The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-17
HOW THEY STAND.
VIEWS OF CANDIDATES ON THE STATE
DEBT AND OTHER SUBJECTS.
Position Of Mr.. Immes Mcconnell and Col.
Gus A. Breaux.

To the interrogatories propounded by the
DEMOCRAT reporter, Mr. James Mcconnell,
candidate from the Tenth Representative Dis
tsict as delegate to the convention, and Mr..
Gus A. Breaux, from the Fifth Senatorial
District. have returned the following answers. .
To the Editor Of the Democrat:
NY name having been placed before the
public as a candidate for the convention, with
out solicitation on my part. by some VINO
seemed to think could serve the public In
terests by going there. considered that the
subjects affecting the welfare OF the State in
the formation Of q new constitution were
so very numerous and Of such grave charac-
ter that the people In determining who should
represent them might give little heed to what
candidates would say on the eve OF an elec-
tion, and rather Judge from their past lives
and recordsI as to their honesty, capacity and
fitness for the trust.
Your request, however, to answer certain
questions touching the State debt seems to
require some answer, lest my silence might
be miscOnstrued.
Your first question / answer af1lrmatively.
The second answer In the negative, because
| the legal presumption Is necessarily against
| the existence OF fraud
| In answering the three remaining ques-
| tlons together, / desire to mention some con-
siderations bearing on the public debt which
would influence my action In that connection
| II elected as a member of the convention.
| The financial embarrassments OF the State
and city demand relief In some form, and the
| first and paramount attention of the conven-
| tion must be given 10 devising salutary
measures of relief Ia that respect In my
opinion, such relief will not be found In pre-
cfpitating measures of an extreme character.
1t will not be found in the spirit which will
attempt to exact the pound of flesh In favor
| of the bOndhOlder nor will 1t be found La the
spirit of repudiation, which would at once
sacrifice public honor and credit and make
the name OF the State OF Louisiana the
synonym of faithlessness. hope and believe
! that the assembled wisdom of the convention
will, after thoughtful consideration of the
whole subject, devise such measures as will
| rebuhe and Danish the reckless spirit Of COM
munism from our midst, restore public conf
dence, and with 1t public prosperity, and
| afford substantial relief to the people.
| 10 accomplish this sunderstandnglyt the pub
| lie debt should be thoroughly overbauled and
| Investigated, not only for the purpose, Ii pos
sible, Of eliminating the fraudulent portion.
| but also for the proper adjustment OF taxa
| tion for all purposes, which must be reduced
| to such rate as will operate relief to an over
taxed people, and reasonably insure its coli
| lection.
II is true that provision In one of the
amendments to the present constitution pro-
payment of interest on the consolidated State
| bonds; but 1t s also undeniabe that 1t is In
the power of the convention TO affect this
provision SO far as 1t may be deemed objection
|
reduction of the assessment OF the property
upon which this tax Is to be levied, and
thus practically a method is open for adop-
| tion by which the interest on. the public debt
may be eonstitutionally reduced. This view
of the matter will commend itself to the bond
| holders as reason for consenting to some
equitable adjustment OF their demands.
| When you speak OF reducing the salaries OF
| officers, Of eliminating useless officers and OF
reducing the general expense, you indicate
measures of reform which all honest men
| favor; which are not only necessary, but
which, when you put In operation, Will re-
plenish the public treasury and enable tn the
| State IN future to maintain her pledged faith.
IL seems to me that this work Of retrench-
ment should be accomplished by thorough in
vestigation into "a the proper subjects OF tax
alton; ~ the equalization OF aSseSsmentS for
taxation throughout the State and (3) more
effective and less expensive methods of secur-
ing the prompt collection OF taxes. AS an
| illustration OF the fact, we know that the
homestead OF the poor man or the widow
never escape taxation, and are often assessed
for more than they would realize In cash.
while 1t is notorious that capital invested
otherwise than In real estate enjoys compar-
ative immunity from taxation.
AS an illustration OF the necessity for the
| equalization OF assessment for taxation, 1t 1s
undeniable that the real estate Of New Orleans
Is over assessed, when compared with the
real estate in the country. The provision
in former constitutions, that taxation should
be equal and uniform throughout the State
| has signally failed to protect the citizens OF
New Orleans In this respect, and they have q
| right to demand at the hands Of the conven-
tion the enactment OF such provisions as will
secure @ just and proper equalization OF
| assessment for taxation 50 that they shall
| not be made to bear an undue proportion oil
the burden OF the public debt OF the State.
When these and other proper measures
| shall have been adopted to reduce and equal
ize the State debt, and to increase the public
md limit
derstandingly be placed by the convention,
| beyond which legislative power OF taxation
In future shall not extend.
| 1t Is plain to see that there are interests OF
vital Importance to the State-indeed, to its
very existence-to be protected and fostered
out OF the public revenues, which take prece-
dence from necessity to the consideration OF
the public debt; such, for example, as the
support necessary for an economical admin
| istration of the government, the educational
interests, the pressing public charities, and
the aid necessary for the proper support OF
the great laboring interests OF the State, agr1-
cultural, mechanical and commercial, upon
the proper encouragement and development
of which must depend the ability of the State
TO meet the obligations to her creditors, either
| in whole or in part.
The convention must not and will not as
semble in the spirit OF despondeney, but
| liz the spirit Of intelligent hopefulness,
with determination on the part of all Its
members tOgive these and all the great inter-
ests of the State the benefit of the best con-
sideration of patriotic and honest men special
| ly convened for that purpose.
| While it Is improper to exaggerate, 1t is
criminal in this crisis to underestimate the
value of the resources Of this State. These
| resources will be utilized But venture to say
that the essential element in the policy de-
vised, or that will be adopted by the conven-
tion to relieve the people from their emhar-
rassments and oppressive burdens, will be
distinguished by the maintenance at all
hazards OF the honor, the good faith and the
consequent ereditof the State. Your obedient
servant, J. MCCONNELL.
/ concur in the above views.
Gus. A. BREAUX.
VIEWS OF Mr.. VIM. CONWAY.
At meeting of the third ward voters, held
at 10 o'clock Sunday morning, the following
named gentlemen were unanimously Sc
lected as candidates to the constitutional con-
Vention: VIM. Conway for the Fifth Sena-
torial District, and Messys. Danl Moriarty,