The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-08-30

Where the court mouse may pc, IOr
the reason that they can be far on |
their way to Court while they might
travel to the railroad and await the
arrival of train, and moreover, it
costs less to travel to Court as our
people have heretofore done.
The thoughtful voter will conclude
that Bellevue is more convenient to
majority of the people of Bossier
than any other point yet designated.
Then consider the pecuniary con-
siderations involved, and it will be
found that the interests of vast ma
jority of our citizens are against re-
moval, and that only few will be
benefited by a change.
Our parish is now about out of
debt, and the levy of taxes for 1888
is only y mills, when since 1879 it
has been 10 mills yearly, with pain
full regularity.
The proposition now submitted to
you, voters of Bossier! is to throw
away your present Court house, or
sell it for mere song, and then in
crease your taxes as far as the Consti-
tuition and your votes will permit, to
build new Court house and Jail at
some other point at cost of, per-
haps, $4,000 or $4,000. The sum
expended, or debt incurred, by this
change will not likely be less than
the former sum, and when the debt
shall have been paid i'll installments,
it is more than likely that, adding
interest, it will equal the latter
Why waste so large sum? Craw-
ford and Leffingwell, experienced
architects, both pronounced the
present Court house safe, and less
than $1,000 will put it in thorough
repair. Why then throw it away 3
Why not keep the cost of a new
Court house in your pockets, to edu-
cate your children or expend as you
may please to do? Most of our PEG
pie are not rich, our schools do not
remain in session as long as they
should do, because of the smallness
of the school fund and the poverty
of our people. Who will say that he
is willing to deprive his, or his neigh
boris children of even one or two
months additional schooling, yearly,
for, perhaps, five years, to build a
new Court house, when the present
one sufices for all purposes It is
true very many of you may have to
contribute but small sum toward
payment of even $4,000 debt, OIL
expenditure, but to the small farmer
the saving of this small sum is as
important as much larger sum
would be to rich man. 1t gives,
perhaps, a months additional educa-
ton to his children, or affords his
family something they need or crave,
of which the extra tax will deprive
them.
1t will not do to say that a Court
house, not to mention a Jail, can be
bn,lt without taxation above 10 mills,
annually. It cannot be done. Let
him who can devise the plan to &C
complish so wonderful feat demon
strate it to those who manage our
parish finances, and if it can be done
the people may determine to keep
the savings in their pockets and fur
Their reduce taxes, or the cost of a
Court house may be appropriated to
educational purposes, and taxes still
be kept at y mills, or less. It is
evident, if a new Court house can be
built without increasing taxation,
then, if the Court house be not built,
taxes ought to be lowered. But,
mark it! the building of new Court
house will cost large sum of money,
and that large sum will be taxed on
your property, and taken from
your revenues, if in small sums to
| most of you, vet YOU will know it