The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-13
petty offenses, it should be co-extensive with


J for school and road purposes, and for tn
purpose of local police as may be deeme,
wise by the Legislature, but with power onl,
to assess the amount on the property OF tn,
ward, which In all cases should be collected
under general laws and returned to tn
ward by the proper parochial authorities.
This little republic Is not, therefore com
plete until we provide for the exchequer
There must be a ward treasurer and O ware
assessor, the assessor TO list the persona
property Of the ward once year, not only fol
local purposes, but for all purposes of taxa
tion, ward, parochial and State, which Is Il
be returned to the auditor of the parish, as
hereafter stated; the ward treasurer to b.
The custodian OF all funds derived from tax
alton for the benefit Of the ward, to be paid OF
The order Of the ward commissioners, In pur
suance OF general laws. AS to real estate
} which should be reappraised at least once In
Six years, different regulation must be
made III local assessment should be made
by the ward commissioners for some loca
purpose, In accordance with general laws Ol
the State, they are to certify the amount tC
the parish auditor, who Is to make the levy
on1he ward property, along with other taxes
and the whole amount when collected by the
parish treasurer, as hereafter stated. to be
'eturned to the ward treasurer
After the ward we have the village, the
town and the city; These need thorough
reorganization. Towns and cities should be
divided into classes according to population
and territory, and governed accordingly
The village should be governed as part of
the ward In which 1t 10 situated, but should
have, In addition to the officers OF the ward,
q mayor, marshal and street commissioner OF
Its own, elected by its citizens who are quail
| fled voters. The mayor to be eI Ofcio JUS
tice OF the peace, having the same jurisdic-
ton as justices In general, and as committing
magistrates within the territorial limits OF
the village, the marshal in such cases to
| act as his constable With certain popula-
tlOn village council should be elected by
| general ticket, to make necessary ordinances
and police regulations. in which the mayor
be regulated by general laws, and the
council to have power to levy taxes and
assessments for improvements in the village,
under the limitations of general statutes on
the subject Towns should be regulated IN
the same manner until they reach certain
population, when they should be considered
as cities OF the second class. and then their
Legislative department should consist of a
common council, elected from the wards, and
q board Of aldermen elected by combination
OF wards SO as to give fair representation with
out being unwieldy In numbers. In such
large towns or cities of the second class, all
elections, whether for State or parochial Off
GERS, should be held In each ward of such city,
and the member Of the council for the ward
and two qualified citizens OF the ward, to be
elected by the voters yird yoce on the morn
ing OF the election, standing at the polls,
should be the judges of such election who
should perform their duties the same as the
ward commissioners at all general eleo-
tions, the judges to select two
clerks. suitable salary should be paid the
mayor, marshal and street commissioner, but
the members of the council and aldermen to
act without pay, except when the former act
rs judges of election But in such case the
mayor should pay over all fees received, as
Justice OF the peace, into the city treasury.
and towns Of the State as now governed but
In cities Of the first class the change would
be radical and complete. The present gov
eminent of the city of New Orleans is so
ridiculous that 1t s laughable.. monster Of
five heads, without body or tail, it is without
parallel In the history of municipal organ-
cations. 1t is an organized ring without the
necessity OF corrupt collision, because neither |
department is check upon the other.
There are five executive officers, but
no legislative or judicial authority. They
meet, 1t Is true, In joint assembly and call |
this the council, but 1t Is misnomer and
fraud. They meet simply to make q joint |
registry OF what each Is pleased to do.
and a government in accord with the genius |
of our institutions should be substituted |
There should be mayor, common council |
and board Of aldermen elected by the people |
Of the wards. There should be city auditor |
a city comptroller, a city treasurer, attorney
and street commissioner. The recorders |
should be abolished and single police court |
or II one court is not sufficient to |
IranSacI Inc BUSINESS, leu Lhe CITY DC divided
INTO police districts, as necessity may require,
and have judge for each. All these officers
should be elected by the people, with reason
able salaries-the mayor not over three
and the others twenty-five hundred
each, but the councilmpn and aldermen to
serve without pay, except when the former
act as judges of elections, as before stated.
The city should be divided into suitable dis
lricts tor the election Of justices of the peace
md constables as now, but limiting the juris-
inti nf nc nh tn hn nv hnt
may be elected, except In cases where they
ict as committing magistrates, when 1t
should be cO-cxtensve with the parish Of Or
cans, for they are not, properly speaking,
,ity officers. The city should have control of
is own schools and charitable institutions,
With power to provide warehouses, houses If
'efuge, as now done in all well-governed
titles; and the power to tax for all useful
purposes should be literally granted by the
state, but under strict limitations as to
AMOUNT in any one year, and be utterly pro-
libted from creating any debts, unless in
Eases of invasion or insurrection or other
)rOvidential calamity. There should here
lfter be no special acts Of incorporation for
,ilages, towns and cities, but all should be
organized and governed by general laws.
Next comes the parish. This political
iivision needs thorough overhauling. The
,fficers should be parish auditor, treasurer
prosecuting attorney, recorder, sheriff and
surveyor. There should be parish court
consisting Of single Judge, except for Or
cans and other parishes, who should have
Jurisdiction both civil and criminal, and in
matters of succession. He should have
appellate jurisdiction over justices OF I
he peace and mayors of towns and
'illages in all sums over twenty
I've dollars, coordinate jurisdiction with
hem in all sums Of 500 to $500, and original
Jurisdiction in all sums over $780, His court
hould be open all the year for the admins
ration of succession matters, and once every
hree months to hear and determine civil and
criminal cases. The parish clerk, who /
hould. also be elected, to have power
o perform all ministerial acts In success |
ion cases the same as the Judge
Abolsh the tax collector, and let all his duties
10 performed by the auditor and treasurer;
he auditor to keep duplicate of all the tax 7
BILE property Of the parish, as returned to
lin by the ward assessors, both real and per-
onal, which, when complete, to be furnished
4 a stated time in the year to the parish |
reasurer who Is then to collect the taxes at +.
lis office within specified time; such taxes u,
s belong to the parish or to the wards of the
"a rish To he retained for paympnt IN tho war !,