Richland beacon., 1881-04-23
The Court House Question.
RATvILAE, Ia, 20ih April, 1881.
EILroE Kl.MLANp BEAcuN-

EDITOR HIGHLAND BEACON
Dear Sir: Ga the eth inst there
Will he an election held 10 this parish
Oh the question of voting to rat.ly the
assessment made IL he Police Jury
Of la mills tax, for the purpose u.
building cont house, clerks u.L
sheriff Offices, and jury rooms; 10
which ratification we hear many oh,
jections. Some tall: As if they were
ASKED to vote to tax Themselves 10
build court house, clerks Office, etc.
etc, for tie benefit Of Rayville al /
the officers cf the court; surh is not
the case. The hGmb!est citizen III the
parish has as many rights ana ao
much inierrs: in the pubic buildings
proposed TO be bull as any Judge hat
VII. preside there. Others urge that
public buildings are as private proper
", and assert that The public has no
night 20 any better buildings than pri-
waite individuals Tie cLaracte. aud
quality Of buildings for paJlic aad
private use is very different; a great
deal more use is required Of public
than q private building, ana they
are required to be much larger and
Stronger, and consequently rcgu.ge
more and beaver material.
The oa:ees ere repaired 20 contain
and preserve the public arch;ve for
ages; II say nothing Of The fact that
an enlightened people would be 10
Egyptian darkness without ,ht N
How would The title, TO property and
matters judicially settled be preserved
without them. Barbarians have no
archives nor history to preserve an
eul.shtenol people are compelled to
preserve record Of passing events.
and consequently are compelled to
have Offices, and they should he strong
aHd durable. The life Of ration,
state. country or any corporation Of
that character is a. the lie of an indi-
vidunl it has its birth, childhood,
manhood, maturity etc. Nations are
composed of cities, boroughs, districts
counties etc, Just as the Uniied States
is composed of states. the states Of
counties or parishes, anu each has lis
private records 70 preserve aud per-
p"tua'c. An Individual. 10 Lui!G.rr.
does not build for his Individual use
aud occupancy; lie builds for his own
Use and 20 enhance bis wealth, and
with tie intention that VIXEN be no
longer wishes to use the property lie
can sell, or, tina, his heirs will DC en-
richcd by the investment.
For the sake of argument, we will
admit that The parish is entitled 10 no
better building than individuals 4; the
properIy..in Rirhland Parish occupies
the same relation to the parish that
private property does to the man, with
this difference that the interest in
property that an individual owns can
bc sold to pay his debts, while the
ownership Of property owned by a
political corporation cannot be sold.
Dv the assessment rolls this parish
owns about one million dollars worth
of property, which constitutes its
wealth, as much so as any private in-
dividuals. On the theory that the
public has no right to any better build
ings than private indiyiiuaIs. what
ought a dwelling house for Richland
Parish to cost who Owls 100000
worth of property by the assessment
rolls? TIE author hereof knows Of
many dwellings in this. parish that
cost 100000 or $4,000 90, aud the
owners of which do not figure on the
assessment rolls for $40 600. The
court house and Offices proposed to be
built are as much the dwelling house
of Eichland Parish as any private
individuals property. The 10 mills
tax that tie public is called to vote Oh
on the 9th inst. on Sl.000.000 is
$40 900. One fourth of for taxes
never collected, and expense for col
Letting will leave $4,000 to build
Richlaud Parish dwelling house
Some object to building the court
house at Rayville on accout of the
locality. some on account of the name;
il is fact that cannot be truthfuily
controyeried that Raygil.e is in the
centre .: tie parish; that the Police
Jury Of this parish has iabored to in
Gace ono-,hird Of tie property tax
payers Of ibis parish 10 address Pc
;iti,n 70 them. that they nigh; order
az election 20 .0calc ilc c0u.. touse !,