The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-30
BILL NO. 303 AND DELINQUENT TAN
PAYERS

The Bee expresses surprise at our ap-
proval of House bill No. 1903, which pro-
vides for the reception by the city OF
certain certificates of its Indebtedness
in payment of taxes due for the years
1879, 1874 and 1876, but does not specify
any objection to the bill other than the
one which we stated to be the only one
which we had heard raised against it,
namely, that it will enable delinquent
taxpayers to discharge their obligations
to the city on easy terms by pur-
chasing these certificates at low rates.
We characterized this objection as
being devoid Of force, because it
lis based, not upon any principle
OF right or law, but upon tho moro as
sumption that the holders of these GER
tificates will rush into the market and
unload them at sacrifice to themselves
in order to benefit delinquent taxpayers.
and because III they should pursue the
opposite course the whole argument
falls to the ground. We still adhere to
this opinion. We are accustomed to
discussing public questions from the
standpoint of principle, without regard
to the private interests that may be con-
nected with or involved in them, and
when we find merit or demerit in any
measure. we do not hesitate to COM
mend or condemn it. At the same
time, 80 far from being ourselves in
fallible in judgment, we shall always
cheerfully yield any position assumed
by us when it shall be shown that such
position Ia not tenable. So far as House
bill No. 303 is concerned, we find in it
simply proposition looking to the dis
charge Of liabilities to the city with GER
tificates Of the city's own indebt-
edness, and we utterly fail to see
upon what principle of law or morals
the city can object to this with
out confessing its intention or desire
to repudiate its obligations incurred in
payment for services actually rendered.
What would be thought Of merchant
who should refuse to receive in payment
OF debts to himself his own notes, nego-
tiated in the regular course Of CONNER
cial business, on the ground that these
notes were purchased by his debtor for
less than their nominal par value?
Such refusal would be equivalent to a
confession on his part that he had at
tempted fraud when he offered his
notes for discount, and would utterly
blast his credit. Can our city govern
-ment afford to place itself in so humili-
ating predicament?
We have not the remotest idea how or
by what class Of persons these certifi-
Gates are held, nor do we remember
ever having seen one Of them, but we,
in common with all citizens who have at
heart the credit and good name Of New
Orleans, desire to see the city relieved
from the reproach and imputation OF
bad faith which will rest upon it so long
as its floating Indebtedness remains
practically repudiated. We, in turn,
are surprised at hearing it stated that
such mode Of paying back taxes as is
furnished by the bill in question is
an injustice done to those who have
promptly paid their taxes. The pay
ment of taxes is the first duty OF every |
good citizen, and he is certainly not a |
good citizen who will refuse to make
such payment because some delinquent
taxpayers may, at some future time, be
relieved Of a part Of their burden through |
legislation. If there are de-
iinquent taxpayers, it seems to us that
Il is the fault of the authorities them
selves. Let them vigorously enforce the
laws for the collection Of taxes. 1t is |