The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-11-30


portant to ourselves than to those
whom we would attract Into our midst.
refer to taxation and education. :
TAX RATE TOO HIGH.
The tax rate in Louisiana is too
| high. No one will agree to come into
our midst and pay the rates exacted,
! when the rates of other states are
lower. There must be a tremendous
cut. At the same time more and bet
ter public schools must be provided,
because the state must not be left at
the head of the column of iHiterates,
! the position we now occupy. This
will require money for public schools.
How are these two problems to be rec
onciled? Antagonistie as they may
seem, they are susceptible of rec
oncilement, and this l regard as
the paramount issue of the campaign,
the one issue before which all others
pale into insigniicdnce.
CONSOLIDATION OF OFFICER AND
ABOLITION OF FEES.
One proposition which has been ad-
vaEced and with which I am in hearty
i accord is the abolition of six of the
seven tax collectors and tax assessors
| in the city of New Orleans, and the
consolidation of these into two sal
| aried Offices.
Along this same line something
! must be done to prevent shortages in
the Offices of the tax collectors the state
over. Naturally the bestguaranteei Is the
election of honest and competent offici-
ais. But further safeguard might be
provided by making it the duty of the
bank examiner to check up the tax
collectors. Tt would be in line
| with his present work, and could be
done without entailing additional cost
in the way of travel.
Another proposition that meets my
entire approval is the abolition of all
fees to public officers. Every officer
now receiving fees should be placed
| on a salary basis, with no such salary
to exceed $4,000 per annum, and only
the more important positions to go
| that high. The fees should be paid
into the state treasury.
STATE DEBT TO BE REFUNDED.
Nor do think it wise to settle the
state debt, or any part of it, at this
time. The credit of the state is such
that this debt can be refunded on a
! reasonable basis. There is no reason
in forcing the people to borrow money
at 7 and s per cent to pay off "a state
debt bearing 4 per cent. You cannot
lower the tax rate and pay the debt.
We need lower tax rate, and, para
| doxical as it may sound, we need the
state debt also. It is the great safety
valve OF appropriation committees.
The appropriations by the legislature
Of 1906 were nearly three and a half
million dollars in excess Of those of
1890. Pay the state debt and practi-
cally all restraint will have been re-
moved. The result will be appalling
even to the apostles of frenzied finance.
PLACE PUBLIC FUNDS AT INTEREST.
There is still another proposition that
has been advanced by which consid-
cradle sum will be saved the state.
That proposition is that the states
funds be given to the bank or banks
paying the highest rate of interest on
daily balances. This meets my hearty
approval, and I would 60 so far as to
define by law the class of securities to
be accepted and remove all discretion
from the boards in question. And I
would make the law applicable to all
public bodies, even police juries. I
would also favor the enactment of
law requiring everybody handling
public funds to publish. twice each
year in their official organ, a detailed
statement of all revenues and expendi-
lures.
MINIMUM STATE LICENSE OF $1,000.
Bat, at best, these measures will
only bring small relief to the ever
present and pressing school and tax
question. Personally I am opposed
to the liquor traffic. Still, I do not
believe the time is ripe for the discus
sion of prohibition as a state policy,
but would favor the enactment of a
statutory high license law, establish
ing $1,000 as the minimum state license.
I am satisfied that such a measure
will increase the states revenues and
provide US with schools the equal of
any in the country, besides easing the
general fund and permitting mate
rial reduction of the tax rate. This
might permit, also, a more liberal
pensioning of Confederate veterans.
NO BETTING ON HORSE RACING.
Another moral question closely al.
lied with the liquor question is that of
betting on horse races. Kentucky, the
home of the thoroughbred, has re-
strieted horse racing, while Illinois,
Missouri, Arkansas and other states
have practically put a ban on book
making and race-track gambling. I
would favor the enactment of law
forbidding gambling at the race track