St. Landry democrat., 1881-12-24

newspaper mind, in this State, is
that of raising a revenue and equaliz-
ing assessments by the action of the
! legislature at the present extra session.
1t is said that the receipts for State
taxes amount to about half the expendi-
lures or appropriations. There are two
ways to make both ends meet: one is to
increase the taxes ; the other is to cut
down the appropriations or reduce the
expenditures. 1t may be safely stated
as an axiom, that the tax receirers or
government officials and creditors are
in favor of the former, and the tax
payers of the latter. The country men,
berS OF the Legislature are generally
and naturally ON the side of the tax
payers, and the city members as class
may be said to be in a predicament-
between two fires: they represent the
taxpayers, bondholders and State and
City officials. All the country wants is
low taxes but the City wants asylums,
colleges, universities, a militia, and
|
the State taxes. To do all these things,
and pay the public debt, taxes must be
increased. But how can taxes be in
creased when the constitution fixes the
maximum limit at six mills? Why,
by increasing the assessment OF proper
ty through board provided for that
purpose. If man before the present
constitution was adopted, paid for in
stance twelve mills State tax on proper
| ty assessed at $1,000, his tax was s12 !;
now it is Sc, the rate being six mills. If
an equalizing or elevating board raised
his assessment to $4,000, his tax at six
mills would amount to $12-the same
as under the old regime. Theoretically.
an equalizing board was proposed to
throughout the State, so that all proper
ty would be assessed at its actual value.
But practically the board was intended
to equalize the receipts from taxes with
the expenditures, to increase the taxes
so as to cover the expenditures. Some
people believe and maintain that the
reduction Of taxation effected by the
present constitution means more than
the mere nominal reduction of the rate to
six mills, and they think that as the
salaries Of all constitutional officers
were reduced at the same time, and in
proportion, the taxes as now collected
should be sufficient to maintain the
government. Taxable property is in
creasing every day, and that swells the
revenue. S17,5OO was the amount OF
the appropriation in the present revenue
bill, to support the State militia-if
there is any State militia outside OF
New Orleans, we never heard of it. AS
it may be considered certain that the
State militia will not shoot and Stay
any organized body Of their fellow
citizens with whom they are allied in
race or political sympathy, and as
no foreign power besides the Uuited
States, is liable to invade this common
wealth, the practical necessity of an Or
ganized militia is not apparent. We
grant that fine body OF we'll drilled
troops, in fancy uniform with glittering
muskets, when maneuvering at drill or
on dress parade, is grand sight; but
it is not one Of the attractions of coun
try life, and we hold that those who see
the play should pay the actors. When
the country members, therefore. voted
down the appropriation Of $17,500 for
dress parades, they per-
formed only their duty to their cousti-
tuents.
Labor is scarce and uncertain in the
country, and unless land is cultivated
it brings no revenue; and unless it
brings d revenue it is practically value
less for the time being. While we do
not advocate no taxation on vacant or
lncultivated lands, we do not think
they should be taxed to confiscation.
Of lands cultivated, in addition to the
difficulty about labor, some years the
seasons are bad-too wet or dry, and
he caterpillars destroy the cotton.
While the cotton crop was only an
one this year, the corn crop i
vas a failure and corn will have to be {
fought and paid for by many out of $
lext years cotton crop. The city
raws its prosperity, its very life, from c
he country; without the country there t
Guild be no city. Therefore the indus ,.
ry of the country-agriculture-should- !
OF be oppressed by high taxation; it e
7ould be like killing the goose that q
,ys the golden egg,' or destroying the q
,untain. s
In the long list Of appropriations a