The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-25
PACIFIC BILL.

~ S1 II" j.
- d. III upon the Legisla-
,e,s 4 lance OF the New Or
p...8sr s. pis city and State. 1t
3 l...sr.,tf = M bills may be intro
~ i.,ale The relief OF the State
- p md discriminating pro-
80 ,nnv h lined in these bills, no
ss,ysfhst Dt look to the enhance
l1..ss tllp 10 values OF the State can
1870 pp It relief. It will do us but
n. gvd. It little of but temporary
.sseAar. plong perfecting our system
sssssef1 dld taxation, SO long as the
'.t..utr.r a Is the source OF revenue con-
W. III sac more and more worthless
I'll dav b 5y. The only practical meas
- III rtaIat are such as develop the re-
...rcas Of the country such as make prop
"a valuable as enable taxpayers to
- their obligations, and such as induce
..nstalists to become taxpayers.
FIRST among measures of this kind is the
N IN Aid OF the New Orleans Pacific road.
rgsvthing that we are induced to say In be-
IN q this bill Is based on the confidence,
~n0untng to absolute certainty, that the
~r3rol Of this enterprise liz In the hands Of
srpsst men, who propose and intend to carry
~. 10 the letter, every obligation that may
Z imposed upon them by the legislation they
q ssking for. We also believe that the rep
snmtstions they are making in order to Sc
~ this legislation are as honest as their pur-
-, They say to the Legislature, In con-
.usence OF the circumstances which deprived
80 OF the benefits Of the act OF 1875 they
80 compelled, In order to carry on
~ work on their road, to use
Al own credit and to pledge their
AZ mortgage bonds to the extent of
ko0,OoO. The money obtained on the first
eortgage is represented by stock held by the
hdders thereof, and by work already done on
~ road. There ID no concealment whatever
a this point. But, says the company, our
. scond mortgage bonds, for the $4,000, 900 we
ask your Endorsement for, is as good as the
! frst mortgage for 100000, and they make a
moving that cannot be controverted. This
showing, we are free to say, is entirely
satisfactory to us, and we see no
reason for apprehension on the part OF even
the most solicltous stickIer for the State
credit. But even were this not the case we
should none the less urge the passage Of this
bill
10 cases OF this kind the State can afford to
take chances The universal prostration of all
our material interests justifies the public au-
thorities In taking hold OF all such measures,
md even In risking somewhat to subserve
them. To-day twenty million dollars worth
d the real estate Of this city Is vacant and
psys not cent to its owners. The same
legend is written against the tax roll OF every
parish In the State. How is the trouble
TO be remedied2 By equalizing tax
|Eion? By amending the assessment
and revenue laws By providing for
The pro rata payment of the interest fund? By
retiring the floating debt by making warrants
receivable for delinquent taxes? Not at all.
Such expedients are but temporizing-th
tAldest and most profltless Podsnappery, the
merest putting OF disagreeable things behind
our backs, to slip around and confront us
egain at critical moments.
Let us rather give our prayerful attention
70 measures that promise to make things
better. We are now greatly disturbing our
selves over quarantine law, for example
10 this we have no objection, yet there has
never been great commercial city built up,
great mart established, or great trade
preserved by any such law.
The plague did not destroy Geneva, nor
London, nor will yellow fever ruin New Or
kans The decadence OF our city Is not at
tibutable to epidemics, to her surface drain
age or her contiguity to the tropics. Trans
verse lines Of railroad have been the sole
cause OF our misfortunes. All that we have
to do is to make New Orleans the most prof
table market In the South, and it will not
matter at all whether we are accounted yell
low fever city or not. Yellow fever does not
Keep away from here the 100000 bales of cot
ton, raised within q radius of 700 miles Of New
Orleans, which now go to Norfolk and leave
there "a per bale. This fact Is due to the SUI
perior facilities for transportation which lie
through Norfolk to the markets OF the world
There Is but one way to induce this cotton
70 come here, and that Is, not by passing
quarantine laws or equalizing assessments,
but by supplying facilities superior to those
offered by Norfolk. This can be done only by
aiding such enterprises as the New Orleans
Pacific road. This road penetrates the rich
sst region Of Louisiana. 1t establishes direct
Ind cheap communication with Texas. 1t
'estores our Intercourse with people natu-
ally our allies and friends, who have been
orcibly taken from us by the enterprise Of
:. Louis and Cincinnati, but who would /
lady re-establish their social and CONNER
ial relations with us. Will we forego this
are opportunity to advance our interests on |
mere lawyers bubble?
This is the last opportunity we shall have
urge this measure. We would leave moth
V unsaid that might secure its success.
Those who know us best know, also. that
'e could not be 80 importunate for any meas
re, or in any interest, that we did not be-
We to be honest in its intent and as assured
success as 1t Is possible for human projects
be. We urge upon our friends to cast
side all apprehensions, to yield all personal
oubts, and give their undivided support tn
his bill w.
nnY7nTrun nrror