use are perfectly within our own
recollection. During the three or four
| years in which these roads were ruined
and without earnings the interest on the
bonds continued to accrue and accumu-
late; would it be just, therefore, to say
that these roads, thus ruined, establish
the fact that any money subscribed to any
future railroad must be attended with a
similar loss? This would be bad reason
ing to any citizen of New Orleans who
may have participated in the losses Of
war. 1t is sophistry that may go down
with nonresident property holders, who
were out of range in New York, Paris OF
Rotterdam during the war.
Let, however, any citizen take up a
daily paper and see the passengers and
freights brought in by rail. Let the sixty
millions of dollars worth Of merchandise
brought to our merchants by all rail for the
year ending with September last be taken
into consideration. Look even ct two
religious conventions, most of whose
members have arrived by railroad, and
will any taxpayer say that these railroads
should be charged with the ruin of New
Orleans for the deferred or lost Interest
she has to pay on account of their wal
ruin? Suppose any one should propose
to tear up these alleged authors Of on
ruin; would not every property holder
mechanic and laborer in the city unite il
remonstance, or even in resistance2 NJ
city can exist without railroads, and New
Orleans had as well renounce her levee
as to abandon the attempt to reach tn
trade of Texas at any cost that may b
necessary.
Our advocacy Of the railroad is pre-
Dictated on a guarantee Of the honest an,
economical application of the money t
the work. The railroad authorities wi
see the indispensable necessity Of givin
these assurances. This having been don
to the satisfaction of the voters, ever
property holder, capitalist, merchant
: mechanic, laborer and Ioafer ought to g
the polls and build the road to Texas.
THE FISCAL AGENCY.
The recent change in the State fsc,