The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-16
THE REAL EVIL.

W.,
miserable subterfuge, base lie. under whio
1t Is hoped to escape O fair and lust assess
menu Oh property The Times spurns wit
contempt the views and statements as to I'll
condition OF the State made BY her best. tr,les
ana most Intelligent citizens, and claims I
know better than all these the resources Z
NE people, presumptuously asserting tina
They can and ought TO pay tho 51ls mills inter
est tax, and that eternal disgrace will b
their portion If they fail to do so. Finally
that journal concludes nearly column o
abuse of the State with the following para
graph:
the people OF Louisiana are bankrupt Is doinf
mqIe injury to the state than taxation ever did
H diasuades emigration II drives away eapital
y INJURIES the credit OF our merchants. And al
| th,s talk about our poverty and inability to pay
| while It Injuries tho commercial and financial
standing oil the State and Of our people does
not deceive those who have an interest ia know
| Ing the truth. and does not and will not remove
| the stain Of dishonor which Reputation will FL
| upon the commonwealth
This Ia certainly curious proposition, anf
one coming from the Times, which smaeks Of
audaclty. During period of ten years the
Republican party, OF which the proprietors Of
the Times were stalwart members and lead
ers, had absolute control OF Louisiana, and
Its rule was an uninterrupted carnival of mis-
government and plumber. For the greater
part OF the time the State rate Of taxation
| was "a mills, to say nothing Of municipal and
parish taxes, and It never, webelieye, fell below
~ mills. Enormous sums Of money were
extorted from the taxpayers, and the people
received nothing In return save q corrupt,
prof1igate and tyrannical government. The
country may realize the character of the
Radical administrations which cursed Lou
isiana, when we state that they cost the city
and State over one hundred and nine millions
Of dollars or sixty-eight millions Of dollars
more than the State and city governments
could have been carried on for under the new
constitution. The proprietors Of the Times
were Radicals and held office under these adj
ministrations, and yet they now presume to
dictate what line of action the people whom
they have thus despoiled shall pursue and to
lecture them upon questions of honesty and
honor. Yesterday we printed some
choice bits Of billingsgate from the
recent editorials OF the Times Ia which
Lcuisianians are denounced as regulators
and robbers, and from which it appears that
Editor Clinton bears rs malevolent a hatred
OF the people he Is featuring on public honor
and credit as Auditor Clinton bore these same
people when he denounced them as white rebel
skunks and was "remitting' their money by
thousands to Radical defaultlng tax collec-
tors.
Under the circumstances we think that
sense and common decency should
prompt the Times to cease denouneing the
Convention which framed the debt ordinance
and the people who are going to ratify it.
That ordinance does not propose or mean
reputation. 1t was honestly and sincerely
intended to do justice to the public creditors
and Mt the same time protect the people,
Ibis being its character the people ought to
aud they will ratify 1t despite the howlings
OIL tho Times. We are as much opposed
20 reputation as any holder Of Lou
lsiana bonds. TO repudiate for the
scandalous purpose OF avoiding the pay
nent q It's debts Is, tn our opinion and In the
opinion Of the civilized world, the most dis
graceful and cowardly act sovereignty can
oerpetfate. But the exercise OF its sover-
dignity by q State In a fair adjustment Of its
as is proposed In this ordinance,
s not reputation and the Times and Its bot
le-holders cannot make 1t such If they howl
Until the crack Of DOOM
Regarding the debt ordinance Ia this light |
ve have urged and still urge It's adoption
lpon The people. It's rejection might, indeed
make a difference Of one mill In taxation In
avor Of tho taxpayers, but it would place us
n an ugly light before the civilized world
ND the light in which we are to stand in the
uture will affect every material interest OF
be State.
We have not hesitated to speak freely Of the
impoverished condition Of the State because
We believe that the country should under
fand on circum instances, that 1t may Justly
stlinate our acts. That we have rich aud
bundant resources, as the Times alleges, is
rue. and the very fact that, with such WON
erinl resources. with such marvellous means
1 Incorporation. Louisiana is SO impoverished
fter eight years of Radical rule demons
trates the corrupt and profligate character
the party out OF whose ranks the proprle-
ors OF tho Times have emerged to become
" guides. monitors and dictators.
The assertion Of that sheet that the cry Of
ankruptcy IS doing the State more harm
han taxation ever did, Is what might be
expected from that source. The Times would
lady inspire the people with the belief
hat 1T Is more consistent with their dignity
nd more to their Interest to sell their seed
orn to pay the 81 mills interest tax than to
lake u fair. manly and honest showing OF
lefr poverty and q righteous compromise
18th the public creditors. Beside, It would be
lore agreeable to the officials OF the late Rad
al party, OF the late officials OF the Radical =,
arty, to make their Victims appear In as
I'D light as possible and as the architects
their own misfortunes. But the po- :
tical economist Of the Times will find
impossible to convince any reasoning !,
sing that the frank exposure of the reduced )
ealth of Louisiana is doing her interests E.
ore harm than the levying of "a mills taxa
IN and the extortion Of more than a hun
ed millions Of dollars. to say nothing OF
e millions OF debt accomplished during