The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-02-20
THE LEGISLATURE AND REFORM

has led US to investigate thoroughly
how far the Legislature is at fault
Elected on a platform Of reform, the
people who had so long suffered from
Radical oppression were induced TO
beiieye that with change IN the
legislative and Executive depart
ments of the State Governments, that
the relief would be certsin and spec
DIV The excessive taxation, which
for several years Frustrated every IN
dustrv and paralized almost the en-
ergy of the people, was the relief
,romised and demanded. How far
have these promises been complied
witb2 and If not complied with, what
are the reasons for the failure?--
Taxation, when our present State
Government went into power, was
l44 mills on the dollar-greater than
any other State in the Union, and al
most ten times as great as in several
of the Northern and Western States.
THIS tax had been levied by the Rad
icsl Legislature during the corrupt
rule of Kellogg, and was continued
by our present Legislature at their
I first session.
/ The peculiar circumstances that
surrounded the Inauguration OF our
State Government in 1877 put it al,
most beyond the power of our Legis-
lature to enter upon the work of re-
form at that time, although many
reform measures were passed redu'
cling Parochial taxation and prohibl
ting Parochial and Municipal au,
! thorities from creating Indebtedness
beyoud The amount of their revenues
The contract with the Louisiana LIE
wee Company was repealed, and the
three mill tax which was levied ane
: collected annually for the benefit o
this corporation will be eliminated
altogether at this session from tn
d list of sppropriations. Besides Their
. was a large reduction in the cost o
. collecting the revenues of The State
4, and many other reform measure
a which, in the aggregate, saved to tn
people the large sum Of FIVE hundre
. and ffty-eight thousand dollars
!; This did not, however, reduce tn
y. rate of taxation.
" 1t is proposed by the House of RI
= representatives to reduce taxation thi
II year to III mills, and this will be
great reduction. But the peopl
need not expect further reduction
9. unless the Legislature determines
o. suspend the payment Of interest o
g the public debt. This debt We
n. fraudulently created in many instal
II ce., and since the destruction OF tn
r. Auditors books, it is impossible
- ascertain the workings of the Fun
or ing Board, of which Kellogg W:
a. chairman, and discriminate betwee
q. the good and the bad. Our scho
ve fund must be reduced, our childr'
he grow up in ignorance, and cons
quently in vice, that the interest
fraudulent debt must be paid
on The present Legislature has not CT
rn- ated a dollar of this indebtedne
he but they are compelled to bear t
Ter odium ofrecreancy to their trust
re; not thoroughly reducing the rate
es- taxation. It's time that they Dug
his to have set the example of reform
J to reducing their own pay, but
,ar- whole body of the Democrats are
1919 responsible for this, for a large Z
ed, iority of the Democratic vote '
.els cast for the reduction. Senator Il
ada, from this District, Randol
from Grant, Smart, from Vernon, q
our large number Of others are reco
ans ed on the right side. Why, th
'pe- denounce the whole body of Del
lem Gratis for the derelictions Of a few
mes We think it but right that the c
ere, press should make the distinct
we'll and place the responsibility
'tel, odium on Democratic individt
just and not on the whole body of D
lal ocrats.
lass The Constitutional Amendme
proposed will meet the approba
ola large majority of the peop.
Gu III The refusal to call a Convention
i'ne cost of perhaps five hundred tt
40 sand dollars, shows the wisdom
oolo the Legislature, and for this act
nree sober second thought of tax pa
gra- citizens throughout the State
puo- commend them. So far then,
gave Democratic members Of the Sc
siieo and House, with but few isolate
stances, deserve the confidence
support of the people.