The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-07-24

TAXATION.
Some Of orr planting friends have
expressed astonishment=at the attack
Major Burke is making upon them in
the Democrat in relation TO the gues-
ton Of taxation.
To uA it does seem a little strange
that the Democratic Organ is demand
ing assessments upon sugar planters
higher shan those prevalent under
tire Warmoth and Kellogg admins
trations. Then, clarified sugar was
worth twelve and thirteen cents q
pound, and now it is barely wortl,
seven asd eight cents, being decline
| Of nearly fifty per cent in value; or,
taking into consideration the lower
rate Of wages and decreased price Of
provisions, representing a net decline
of fully one-fourth in the value Of the
products Of sugar estates. II has been
claimed that Warmotll and Kellogg
oppressed the people; and yet the
Democrats are denazding that the
planters property should be assessed
for taxation fur higher than it was by
those much abused Governors, and
this at time when the value of sugar
has decreased twenty-five per cent.
Truly, our sugar planters will have
cause to hail with loud applause the
gentle Democratic rule Of Gov. Wilt
and State Treasurer and Managing
Editor Burke, when they demand rates
Of assessment greater than the "usurp
cr Kellogg" imposed.
Living in sugar producing parish,
we have simply been astounded at
the assault of the Democrat upon Mr..
John Burnside and the sugar planters
generally.
Upon what does the Democrat base
its statement that the sugar planta-
tions are not properly assesseda The
Warmot.l and Kellogg Assessors put
a certain value upon sugar estates,
anG the Nichols Assessors adopted
the same valuation, with little vari.
atop here and there. The Democrat
may be more patriotic and wiser than
the Warmoth and Kellogg officials,
but how about the Nichols assess
ments7 We know the Wilt admin
istration has stamped out the Nichols
government with an energy that has
left scarcely vestige Of it remaining
in the State; and perhaps the equita-
ole assessments of the Nichols era
are also to disappear, So that our
planters can drink the glad waters of
Reform and rejoice with the exceed
ing great joy which fills the hearts of
tue citizens of New Orleans at the be-
nefcent and benign rule under which
they live.
The actual cash value Of property
is to be estimated either by actual
sales or by regular, reliable net in
come. There have been four or five
forced sales Of plantations in Ascen-
sion, and the assessed value of lands
considerably exceeds that established
by the average Of those sales.
Major Burke assails Mr.. Burnside
because bis assessments are too low.
and yet i'll one ease he bought plan
tation for $4,000 which is now as
sessed at $23, 600.
Knowing the depression Of sugar
planting interests, we have no l4esi-
ia ton in saying that nine out of ten
planters Of our section If tile State |
have not received from tl.ei, planta-
tons counting the results of the last
three years-one single dollar of net
income.
Does the Democrat insist upon in
taxation ON property which |
in three years has not produced dol !
lar to its ownersf It seems 50, we
regret to say.
But it is said the planters would
not sell their property for the assessed
value. If the doctrine is to prevail
hat property is tU be assessed at the
value which the owner may pat on it,
where shall we end Take, for in
stance, u mans nose-tlle nose of Ma
Or well Of ourselves. What do we
'alue our nose at7 We are certain it
$ worth great deal of money; we
would not sell it for 500, 600; in fact,
We think the most earnest advocate Of
Ugh assessment would not accept
$50, 600 for his valuable proboscis
'ut We humbly realize that our olfac-
cries are not to be held 50 high as
'is, and SO we modestly put them at
'l2O,OoO. This valuable property
PRODUCES no revenue to us or the ear
est advocate, and - We would not
ell it tor many thousands. Why not
AK it ut the value we put upon it?