The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-10-15
DEACON ROGERS HOUSE.


Deacon Rogers had made up his mind
TO build new house.
The deacon was successful business
man. Beginning life as an errand boy
he worked his way through his various
grades of clerkship in the store to where
he was employed. At thirty he was
partner in the firm. At forty he was the
sole proprietor of a first-class businessin
growing town. The old house his father
had built was antiquated; and, moved
by the oft-repeated urging OF his wife
and family. the deacon had at last de-
cided to build house which should be-
worthy of his position as a leading
merchant, and at the same time an orna-
ment to the town he lived in.
The question now was, what kind OF q
house should he build? And on this
the deacon was taking counsel with hinf-
self.
After consultation with his architect,
the deacon had finally narrowed his
choice down to two designs, ono was to
cost $4,000 and the other $4,000. His
inclination was toward the more expen-
sive. Could he afford it?
With pen and paper, Deacon Rogers
carefully set down the figures of his in
come and disbursements. So much
could be relied upon as profit from his
business; so much would come in yearly
from the investment of past savings.
On the other side he set down the ex-
penses of his children's education, the
cost of maintaining an increased estab-
lishment, certain amount to be
prudently saved and re-invested every
year The two sides of the account
came perilously near to balancing; but
still there was a margin.
"Tll do it," said the deacon as he
looked lovingly at the design OF the
more expensive house and thought
what vastly improved appearance it
would give the village street. And
without moro ado the deacon wrote
letter to the architect instructing him
to 60 ahead and prepare the specifica-
! lions and contracts.
E|S,.s The letter was just sealed, the ink on
the envelope still wet, when the
deacon's old friend, Mr.. Smith, the tax
collector, entered. In the pride Of his
heart, the deacon showed him the plans
of the new house.
beautiful indeed" said Smith, "A
building like that will give our village
regular boom; bring us in pretty
penny more in taxes, too, won't it?"
Deacon Rogers started. He hadn't
thought of that! He made a hasty cal
| culation of what the additional taxes
would be, and found that they would
more than swallow up the narrow mar
gin of income over expenses. 81 was
only joking, Smith," said he. 'Thats
the house Pm going to build" And the
deacon displayed the plan of the $4,000
building.
So the smaller house was built, the
lumber dealer sold less lumber; the 9TH
err dealers sold fewer nails, less glass,
fewer stones, lighting fixtures, plumb
I ing, furniture, and so on. The contract
or made smaller profits, and the carpen-
ters, and masons, and bricklayers, and
daily laborers, all had less to do and got
less wages. And all because the village
authorities wouldn't let Deacon Rogers
build a house without fining him for do
ing it.
And the vacant lot which lay next the
new house increased in value by nearly a
thousand dollars as soon as the house
was built; and the man who had intend
, ed to used his savings in buying IT ane
building house upon it found h.
couldn't manage it.-W. G. Wood, NJ. d
Now, Who Is tho Worst Man Unhung?
Rev. Benjamin Waugh has testified
: before a committee of the British Hous'
of Lords that every year "a Thousand
. children are murdered for insurance
- money in England" Such testimony
= calculated to make Jack, the ripper
. feel that he is not the worst man VIII
! goes unhung in GENERALIZATION Globe
n The Chicago News, which has beel
lr doing SO much good for the single ia:
q lcause in Illinois, is out against the pei
Il sunal property tax. Itsays:
ia .sYhe personal property taxis fatuous
sExdd it ought to be abolished. 1t is
~ farce. in the cities, and a most unjus
d imposition in the country, where its di'
', couraging effects are most grievousl
a felt. The assessors can not possibl
assess it with even approximate fai
q ness; and, as matter of plain fact the
it do not attempt SO to do. They far NOR
is frequently use it as club for the pun
ID ishment of their political enemies tina
s as means of justice, and it has thu
" become a kissing and a by-word, odio'
Ii in the sight of the people, and r
id proach to our civilization, which ougl
a to be beyond fining the citizen for h
ID industry, his thrift and his enterprise
ar But it says that the personal proper
as tax is a fixed fact, which can not be
I'd moved until the State Constitutipe
" amended. The News calls on 2 pe'
rikt Pile to take UP the agitation of ge IVY =
ton with "a view ito the el1etloh =.
90 Legislature in 1891 which ssMl ps ssl
such an amendment asWlil maAv
ke possible to abolish the PERSONAL proper
d. tax. The Chicago sigale tax men ma
la been fighting on thiss llne aor . ~
ge time; and now that the Chicago ne
no has decided to assist them the roau
: suaoaa.. lie clean.