Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-12-10

has been continued on tho assessment rolls for
the current years and there Ii some doubt about
selling this description Of property for the taxes
of 1s30-81, lest the State should lose the back
taxes. Act No. 107 provided for the sale Of this
property on the first Saturday in each month,
and from day to day thereafter. There are very
few parishes-not more than three--in which
this provision of the law has been complied
with. In nearly every case the sale has been
made on different day Valuable properties,
on which the State had claim for taxes, have
been sold for insignificant sums, the owners
being generally the purchasers. These sales
arc absolutely null and void, having been made
In violation of law. 1t is estimated that the
back taxes amount to nearly 100000
would respectfully recommend a law requiring O
descriptive list Of this property to be made
that such property be taken from the assessment
rolls; that IL be sold on designated day for not
less than the taxes duo and that all property
not sold DO leased by the Auditor, under such
regulations as it may be your pleasure to pre-
scribe Provision should be- made for rendering
TO the purchaser the amount which he has paid,
which che present law has been complied with
will suggest that the titles of the purchasers be
maintained, notwithstanding the fact that the
purchasers and owners bought the property for
less than the taxes, and for nominal sums,
In the parish Of Orleans there arc Judgments
for taxes and licenses to the amount Of 5000 000:
have been informed by the Attorney General
that it il difficult to execute tho Judgments In
these cases, because some have been settled and
it does not appear from the records what pny-
ments have been made. Therefore legislation
is necessary to provide the means for the en,-
ployment of experts to investigate these judg-
ments and ascertain which of them are in force.
| would also suggest, that in this matter the
officers of the courts be required to issue the
In .untt nj
advance, and only dependent upon tho final col.
lection Of the Judgment. The State has already
paid enormous amounts in certificates issued
under Act No. 90, OF 1885, for fees in these judg-
ments, probably amounting to more than has
been realized from them-certaInly far more
than has been paid into the State Treasury.
srATE.HoUsE IN NEW ORLEANS.
1t is very probable that the State-House at
Baton Rouge will DO ready to receive the State
officers in February next The vacated Capitol
building here will then be no longer needed for
State purposes. If not disposed Of it will be a
heavy expense to the State for repairs and insu-
rance. Some disposition of it should be made.
l recommend that 1t DO sold, under such regula-
tons as you may prescribe % minimum price
being fixed 30 that IL may not be sold at sacri-
fee, and that the proceeds be appropriated to
the building of an Asylum for the Blind, to the
repairing Of the State University, at Baton
Asylum ut jackson.
PUBLIC PRINTING.
Your attention is respectfully called to the
necessity OF enacting q law to carry out the pro
visions Of Article AZ of the Constitution in Iela-
ton to the public printing. During the last
session of the General Assembly Gov. Wilt
entered into acontract with Il. A. Branda0 TODD
the public printing ut the rates specified III said
| contract. The contract was to continue until it
was superseded by legislative action. d0 not
conceive that have the right to annnl this con
tract and in the absence of legislation, 1t may
continue indefinitely. | suggest the passage OF
| an act in accordance with article AZ, fixing the
maximum prices at such rates as will secure
frstclass work at reasonable compensation,
after fair competition.
JOINT RESOLUTION.
In case 1t should become necessary to prolong
your deliberations by cOnvening another extra
session, in order to perfect the requisite legs!a-
ton, continuing the unfinished business from
one session into another. / do not think this
is essential yet recommend it to avoid all dis
cussion as to the propriety of carrying legisla-
ton from one session into another without suct.
| q resolution.
APPOINTMENTS.
| Appointments to Office have been made since
| the last session of the General Assembly and,
have thought it right and proper to submit then,
to the Senate for its dcliberation and judgment,
| in accordance with Article G3 of the Constitu
ton.
| COSTS CHARGES AND FEES.
| Article 145 and t46 of the Constitution con-
templated the collection OF fees through a sys
TEN of stamps in the parish of Orleans, by the
State. The reason for this provision was nm.
| d0ubtedly not only to make the Offices
self.sustaining in the parish of Orleans, but ia
provide revenue for the State. The fund
arising from the sale of stamps is known as the
Judicial Expense Fund, and is set apart special
| ~ to meet the expenses, ont of which are to be
| paid by preference the judicial expenses of the
parish of Orleans The civil sheriff and c0nsta
bles of the parish of Orleans, under Articles l4(
and l43 of the Constitution, collect their fees Of
office and do not participate in the Judicial Elk
pense Fund There has been heavy deficit IN
this special fund.- to such an extent that officers
do not receive their pay, either promptly or il
| full. The whole system Is defective and needs
a careful revision. There are, no doubt many
| poor persons who have legal rights that they
cannot enforce because of the necessity of always
having on hand a sufficient Amount Of cash witt
which to purchase stamps. | recommend sucf
| legislation AZ VIII secure to these persons wht
are INDECENT and may have rights requiring .ju
dicial vindication such redress rs will protect
| their rights and at the same time protect tn,
| State from imposition.
Much delay is experienced IN the affixing O.
stamps during the progress OF a trial, aud 1t !.
necessary to require deposit in stamps sufh
cien to cover all possible costs. The questions
which will suggest themselves in the examina
| ton OF existing laws are whether the excess o
receipts of the civil sheriff should go the genera
fund or to the judicial expense fund, as Article
140 does not specify which; to the protection o
| litgants from excessive costs; TO the apportion
ment of said fund among the different offices, ant
to contine its distribution as to all expenses, To-
salaries az we'll as stationery, to those Office
which contribute directly to the fund.
Your attention is respectfully called TO TIL
entire system and the existing laws on the sab
iect, in order that it may be perfected and sucl
remedial legislation enacted as may be proper.
FEES OF SPECIAL COUNSEL.
By Act No. Is, approved April Q, 1880, th
Governor is empowered to employ special cO,ln
sci i'll certain cases pending in the Suprem
Court and contract for fees not exceeding tiy,
per cent. on the amount involved, contingen
upon the success of said cases, whenever tn
duties OF the Attorney General prevent hi
attending to the same without assistance Gov
Witt in pursuance OF this act employed james
Lingan, Gus. A. Breaux and John McEnery
and entered into contract with them for fees a
three per cent. on the amount involved in the
cases OF Harrison Durkee ct ais. Vs. Louisiana
Board OF Litigation and in the case of William
g. Guion vs.. the State OF Louisiana; and at tn
rate Of five per cent. ON the amount involved il
the ease of the New York Guaranty and Indem
nifty Company vs. the Louisiana Board of LIQUID
alton.
The mandates of the United States Supreme
Court are on file in this office in two of said ca
ses-HarrisOn Durkee ct ais. and Williams ant
Guion, the issues involved being the same. l
appears from these mandates that the services
| fha al al -, ha ,t,n