The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-06


under this head; but no communications will
Do printed except from responsible parties.l
BACK TAXES, WARRANTS AND CUR
RENCY bonds.
COLUMBIA, La. May 81, 1879.
10 the Editor of the Democrat:
LII your edition Of Thursday last you COM
mended to the Constitutional Convention the
propriety of funding the floating debt in four
per cent State currency bonds. This ls the
plan adopted BY the Committee On the State
Debt, and embodied by them In their report
il ID proposed to make these bonds receivable
for all back taxes. This will operate as q
sinking fund and retire them rapidly from
circulation.
Mr.. Editor, would urge upon the Conven-
ton the Justice and equity Of this method Of
treating the floating debt the only method,
~ fact, that can give universal satisfaction to
the warrant holder, and at the same time re-
lieye the State q On incubus that has for
None can deny the validity OF warrants 1s-
sued by the Auditor OF Public Accounts In
strict aceordanee with law. But sir, I am
astOnished to find men on the floor Of the
warrants at more than fifty per cent Of their
face value. The floating debt has nearly all
been contracted since the wheeler Compro-
mise" and consequently the Democratic
have all along oontended that they we're Will
ing and ready to pay all honest debts for
which the people OF Louisiana are justly and
fairly responsible Their action on this float
ing dept question Will test their sincerity or
prove their iDsincerity.
The Committee on Taxation report an ordi-
| nance on the subject OF delinquent taxes, In
which they propose to sacrifice the warrant
holders on behalf OF the poor delinquent
| Their plan ID to make warrants receivable for
any and all back taxes due the State, but only
| for the funds against which they are drawn,
to witt General fluid warrants, for general
| fund taxes; levee fund warrants, for levee
fund taxes; interest fund tax, 10 matured eou-
| pons; school fund tax, In school warrants, etc
By what process OF reasoning the committee
expects the warrant holder to obtain any re-
| lief under this arrangement, confess Is to me
| mystery. Nor, sir, will 1t extend any relief
ishes who are poor. 1t Is q known fact that
| warrants are not convertible, like currency,
from one denomination into another at the
will OF the owner, and consequently cannot
be- used from the impossibillty OF making
| change.
| II the COMMITTEES intended really to extend
relief TO ali classes Of dsIinquents equally and
| alike they certainly must have seen the
absurdity Of the plan proposed and its utter
simply intend to relieve the wealthy delln-
| gent, Or, In other words, those men and cor
| pOrations who owe large amounts OF back
taxes and who have systematically refused
70 contribute to the support Of the govern
they have not been compelled to pay, their
| plan will succeed admirably. It Is the ri Ii,
not the poor. delinquent who will be benefit
ed, and benefited, too, at the expense OF men
| who have paid their taxes promptly aud reg
ularly, and served the State honestly and
| hOHprably.
| All this sentimental bowling about the poor,
| oppressed delinquent is o sham, q fraud, o.
cheat, got up to enable dishonest men to es-
cape from bearing their just and equal share
| OF the public burdens Why should I, who
am warrant holder, and have earned what
tile State owes me honestly and honorably by
| the sweat Of my brow, be called upon to sell
my warrants to the broker ut twenty-five
cents On the dollar, In order that the poor (2,
delinquent may purchase them at forty
Or fifty cents On the dollar, from said broker.
and pay his taxes with them? Does the State
derive any benefit from such a transaction2
sale robbery of her public servants, but then,
Of course, the po0y delinquent Is relieved and
the p0Or broker ID made to rejoice and beg glad.
| MI. Editor, have done work for the State
at the states own price, and hold the States
promise to pay. Ny warrants do not read !:
Mr.. Broker will pay on demand % per cent
or the face value Of this warrant" nor, Poor
delinquent is entitled TO purchase this var
rant Ut hall It's face value, In order that he
may settle his taxes at another mans ex-
pense." No, sir; they read: THE Treasurer
Or the State will pay (faee value), etc, etc"
| Now, sir, | have always paid my taxes
promptly IN cash, and that, too, while had
In my pocket warrants Of the State for which
| / had done honest labor to the amount of
hundreds Of dollars. And now----shouId the
report OF the COMMITTEES On Taxation be
adopted am to be called upon to pay the
taxes Of scores Of poor, ilLstsed, oppressed and
generous and pnilanthropie, but it Is q kind
Of charity / protest against being made to OK
ercise.
The Convention should adopt an ordinance
upon this subject that, while 1t protects the
interests OF the public servants who own the
warrants land there is not parish In the
State except, perhaps, Orleans, whose officers
| do not hold the States warrants for services
rendered. will at the same time impose as
light burden as possible upon the finances Of
for any third party should for a moment be
entertained. The ordinance to be reported
| by the Committee on the State Debt is such
an ordinance. 1t meets, at once, the just de-
mands OF the warrant holder, and relieves the
State OF an onerons burden. And, further, 1t
will operate to the relief OF the poor, dyspeptic
delinquent, by affording him an opportunity
Of purchasing these currency bonds at what
ever their market value may be, and Of pay
ing up like a little man.
edl Hest!y PRESS tli5 quesLion upoH eils dt-
tention OF the Convention, affecting as 1t does
the rights OF hundreds OF Louisiana's best
citizens scattered through every parish within
her borders. Shall these men who have given
their time, their abilities, their money, to re-
deem the State from Radicalism and ruin, who
have paid their taxes to the last cent. be plum
dered and robbed for the benefit of delinquents
who could have paid, and should have been
made to pay, their taxes long ago2 Gentlemen
Of the Convention, Louisiana awaits your
answer. Al.
Politics and Politician. In Ohio.
COLUMBUS, June 5.-The bolt of Green
hackers is quite general, and is led by Sam
Carey and Ike Sherwood. A. s. Pratt, the
Grpeuback candidate saws he will receive