St. Landry democrat., 1879-01-25
Some Results Of Under~ASseSs
slACassS.
New Orleans Times.

Whenever the matter comes to be
thoroughly looked into and q full and
truthful statement of the facts is Oh
tanned, this community and the world
will be surprised at the enormous under
valuation of the aggregate taxable prop
erty of this State. We have adverttd
to this several times already and speci-
fed sales of plantations On tho Coast
and in the Teche country for five or six
times their assessed value; and we are
supplied with official data to show the
enOrmity--wc might almost say the dis
honesty, of it. At some future, though
not distant day we purpose to place a
detailed statement before our readers
in which instances will be multiplied
of plantations assessed at So, 1000, SIS
900, and SO on, which would bring, ut (,
fair, we'll advertised sale on the usual
terms of one-thir,l cash, etc. not less
than 100000 Or $4,000 or upwards in
like proportion. In very many cases
the stock of mules and implements on
the place could not be bought for the
amount at which the whole property is
assessed, thus leaving the plantation
with it's costly machinery and material
scot-free OF taxation. Whatever name
this sort Of thing may go by here. it,
rightful name is dishonesty.
Some Of the finest sugar parishes OF
the State aggregate an assessment OF
less than the legitimate. actual value OF
its live stock and machinery. Yemen
ton as q case in point the largo and
prosperous parish, of Ascension. whose;
entire assessment for all values stands
entire State tax for all purposes is in
a pt j.
notorious that the profits on many in >
dividual plantations for Il single year ~
often more than tN ice the SUM of this
tax, and we could specify six or seven
plantations ont OF the one hundred OF
so embraced in the parish which cannot
be purchased for the amount mt which
the entire property Of the parish is as
scesed. The truth is that ASCENSION,
with its splendid sugar estates, with its
vast area Uf cultivated anti uncultlvahle
land, with its stock and implements and
its fine machinery, with the thriving
town Of DonaldsonviIe, goods, indus
tries, etc, should not, on any basis.
however liberal, he valued at less than
100000.
Looking at these facts, is it any won-
der that our interest on State debt Of
less than S12 100000 cannot lc met; that
our schools are run with teachers so
wretchetlly paid as to leave them virtual
~ paupers that our judges and other
public servants-alWavsc Xccpilngi ncnl-
bcrs of the Legislature and other t"v
oritcs-from the supreme lmnch down
to the porters in the State House. arc
peduling their warrants about the streets
at less than half their face value. Schc
ming politicians and their henchmcn.
corrupt lobbyists and sharks may, and
doubtless do call this good reform gov
eminent and such as the mass of the
peopc delight i'll but We have a faith
that, some day and somehow, popular
opinion will make itself heard in the
demand for a change.
list. To have IL full, fair and equitable
assessment Of the taxable values OF the
State and an equal distribution Of the
burden of government, and
9udly. TO have the school teachers
rightcously paid to secure tho Judge
against the necessity of descending from
the bench and hawking his warrants on
the market-place to sec that our dues
are honestly collected and our debts
honestly dScharsed-that the interest
on our small State debt shall be scrupul-
ously paid and reserve fund provided
for it's eXtinguisllment in due time.
The selfish and reckless greed of the
schemers is in the ascendant just now,
but at last they must come down from
their high places-sOoner, perhaps, than
their arithmetic appears to indicate.