The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-08-09
WHOLE NO. 16l.
the New York World, from which we

the New York World, from which we
make some curious extracts:
| "a Well-known merchant of this
city, who has just returned from a
trip in the south, after spending sew
eral weeks in New Orleans, was ques-
toned by 4 representative of the
| World yesterday in regard to the pres
ent condition of that section of the
country. In reply he said that the
change which has come over the
southern people of late, and espe-
cially over the people Of Louisiana
since the dead-weight of misrule has
been lifted from their shoulders, is
simply marvellous. The general ap-
probation of property, he said, is not
speculation, but arises from the fact
that hitherto no one dared to own
property OF to show anything subject
to assessment on account OF the greed
and plumber Of the carpet-baggers.
No one could paint Il house for fear of
attracting the attention of the asses
sors. BY the most ingenious cruelty
the robbers of the various political
rings passed law paying to assessors
i
property. The consequence was that
a dwelling house. worth. in the old
times, $4,000 and reduced by the
general depression to IS 900, would be
valued by the assessor at ss25, 900, and
a tax of 3 1-2 or per cent would be
levied. SO that the taxes exceeded the
rental. Any Improvement or occupa-
| tiOn of a house or store was lmme-
diately followed by an increased val
uation; hence, although hundreds OF
| people in the south desired to topurchase
property. no one dared to do SO within
the city limits Of New Orleans. In
| the one short month of the restOra-
tion Of honest government under Gov.
| Nichols, however, with a certainty as
to honest taxation and valuation,
property has again acquired market
value, and the sales within the last
thirty days in the Crescent City are
coming back again to a fair condition
of value according to the location and
cost of construction. From 25 to 40
per cent is q reasonable estimate OF
| the selling rates upon real property,
both stores and dwelling houses.
Formerly, continued the reporters
informant, New Orleans had accomo-
dations for $780, 900 people, but by the
withdrawal of families to the lnte-
rior, by the removal of merchants to
northern cities, and by the general
desolatlon ca .sed during fifteen years
of misrule, the population has fallen
off 90 per cent, leaving just SO much
vacant property open through those
miserable and wretched years to any
tenant who would pay the taxes and
repairs. Now the New Orleans COM
munity confidently anticipate the
return to their city of the merchants
and capital from Louisville, st. Louis,
Cincinnati, and other cities, whose
intercourse with New Orleans is most
intimate, and now they begin to hope
for the filling up of their population.
The banking capital, too, disappear
ed. 1t was formerly 100000. 600. and
has been reduced to sc, 100000. 1t is
generally supposed that the profits or
the southern planters for the last few
years lies distributed in the pockets
of the people, and that in the interior
of Louisiana and the adjoining states
there is more actual money in hand
than ever before. No one dared TO
deposit LII tile Dtnks Iur Itar Oh d levy
or some aggressions upon the banking
institutiOns-a natural fear in view Of
the enormities practiced by the car.
pet-bag administration in every di-
rection. Tweed's regime in New
York was model Of virtue compared
with the offscOurings of the earth who
have been kept in power in Louisiana
BY the aid Of federal bayonets. Many
of these public officials own splendid
residences and some Of the finest busi-
ness property on Canal street. Loaded
down with their rObberies and fiaunt-
ing their ill-acquired wealth in the
faces of their victims. they them
selves have enjoyed perfect immunity
from the taxing and assessing power
exercised upon the home population.
1t is difficult to describe the salts
faction, cheerfulness. and hope ex-
hibited in New Orleans ut the present
time. The people show entire conf
dence in the honesty and integrity of
the present governor. There is a
hopeful feeling everywhere that a
new era is beginning for Louisiana.
The Eads channel will give the port
large ships; the construction of the
new road from Houston to New Of-
leans, now in progress. is expected to
bring to that city the Texas trade;
!. barges are bringing down from st.
!. Louis large quantities Of corn, and
before long it is hoped that New Or
leans will again. as she did twenty
years ago, export more grain than any
other seaport. The cotton merchants
confidently look to obtain their full
share of Texas cotton. and expect
that the amount of this staple shipped
from New Orleans will in two or
three wears reach 1900, 900 bales. The
sugar planters are RAPIDLY restoring
the old plantations; they have had
two very profitable cropssOf sug ar and
there is an active demand for planta-
, tions which have stock Of seed-cane
on hand" % sa;