The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-08-03
WHO SUFFERS MOs'fg

WHO SUFFERS MOsfY
When property is destroyed iii riot
the city or county in which the riot
occurs has to pay the damage. Such is
the law.
After the draft riots of 1868 in this
city the damages done to private prop
erty were ascertained to be, in round
numbers, 81 $50, 900, and that vast sum
was paid out Of the city treasury to the
persons who had been, damaged. 1t
was paid TO them in money either Dor
rowed by the city government or added
to the taxation of that year thus at the
end, the loss in that case fell upon the
tax payers. There it must fall in every
such case.
In the same way, the property which
has now been destroyed in Pittsburgh,
Buffalo, Baltimore and other places,
will have to be paid for by the tax
payers Of those places. The reason for
this is evident. 1t is the duty of every
city and every county to protect prop
erty within its limits; and when
through neglect OF this duty or through
the incompetency Of the proper author
tiles to perform it in AN efficient man
ner, the property is destroyed, the city
and county which has thus failed to do
its duty must make good the damage
which has resulted in consequence Of
its failure.
Now, who is it that suffers the most
when such damages are paid by the
taxpayers? Is it the rich man? No;
because he has more means to pay his
part with, and has accordingly to di-
minish, only to II comparatively small
extent, the usual comforts OF his mode
of living. Is it the man Of II small in
come VINO is we'll established in his
business ? No; the added taxation
causes him Inconvenience, but it does
not turn him out OF house ana home.
Upon what kind Of men, then, does
taxation: for property destroyed in riots
most severely weigh? We will answer
this question plainly, for it is 4 ques
ton OF Importance just at present.
There are two sorts of men affected
more injuriousIy than all others by the
destruction of property in riots and
strikes; and they are, first, labOring
men with no other capital than their
skill and their industry; and, secondly,
ginning in life and anxious to improve
their condition. The laboring men
suffer first from the general paralysis
which riots and strikes cause in all
kinds of labor and Of business. They
want work, and there is no work for
them to do because the strike or the
riot has stopped work. They want
bread and clothes for their children,
and they can earn bread and clothes no
longer, because the general amount
of work to be done has been so
diminished. At the same time
the rent of their poor habitations has
increased because taxes have increased
and in the same way the price Of all
the necessaries OF life is enhanced be-
cause of this now taxation. Therefore
we say that those who suffer the most
painfully from the effects Of riots and OF
such strikes rs are now going on, and
from the destruction OF property thus
are the laborins men without
money and with families. This is not
because any legislation of man has
made it SO; it is not u punishment in
fiicted by any human power; it is SO
because such is the nature OF things,
and it cannot be otherwise.
But while the laboring men with
families suffer the most painfully from
these causes, and while their sutferings
are peculiarly worthy Of sympathy, the
young who are just beginning life with
no capital but with strength in their
muscles and hope in their hearts, and
with the ardent desire to improve their
young men excite our
a great deal more. They
are in no way responsible for the mis-
chief that has been done, and yet it
strikes them the hardest of all, because
it adds infinitely to the difficulties in
their way, if it does not stop their adj
vance altogether,
The facts and principles we have
now stated are simple and elementary.
Every body ought to understand them
yet how much Of evil might have been
,verted if they had been firmly fixed
in the mind of every citizen of this
during the last fortnight II
~. Y. SIN.
POLL-TAX.
The State of Virginia has amended
, .ll to b,Ap l.