The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1890-09-27

likely arise for years to come, as &C
cording to his declarations there was
an abundance of money in the treasury
to meet the expense of levee repairs.
The Governor had said there was
S750.0OO to expend uron the levees
All this was said to the gentlemen il
the committee room.
"These same declarations were
made in the Senate chamber, but ]
had my doubts about it, and on the
floor of the Senate st%renu0usly sought
to have that section stricken out. He
accepted my challenge and again re
peated that this emergency tax would
never be imposed as there was ample
money III the treasury. To my as
constituent, when the bill was called,
Senator Avery voted nay and Senator
Foster. who was in his seat when the
statement was made, withdrew from
the chamber. When the vote came to
ME, by Senator Provosty, | innocently
voted yea, and the bill was unanimous
~ passed with the exception Of the
negative vote cast by Senator Avery.
Scarcely had the ink been dried
upon the bill when the curtain fell,
and without the consent or approba-
ton of the people the tax is imposed
upon US to its fullest extent"
The speaker questioned the authori-
ty OF the board TO assess the people
81 per cent OF their holdings, and asked
where did they obtain that right. II
read some days ago he continued, ga
saNrIIA 2 Itatsp m tI1lnn 81 IulnA of tfI,
parish Judge Beattie) because he had
said that this law wrested from the
people their hard earnings. 1t was
thought strange that the judiciary
should take cognizance OF u legislative
matter, but nothing was said about
executive interference in legislative
matters.T
Mr.. O'Snllivan next enumerated the
number OF officers and their salaries.
and held that the money was not
necessary, but simply levied to creale
offices and furnish pap TO those who
had not contributed Il day OF hard
work. lit is said that since the law
has been passed. lie continued, III
is our duty TO obey it and see how it
operates. This is all very good, but /
say that this is not law, and We should
oppose it as having been securei
through fraud and misrepresentation.
You, as citizens, have the right to de
mand the commissioners to withdraw
that tax. We are not i'll a monarcili-
cal government of the people, who
recognize no superior. Therefore,
think, gentlemen, it becomes You to
fight this tax, since we might as well
be ruined by c~revasses as by taxes"
The speaker showed thar the tax
amounted to $3.50 per hundred, while
III the present stringent state of the
market money could be borrowed at 1
per cent. The law taxes all lands 2
per cent, whether arabic Or swamp
lands, and Senator O'Sullivan added
f~acetiously that it was folly to pay
civil engineers for the purpose of learn
ing where your swamps were.
Concluding, the speaker said that
the meeting had for its purpose the
devising of means to oppose this tax
and of saying to the commissioners
that the people wanted it withdrawn.
"The people cannot pay it; let the
commissioners cali their body together
and withdraw the tax and We will take
care Of our own levees and will pre-
serve themintact. This is not a petit
ton, but a demand, aud if they do not
heed our demands we will force them
to acquiesce in our wishes.
Mr.. L. 4. Badeaux then spoke in
French. followed by Judge Beattie,
The SENTINEL next week will print
the remarks made by those speakers
and the resolutions adopted.