St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-06-12
RULE OF REPUBLICANS.
Il Is Costing the Country Very
Dearly.

q &
The legislative record continues to
show that the democratic party is the
party of economy, and that the repub-
lican party is the PARTY of .extraya-
gance. This has been the showing of
the record for many years, and nothing
different is disclosed in the addition
TO it made by the republican legislature
of 1897, although that body created the
lowest republican tax rate for many
years, at least. When, however, it is
remembered that the late legislature
had access to uneSa1npled resources
in the shape of indirect taxes; that is,
taxes that are now paid directly by the
citizens and which do not, as q conse-
quence, figure in the tax rate, some idea
can be obtained of the Significance OF
the late legislatures record of eNpendl-
ture. Having access to millions of dol
lars derived in such way as not to
increase the rate, it was not able to
bring the rate down TO the highest rate
created by the democratic legislature,
although the latter fell short by mill
lions of the indirect revenue available
by the late legislature. The Albany
Argus puts the case in nutshell, thus:
s'We have had, since 1890, three forms
OF government in this state. For two years
there was complete democratic control,
executive and legislative; the democratic
tax rates were 1.9S in 1892 and 2.55 in lS9S
For three years past We have had complete
republican control, legislative and execu-
tive; tax rates, 3.24 in 1885, 269 in 1886,
2.G7 in 1857. There were three years IN
which democratic governor held in check
the extravaganza of republican Iegisla-
ture; tax rate, 1891 tWhen there was also
democratic assembly,, LS7, the lowest
in 81 years: 1890, 2.24, and 1894, 2.18. Lowest
tax rate made in whole or in part under
democratic control, 1.37; highest, 2.58 Low
est republican tax rate, 2.67; highest, S.24.
Thus showing that the lowest republican
tax rate is higher than the highest which
democratic governors or legislatures par
ticipated in making.
The theory has been advanced that
the people will stand great deal more
from the republicans than they will
stand from the democrats; that they
will overlook great errors and gross
wrongs on the part of the G. o. p, while
they will punish the democrats for small
shortcomings. This theory appears. at
least, to have something in it. No one
can have failed to observe, however,
that while the people are Furnishing the
democrats, they are gaining the heaviest
share of the punishment themselves.
They find, indeed, that Furnishing the
democracy is most expensive business,
and that it would be money in their
pockets and in the interest of good
government as a steady thing, if they
permitted the democrats to go unpun-
ished. Extravaganza is not only bad in
itself; it is the occasion of countless
other evils, because profigacy is the
parent of all other excesses, and the
principle of false in one, false in all
obtains here. After all the splendid op,
portunities that have been afforded it
republicanism in government has
proved its inability to be other than
profigate, and its every showing is
worse than the preceding one. And yet
we are assured that the people do not
propose to do anything about it. Pun
ishing the democracy comes high, but
they must have it, SO we are told.-Bing-
harutfsn IN, Y,1 Leader.